The Mummy
Brisa Roché Lyrics
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I go spinning-down the winter street
With a stupid heart saying your name at every beat
A silly halo of breathing
Hand in my big coat lost
You know when you try to have everything
There is a cost
Icy are the little tears I cried
And above, the devil-wind is hollering
A song, cold and dry
"I don't even miss you
Rock'n roll baby
I'm better here stumbling
Better alone
I don't want to kiss you
Rock'n roll baby
I hold up my hand
And pretend it's a phone
With my hand to my ear
I'm stumbling dear
Pretending your voice is my own"
The lyrics of Brisa Roché's song "The Mummy" paint a picture of someone who is heartbroken and trying to move on. The use of the simile "wrapped up like a mummy" indicates a certain level of emotional entombment. The singer is spinning down the winter street, likely in a dazed and aimless manner, with a heart that beats only for the person they miss. The singer is hopelessly infatuated even if their feelings are not reciprocated. In a way, it is tragic because the singer is trying to keep the memories of the person alive, but it is causing them more pain.
The second verse of the song makes a shift from the physical description to more emotional experience. The sound of car horns blowing communicates an external trigger or an event that the singer experiences as distressing. This moment represents the betrayal of external forces to undo the singer's efforts to move on. Furthermore, the "little tears" that the singer cries are icy, hinting at the subtler, frozen aspects of heartache. The wind, which screams like a devil's cry, exacerbates an already frigid moment. The singer then tries to deny the potency of their longing by telling themselves and anybody who will listen that they don't miss the person who broke their heart. This assertion is a type of protest, a way of telling the world that they are okay when they are anything but okay.
Line by Line Meaning
Wrapped up like a mummy
I'm bundled up tightly like a mummy, hiding away from the world.
I go spinning-down the winter street
I walk aimlessly down the cold winter street, lost in my thoughts and feelings.
With a stupid heart saying your name at every beat
My heart is foolishly still holding onto you, with your name echoing in every beat.
A silly halo of breathing
My breaths form a shallow circle around my head, emphasizing my loneliness.
Hand in my big coat lost
I bury my hands deep in my coat, wanting to disappear, but feeling lost in myself.
You know when you try to have everything
Attempting to have everything you want can come with a price.
There is a cost
There are consequences to obtaining all that you desire.
Car horns blow from the side
The loud car horns blaring from the side only adds to the noise in my head.
Icy are the little tears I cried
The tears I cry are cold and heartless, mirroring the winter surrounding me.
And above, the devil-wind is hollering
The biting, devilish wind seems to scream at me, mocking my sadness.
A song, cold and dry
The tune playing in my head is melancholy and emotionless, mirroring my mood.
"I don't even miss you
I say I don't miss you, but I'm trying too hard to convince myself of it.
Rock'n roll baby
This is a response to someone, stating that I'm trying to change the subject to something less emotional.
I'm better here stumbling
I'm coping better alone, even if it means I'm stumbling through life.
Better alone
It's easier to face hardships alone than to be with someone who causes more pain.
I don't want to kiss you
Even the thought of being physically intimate with you now disgusts me.
Rock'n roll baby
Again, trying to deflect from the heavy topic at hand with a casual remark.
I hold up my hand
I pretend to hold a phone to fill the void of your absence.
And pretend it's a phone
This phone is just a distraction from the reality of my loneliness.
With my hand to my ear
I pretend to listen to your voice, even if it's just in my mind.
I'm stumbling dear
I'm still struggling to move forward, even though I'm trying.
Pretending your voice is my own
I try to imagine your voice is mine, but it's not enough to fill the void.
Contributed by James O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.