Killing Yourself to Live
Black Sabbath Lyrics
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Well I don't think that I even care
You work your life away and what do they give?
You're only killing yourself to live
Killing yourself to live
Killing yourself to live
Pain, suffering, and misery
It's not the way that the world was meant
It's a pity you don't understand
Killing yourself to live
Killing yourself to live
I'm telling you
Believe in me
Nobody else will tell you
Open your eyes
And see the lies, oh yeah
Smoke it, get high
You think I'm crazy and baby I know that it's true
Before that you know it I think
That you'll go crazy too
I don't know if I'm up or down
Whether black is white or blue is brown
The colors of my life are all different somehow
Little boy blue's a big girl now
So you think it's me who's strange
But you've never had to make the change
Never give your trust away
You'll end up paying till your dying day
The lyrics to Black Sabbath's song Killing Yourself to Live paint a picture of a world in which people work themselves to death and the endless cycles of pain, suffering, and misery that come along with that lifestyle. The first stanza describes the singer's apathy towards the opinions of others and the general sense of hopelessness that pervades society. The chorus, repeated twice, reinforces the idea that people are killing themselves just to survive in a world that doesn't seem to care.
The second stanza opens with an invitation to "take a look around you" and observe the world's troubles. The singer laments that this wasn't how the world was meant to be and expresses frustration towards those who can't seem to understand this. The chorus returns, reiterating the song's message that people are slowly destroying themselves to stay alive.
The third stanza introduces the idea of drugs as a means of escape. The singer advises the listener to "get high," predicting that they will eventually go crazy regardless. The final stanza is reflective, with the singer questioning their own perception of reality and the colors of their life. They assert that one cannot understand their situation unless they go through the necessary changes, and warn against trusting others as it often comes at a great cost.
Overall, the song's lyrics present a bleak yet insightful perspective on society's endless cycles of destruction and the coping mechanisms people utilize to survive.
Line by Line Meaning
Well people look and people stare
People observe you with curiosity
Well I don't think that I even care
You don't care about people's opinions
You work your life away and what do they give?
You invest all your life energy and what do you receive in return?
You're only killing yourself to live
You consider that overworking will exhaust you and cause a shorter lifespan
Just take a look around you what do you see
If you observe your surroundings, you'll notice something
Pain, suffering, and misery
You will see pain, suffering, and misery
It's not the way that the world was meant
The current state of the world is not how it was intended
It's a pity you don't understand
It's regrettable that you don't comprehend
Killing yourself to live
Overworking will eventually lead to your premature death
Killing yourself to live
Overworking will eventually lead to your premature death
I'm telling you
I'm informing you
Believe in me
Trust me and my perspective
Nobody else will tell you
No one else will inform you
Open your eyes
Pay attention and look closely
And see the lies, oh yeah
Discern what is true and false
Smoke it, get high
Smoke it, get high
You think I'm crazy and baby I know that it's true
You assume I'm insane and I acknowledge it
Before that you know it I think
I predict
That you'll go crazy too
You will also become mentally unwell
I don't know if I'm up or down
You cannot determine your state of being
Whether black is white or blue is brown
Everything seems confusing and uncertain
The colors of my life are all different somehow
Your life is filled with diverse experiences
Little boy blue's a big girl now
You've transformed from an innocent child to an adult
So you think it's me who's strange
You believe that I am peculiar
But you've never had to make the change
You have not experienced the process of changing
Never give your trust away
You should not trust others easily
You'll end up paying till your dying day
You'll be burdened with consequences for your entire life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: JOHN OSBOURNE, TERENCE BUTLER, TONY IOMMI, W.T. WARD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@huntercleveland7950
Verse 1]
Well, people look and people stare
Well, I don’t think that I even care
You work your life away and what do they give?
You're only killing yourself to live
[Chorus]
Killing yourself to live
Killing yourself to live
[Verse 2]
Just take a look around you, what do you see?
Pain, suffering, and misery
It's not the way that the world was meant
It's a pity, you don't understand
[Chorus]
Killing yourself to live
Killing yourself to live
[Guitar Solo]
[Bridge]
I'm telling you, believe in me, nobody else will tell you
Open your eyes and see the lies, oh yeah
(Smoke it, get high)
You think that I'm crazy and, baby, I know that it's true
Before that you know it I think that you'll go crazy too
[Guitar Solo]
[Outro]
I don't know if I'm up or down
Whether black is white or blue is brown
The colors of my life are all different somehow
Little boy blue's a big girl now
So you think it's me who's strange
But you've never had to make the change
Never give your trust away
You'll end up paying till your dying day
@oldsongs6688
i am turning 80 in a couple of weeks and Sabbath still rocks it so remember kids you are never to old to rock on keep it alive.
@gahfeen
My dad listened to all theses heavy metal and rock and hard rock bands in the car and we were in the car alot since we were traveling some parts of america and i never listen to the music because i had my head in a phone and didnt care now i just started listing to mettalica black sabbath slipknot rainbow and alot of others bands im so glad my dad introduced me to theses bands
@ratter531
Rock on my friend, I am 70, and have loved them since their first album back in Feb 13 1970.
@thegabrielking9752
Hell yeah!! I'm 19 years old, but I love rock/heavy metal bands like Judas Priest, Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, Nazareth, Budgie, Saxon, Iron Maiden, and KK's Priest. And of course I will make rock music alive forever even though I like another genre music like pop, jazz, country, etc🤘🏻🎸🔥
Greetings from Manado (North Sulawesi), Indonesia🤘🏻🇮🇩🔥
@chrisbrown387
This I shall never forget.
@jaymack4515
Rock on friend!!
(Too)
@ClamMan1989
Greatest Christian rock band of all time.
@brianfergus839
The original and still greatest
@rustyshackelford4613
With positive and inspiring lyrics
@autisticcaroline2005
You’re right! :)