Lucifer
Bill Mallonee Lyrics
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From the king of the world to your worst nightmare
Got you an old recipe and some chemicals to stir
It might have felt just like God once, but now it's Lucifer
Oh, to be clean
Yeah, and you know the thing is sleeping a scratch below your skin
And God knows if you wake it up, you gotta calm it down again
It feels just like a hunger, but you cannot feed the thing
It always wants a new song that you can't really sing
It never shows you the whole truth 'til the poison's leaking through
What you thought you were doing, well, now it's doing you
And it could take a few years to dig out of this mind
What with a shaft so deep and dark, it might take a lifetime
The choices, they're like diamonds you found down there one night
You gotta grab the one that's your true self and bring it to the light
The lyrics to Bill Mallonee's song "Lucifer" describe the destructive power of addiction and the struggle to overcome it. The song begins with a reference to a plant, which can be interpreted as a metaphor for the roots of addiction. From humble beginnings, addiction can take over one's life and lead them to the depths of despair, from the "king of the world to your worst nightmare."
The lyrics go on to describe the insatiable hunger of addiction, which can feel like a monster lurking just beneath the surface, waiting to be awakened. However, like Pandora's Box, once it is opened, the struggle to control it can be overwhelming. The imagery of the flood and the drowning is a powerful metaphor for feeling overwhelmed by addiction.
The song ends on a note of hope, with the idea that digging out of addiction might take a lifetime, but that there are choices to be made and diamonds to be found in the darkness. The message is that the journey to recovery is long and difficult, but with determination and inner strength, it is possible to find one's true self and bring it to the light.
Line by Line Meaning
From a simple plant that was long growing there
The source of evil can arise from something ordinary but hidden for a long time
From the king of the world to your worst nightmare
Evil can affect anyone and everyone, regardless of their standing in life
Got you an old recipe and some chemicals to stir
Evil can be concocted through a combination of old ideas and new elements
It might have felt just like God once, but now it's Lucifer
Something that once felt divine or pure can become corrupted and evil over time
Oh, to be clean
The desire to be free from the influence of evil
Yeah, and you know the thing is sleeping a scratch below your skin
Evil can exist dormant within a person, waiting to be awakened
And God knows if you wake it up, you gotta calm it down again
Once awakened, controlling the influence of evil can be difficult
And I wonder what it felt like when the waters flooded in and it got too hard to swim
Reflecting on the overwhelming feeling of being consumed by evil
It feels just like a hunger, but you cannot feed the thing
The desire to satisfy the influence of evil is insatiable and impossible to fulfill
It always wants a new song that you can't really sing
Evil constantly demands new actions that go against one's natural inclinations
It never shows you the whole truth 'til the poison's leaking through
The true consequences of evil deeds are often hidden until it's too late
What you thought you were doing, well, now it's doing you
The control that one thought they had over the influence of evil is now reversed, and they are being controlled by it
And it could take a few years to dig out of this mind
Breaking free from the influence of evil can be a long and difficult process
What with a shaft so deep and dark, it might take a lifetime
The depths of the influence of evil can be profound and extensive
The choices, they're like diamonds you found down there one night
Amidst the darkness of evil, there are moments of clarity and decisions to be made
You gotta grab the one that's your true self and bring it to the light
Choosing to act on one's true self, despite the influence of evil, is necessary for transformation and redemption
Contributed by Lucy P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.