Boysetsfire is an American post-hardcore band from Newark, Delaware that fo… Read Full Bio ↴Boysetsfire is an American post-hardcore band from Newark, Delaware that formed in October 1994. The band is composed of guitarists Chad Istvan and Josh Latshaw, vocalist Nathan Gray, and bassists Chris Rakus and Robert Ehrenbrand. Lyrical themes are often of an anti-capitalist, radical left-wing political perspective.

Current members:
Nathan Gray - lead vocals (1994–present)
Josh Latshaw - guitar (1994–present)
Chad Istvan - guitar (1994–present)
Rob Ehrenbrand - bass (2004–2011, 2013–present)
Chris Rakus - bass (2013–present)
Jared Shavelson - drums (2013–present)

Former members:
Darrell Hyde - bass guitar (1994–1999)
Rob Avery - bass guitar (1999–2004)
Marc Krupanski - bass guitar (2011–2013)
Matt Krupanski - drums (1994–2013)
Dan Pelic - drums (2013)
Lee Dickerson - lead guitar (2013)

Still Waiting for the Punchline
BoySetsFire Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I want to find the water
That will wash the whole damned slate clean
Break down
Break up
We sleep in what we create

Right now, I'm living so much hate
Right here, my sins have all been paid

To you
Your friends
And for your sake
I feel dirty and
So depraved

My knees have bled
To hold you here
But now I've lost the taste
For lies force fed as time well spent

Right now, I'm living so much hate
Right here, my sins have all been paid
To you
Your friends
And for your sake
I feel dirty and
So depraved

And if another angel
Says just grin and bear it
I might be forced
To smash it's head
Against a wall
And never sin again

And if another angel
Says just grin and bear it
I might be forced
To smash it's fucking head
Against a wall
And never sin again
Against myself and trust in anyone
Write me off for suffering

It's a joke
I give up

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Boy Sets Fire's "Still Waiting for the Punchline" express a sense of frustration towards one's past mistakes and the desire to start anew. The first stanza speaks of finding "the water that will wash the whole damned slate clean," indicating a need to rid oneself of guilt and start over. The second line, "We sleep in what we create," suggests that our mistakes and actions become part of us and affect us even when we're not aware of it.

The following lines express a feeling of being burdened by the weight of one's actions, as seen in the lines "For your sake, I feel dirty and so depraved" and "My knees have bled to hold you here, but now I've lost the taste for lies force-fed as time well spent." The next stanza reveals a frustration towards those who offer empty platitudes, such as "just grin and bear it," indicating a desire to break away from feeling bound by others' opinions or expectations.

Finally, the refrain of "right now, I'm living so much hate, right here my sins have all been paid, to you, your friends, and for your sake, I feel dirty and so depraved" underscores the feeling of being trapped by the past and a desire to move forward.

Overall, the lyrics express a desire to break free from past mistakes and societal expectations, and start anew with a clean slate.

Line by Line Meaning

I want to find the water
I want to find a solution

That will wash the whole damned slate clean
That will completely erase my past mistakes

Break down
Crush and completely destroy

Break up
Break apart into small pieces

We sleep in what we create
We live with the consequences of our actions

Right now, I'm living so much hate
I am consumed by negativity

Right here, my sins have all been paid
I have suffered the consequences of my actions

To you
For your benefit

Your friends
For the sake of your social circle

And for your sake
In order to please you and not let you down

I feel dirty and
I feel guilty and ashamed

So depraved
So morally corrupt and wicked

My knees have bled
I have put in a lot of effort

To hold you here
To keep you around

But now I've lost the taste
But I have grown tired

For lies force fed as time well spent
For falsities that were presented as worthwhile endeavors

And if another angel
And if another advisor or guide

Says just grin and bear it
Says to endure the difficulty without complaint

I might be forced
I could be compelled

To smash its head against a wall
To become violent and destructive

And never sin again
And vow to never cause harm

Against myself and trust in anyone
Against myself and believing in others

Write me off for suffering
Disregard my pain and struggles

It's a joke
It's ridiculous and unfair

I give up
I surrender, I am defeated

Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC
Written by: CHARLES W. ISTVAN, JOSHUA LATSHAW, MATTHEW KRUPANSKI, NATHAN GRAY, ROBERT W. AVERY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS