Meltdown
Bruce Dickinson Lyrics

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Hey you wait... cringing in the dark
You create what you always fear
A puppet of hatred dishing out poison
You use me, for bait, your begging bowl of lies

Chain letters of sniveling compromise
I can smell the difference... your truth and your fiction
You and your twisted convictions

Were you my friend when I belonged?
Were you my friend when I was strong?
Were you my friend when I was weak?
Were you my friend when I was crawling calling... out of my head?

Cold, like your blood the snake is always cool (cool)
When things get tough
You slither on the ground
You cover up your tracks when I'm around

It's over now my friend
Your dog has got its day
It's payback time, or what you had to say
You're stuck with the life you made

Stuck with the plans you made
Stuck with everything you are

Overall Meaning

The song Meltdown by Bruce Dickinson is a vehement attack on a person who pretended to be a friend but actually had ill intentions. The lyrics are accusatory and hint at betrayal, lies and manipulation. The singer of the song is calling out the culprit, highlighting their cowardice and treachery. The opening lines of "Hey you wait...cringing in the dark" set the tone for the song, implying that the accused person is hiding and trying to avoid confronting the singer.

The imagery used throughout the song is quite striking. The metaphor of a puppet of hatred dishing out poison conveys how the accused one is a tool of their own vindictive tendencies. They use the singer as bait to entice others into their web of lies and manipulate situations to their advantage. The final lines "Stuck with the life you made, stuck with the plans you made, stuck with everything you are" are a powerful diatribe against the accused, highlighting that ultimately they will have to live with the consequences of their choices and actions.

Line by Line Meaning

Hey you wait... cringing in the dark
Addressing someone who is hiding in the dark and waiting to attack out of fear

You create what you always fear
People often bring about their worst fears by constantly dwelling on them

A puppet of hatred dishing out poison
Being controlled by hatred and spreading negativity

You use me, for bait, your begging bowl of lies
Others are being used as a pawn, to lure in victims for the liar's personal gain, and to support their lies

Chain letters of sniveling compromise
One compromise leads to another, creating a chain that ultimately undermines integrity

I can smell the difference... your truth and your fiction
Being able to distinguish between what someone says and how they really feel or intend to act

You and your twisted convictions
The person in question has strong, fanatical beliefs that are warped and harmful

Were you my friend when I belonged?
Questioning whether someone was a friend only because of a shared social identity

Were you my friend when I was strong?
Questioning whether someone was a friend only because the artist had power over them

Were you my friend when I was weak?
Questioning whether someone was a friend only because they were in a position of vulnerability

Were you my friend when I was crawling calling... out of my head?
Questioning whether someone cared for the singer when they were in a mental or emotional crisis.

Cold, like your blood the snake is always cool (cool)
Comparing the person to a cold-blooded snake that is always calm and calculating

When things get tough
When everything is going well

You slither on the ground
Like a snake, the person avoids problems by moving away from or crawling under them

You cover up your tracks when I'm around
The person hides their true motives when the singer is present

It's over now my friend
The relationship is ending

Your dog has got its day
The person cannot escape the consequences of their actions

It's payback time, or what you had to say
The singer will retaliate for what the person has done or said in the past

You're stuck with the life you made
The person must live with the consequences of their choices and actions

Stuck with the plans you made
The person must also accept the outcome of their plans and schemes

Stuck with everything you are
The person cannot change who they are, and must live with themselves and their actions

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALEX JOHN DICKSON, BRUCE DICKINSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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