Fronted by Projekt Records' Sam Rosenthal, the band's line-up has changed significantly over time. The current lineup has Rosenthal on programming, guitar and keyboards, Jon DeRosa ( Aarktica) on vocals, and Henrik Meierkord on strings. The most notable former members of the band are Brian Viglione (The Dresden Dolls) on percussion, guitar & bass, and vocalists Athan Maroulis (ex-Spahn Ranch), Nicki Jaine, and long time vocalists, Oscar Herrera & Elysabeth Grant.
The style of Black Tape for a Blue Girl is generally described as "gothic", though their long catalog of music does not often gel with all of the contemporary standards of gothic music over time. The lyrics are by Rosenthal himself and explores powerful emotions of love, vulnerability, isolation, loss, jealousy, and passion.
Tear Love From My Mind
Black Tape for a Blue Girl Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Am i the one to destroy everything?
I the one you place your faith in?
Tear me down
Tear me down
Tear love from my mind
Tear through the hungry ghost that lingers to feed on me.
Empty me
Empty me
Every word you trusted now i question.
Every word I understood now disobeys.
How can i leave when you love me?
How can i leave when everything is so clear?
The Black Tape for a Blue Girl's song, Tear Love From My Mind, deals with themes of doubt, betrayal, and self-reflection. The opening lines set a tone of unease, with the singer questioning their own truthfulness and wondering if they have been the cause of pain or destruction. The lines "Am I the one to destroy everything?" and "I the one you place your faith in?" imply a sense of responsibility and guilt, with the singer grappling with the idea that they may have betrayed someone they care about.
The chorus, "Tear me down, tear me down, tear love from my mind," is a plea for release from these conflicting and painful emotions. It suggests that, rather than trying to fix things, the singer wants to be removed from the situation entirely. This is reinforced by the lines, "Tear through the lies that mask my eyes, that deceive me/Tear through the hungry ghost that lingers to feed on me," which paint a picture of a person struggling to make sense of their own thoughts and feelings, and feeling trapped by them.
The final stanza brings the theme of doubt full-circle, with the singer questioning their own understanding of the situation and feeling torn between staying and leaving. "How can I leave when you love me?" and "How can I leave when everything is so clear?" suggest a sense of confusion and uncertainty, even as the singer calls for their own destruction and release.
Overall, Tear Love From My Mind is a complex and emotional song that deals with the difficult themes of betrayal and doubt, and the struggle to find clarity and peace in the midst of confusing emotions.
Line by Line Meaning
Every word you trusted, did i lie to you?
Did I break your trust by lying to you?
Am i the one to destroy everything?
Am I the one responsible for ruining everything?
I the one you place your faith in?
Do you have faith and trust in me?
Tear me down
Break me apart
Tear me down
Disassemble me
Tear love from my mind
Remove love from my thoughts and emotions
Tear through the lies that mask my eyes, that deceive me
Rip apart the falsehoods that prevent me from seeing the truth about myself and my situation
Tear through the hungry ghost that lingers to feed on me.
Destroy the negative entity that drains me of my energy and positivity
Empty me
Drain me of all emotions and thoughts
Empty me
Deplete my being of any remaining essence
Every word you trusted now i question.
I am now skeptical of every word you trusted me with
Every word I understood now disobeys.
The meaning of every word I once understood has now changed and contradicts my current beliefs
How can i leave when you love me?
Is it possible for me to leave when you have love for me?
How can i leave when everything is so clear?
I am unable to leave when the situation is so evident and lucid
Contributed by Blake Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Sam Rosenthal
on All my lovers
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