The band existed for almost a decade before mainstream success. The members met and played in Our Lady of Mount Carmel Secondary School under the name Pezz and remained underground in Toronto's indie music scene until 2001. The band renamed itself Billy Talent after running into legal trouble with the old name. It was then that Kowalewicz's connection with an employee of Warner Music Canada's A&R department landed the band a record deal and launched them into mainstream success. Since then, Billy Talent has made three multi-platinum records in Canada and continues to expand their success overseas; this included touring for 20 months supporting their second album. They released their third album, Billy Talent III, in 2009, and their fourth album, Dead Silence, in 2012. Dead Silence was followed up by a full UK tour throughout October and November 2012. To commemorate the longevity since the release of their first studio album, the band has released a greatest hits album entitled Hits in 2014. In 2015, they began to prepare material for their fifth studio album. Just before entering the studio, drummer Aaron Solowoniuk decided to sit out the recording sessions while he continued his longstanding battle with multiple sclerosis. Fellow Canadian Jordan Hastings was quickly recruited to play as Solowoniuk's studio stand-in, and, in early 2016, the group completed work on Afraid of Heights, which was released in July of that year. The band's most recent album is Crisis of Faith, released in January 2022.
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Talent
Studio albums
Billy Talent (2003)
Billy Talent II (2006)
Billy Talent III (2009)
Dead Silence (2012)
Afraid of Heights (2016)
Crisis of Faith (2022)
The Crutch
Billy Talent Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I got tangled in your chains
A trail of dead for all to see
You shut the cage and stole the key
Your state of mind revealed
That my love for you was real
They say in time wounds heal
My mouth is shut, my lips are sealed
You are the crutch of this disease
And I've been locked in your machine
Sit here and rot, or break this deal
I spill my blood on the checkered floor
You got me crawling back for more
You set the trap, I'll take the bait
A bed of nails I can't escape
Your state of mind revealed
That my love for you was real
They say in time wounds heal
But I got nothing left to steal
My mouth is shut, my lips are sealed
You are the crutch of this disease
And I've been locked in your machine
Sit here and rot, or break this deal
Now it's so dark that I can't see
The mental scars you left on me
So dig your nails and grind your teeth
I'm in your clutch for eternity
Yeah, I know it's hard for you to see
The mental scars you left on me
So dig your nails and grind your teeth
I'm in your clutch for eternity
My mouth is shut, my lips are sealed
You are the crutch of this disease
And I've been locked in your machine
Sit here and rot, or break this deal
Oh, my mouth is shut, my lips are sealed
You are the crutch of this disease
And I've been locked in your machine
Sit here and rot, or break this deal
The song, The Crutch by Billy Talent, is about being trapped in a toxic relationship. The lyrics describe a situation where the singer is fully aware that they should leave their partner, but they feel unable to do so because they are 'tangled in their chains'. The partner is portrayed as someone who is manipulative and controlling, and they have left a trail of destruction behind them. The singer is unable to break free from the relationship, feeling trapped and as though they are slowly being destroyed.
The chorus of the song talks about the partner being the 'crutch of this disease'. This is a powerful metaphor that suggests that the relationship is like an illness that the singer cannot shake off. They are 'locked in their machine', and it seems that the only choice they have is to 'sit here and rot', or to try and break free from the relationship. The final verse of the song sees the singer acknowledging that they are in the partner's 'clutch for eternity', and that they are unable to escape the 'mental scars' that have been left on them.
Overall, The Crutch is a powerful song that explores the complexities of toxic relationships. It highlights the impact that such relationships can have on an individual, and how difficult it can be to break free from such a situation.
Line by Line Meaning
I should have turned and walked away
I regret not leaving when I had the chance
But I got tangled in your chains
You pulled me in and now I can't escape
A trail of dead for all to see
You have hurt me and others in the past
You shut the cage and stole the key
You trapped me and now have control over me
Your state of mind revealed
I can see now that you are not mentally stable
That my love for you was real
Despite your flaws, I truly cared for you
They say in time wounds heal
Time supposedly helps you get over things, but not in my case
But I got nothing left to steal
You have taken everything from me to the point where I have nothing left
My mouth is shut, my lips are sealed
I can't speak up or fight against you anymore
You are the crutch of this disease
You enable my toxic behavior
And I've been locked in your machine
You have me trapped in your endless cycle of abuse
Sit here and rot, or break this deal
I'm stuck with you forever unless I take action and break free
I spill my blood on the checkered floor
I am hurting myself trying to get away from you
You got me crawling back for more
Despite my efforts to leave, you keep reeling me in
You set the trap, I'll take the bait
You purposely lure me in and I fall for it every time
A bed of nails I can't escape
Being with you is painful and I can't find a way out
Now it's so dark that I can't see
Your control over me has left me in a dark and lonely place
The mental scars you left on me
You have caused lasting damage to my mental health
So dig your nails and grind your teeth
You enjoy causing me pain and suffering
I'm in your clutch for eternity
I am forever stuck under your control
Yeah, I know it's hard for you to see
You refuse to acknowledge the harm you have caused me
My mouth is shut, my lips are sealed
I am powerless to speak against you
Sit here and rot, or break this deal
I can either suffer forever or take action to end this toxic relationship
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: AARON SOLOWONIUK, BEN KOWALEWICZ, IAN D'SA, JON GALLANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Shineci
I love billy talent. So underrated
@Spiderwolfer
Out of all the concerts Iâve ever been to this specific song is the best live song Iâve ever heard. Insane feel. Simple and hard hitting.
@voidmaan
I can't believe I've been listening to them for nearly 11 years! I was 7 years old when I discovered Red Flag in NHL 06.. the good old time :)
@ashleybooker4420
I WAS 8 WHEN I DISCOVERED RED FLAG IN NHL 06
@ashleybooker4420
nice to meet you
@loadlola
Same!!
@Calebre_
I found red flag in burnout revenge which i think was 06 too i was young i still am i was younger then than now
@platon3214
@@Calebre_ Lol, me too but I was seven that was a great game...
@kutiektrosetemp9062
One of the BEST songs I've heard from them Besides Afraid of Height-Love It!!
@steeezyjoey
BT sounds so good to this day! There song styles never changed, just as there first 3 albums. :)