In October 2016, following the departure of original drummer, Chris Warner, Butcher Babies introduced their new drummer Chase Brickenden after he filled in on the band's tour with Megadeth. The band's third studio album Lilith was released on October 27, 2017.
Current members
Carla Harvey – vocals (2009–present)
Heidi Shepherd – vocals (2009–present)
Henry Flury – guitars (2009–present)
Chase Brickenden – drums (2016–present)
Ricky Bonazza – bass (2020–present)
Dead Man Walking
Butcher Babies Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But you can't even grasp what I've been through
In the end, you've engraved this in my head
You taught me to be dead
Do you even know what you said
Remember when I closed my eyes and took my last breath
By the grasp of your hand clinched right around my neck
So you made me this will, you created this mistake
But I grew up now and I'm sorry to say
I'm exactly like you
A fucking mistake
Sorry to humiliate you
But they have never felt dead like I do
Tore out my insides, left me to die
I crawled like a dog to save my own life
Sorry to disappoint you
But you can't even grasp what I've been through
They are me alive they ate me alive
I curled up and died because they ate me alive
Where were you when I learned to take it like a man
Where were you when I learned to stand
Where were you when I learned to take it like a man
Dead man walking
Chipping at my soul and taking it in slow
He's dead man walking
Circles in my head I swear
Now I can say that I know what it's like to play dead
And I still see your twitching ghost
When I'm looking in the mirror
Do you see mine
We are one in the same, I swear
Now I can say that I know what it's like to play
Dead man walking
Sorry to repulse you
But you have never fought like I do
Forgot how to cry, learned how lie
I put you away to the back of my mind
Sorry to disgust you
But you can't even taste what I've been through
They are me alive they ate me alive
I curled up and died cause they ate me alive
The lyrics of "Dead Man Walking" by Butcher Babies speak about a person who has undergone a traumatic experience and is struggling to cope with the aftermath. The song talks about emotional and physical abuse, how someone close to the singer tried to put them down but instead of breaking them, it made them stronger. The lines ‘Sorry to disappoint you, but you can't even grasp what I've been through’ sets the theme for the whole song, showing that others may never be able to understand what the singer has gone through. The line “Do you even know what you said?” suggests that the singer was hurt by something the other person said, and it has left a lasting scar on their psyche.
The chorus “Dead man walking” is a reference to walking through life as a hollow shell, having had the life sucked out of you. The line “Where were you when I learned to take it like a man” relates to the expected gender norms of enduring pain without expressing emotions. The singer has had to learn to “take it like a man,” or in other words, suppress their emotions, to survive. The song as a whole describes how the abuse has made the person stronger in some ways, as they have learned to survive without the support of others, but it has also scarred them emotionally.
Line by Line Meaning
Sorry to disappoint you
I regret telling you this because you cannot understand what I have gone through in my life.
But you can't even grasp what I've been through
You don't have the capacity to comprehend the pain and suffering I have experienced.
In the end, you've engraved this in my head
Eventually, you have imprinted and solidified your harmful behavior in my mind.
You taught me to be dead
Your actions have caused me to feel emotionally and mentally dead.
Do you even know what you said
Do you have any awareness of the damaging things you have said to me?
Remember when I closed my eyes and took my last breath
Recall when I was on the brink of physical death at your hands.
By the grasp of your hand clinched right around my neck
You held a tight grip around my neck, choking me and bringing me to the brink of death.
So you made me this will, you created this mistake
You were the one who caused me to develop this personality trait or flaw, and now I am stuck with it.
You tried to put me away with every blow I would take
You attempted to harm me with every punch, hit, or blow I endured.
But I grew up now and I'm sorry to say
I have matured, but unfortunately, I have turned out to be just like you.
I'm exactly like you
I have become the same as you, inheriting your traits and personality flaws.
Sorry to humiliate you
I regret to say this because it will embarrass you, but you have never encountered something as traumatic as I have.
But they have never felt dead like I do
The people I have encountered never experienced the level of emotional death that I have gone through.
Tore out my insides, left me to die
They damaged me both emotionally and physically and left me to perish.
I crawled like a dog to save my own life
I had to fight and struggle like an animal to survive the traumatic situation.
They are me alive they ate me alive
The people around me have taken a piece of me, consuming it like something to be savored.
Where were you when I learned to take it like a man
When I became strong enough to handle hardships and pain, you were not present.
Where were you when I learned to stand
When I learned to become independent and take care of myself, you were not there to help or support me.
Dead man walking
I feel like I am already dead inside, just walking everywhere.
Chipping at my soul and taking it in slow
My soul is slowly deteriorating due to the constant agony I have faced.
Circles in my head I swear
I am tormented by my thoughts and can't escape them.
Now I can say that I know what it's like to play dead
I have experienced traumatic situations to the point where I feel like I am already dead.
And I still see your twitching ghost
I am haunted by your memory and the negative things you have done to me.
When I'm looking in the mirror
I am confronted by myself and the impact that the traumatic events have had on me.
Do you see mine
Do you see the effects that your harmful behavior has had on me and, if so, do you care?
We are one in the same, I swear
You and I are the same, with the same flaws and personality defects.
Sorry to repulse you
I'm sorry to say something so foul that it might make you feel disgusted.
But you have never fought like I do
You have never struggled as much as I have in my life.
Forgot how to cry, learned how lie
I have learned to put up emotional walls to protect myself, which involves becoming immune to crying and lying to protect myself.
I put you away to the back of my mind
I have made a conscious effort to push your hurtful behavior away from the forefront of my mind.
But you can't even taste what I've been through
You are unable to comprehend the flavor or magnitude of the horrors I have faced.
They are me alive they ate me alive
The people around me have figuratively consumed my life and ravaged my soul.
I curled up and died cause they ate me alive
Their impact led me to become a shell of a person, because they devoured everything about me.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Downtown Music Publishing
Written by: JONATHAN BELLION
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Pâmela
Sorry to disappoint you
But you can’t even grasp what I’ve been through
In the end, you’ve engraved this in my head
You taught me to be dead
Do you even know what you said
Remember when I closed my eyes and took my last breath
By the grasp of your hand clinched tight around my neck
So you made me this will, you created this mistake
You tried to put me away with every blow I would take
But I grew up now and I’m sorry to say
I’m exactly like you
A fucking mistake
Sorry to humiliate you
But they have never felt dead like I do
Tore out my insides, left me to die
I crawled like a dog to save my own life
Sorry to disappoint you
But you can’t even grasp what I’ve been through
They are me alive they ate me alive
I curled up and died because they ate me alive
Where were you when I learned to take it like a man
Where were you when I learned to stand
Where were you when I learned to take it like a man
Dead man walking
Chipping at my soul and taking it in slow
He’s dead man walking
Circles in my head I swear
Now I can say that I know what it’s like to play dead
And I still see your twitching ghost
When I’m looking in the mirror
Do you see mine
We are one in the same, I swear
Now I can say that I know what it’s like to play
Dead man walking
Sorry to repulse you
But you have never fought like I do
Forgot how to cry, learned how lie
I put you away to the back of my mind
Sorry to disgust you
But you can’t even taste what I’ve been through
They are me alive they ate me alive
I curled up and died cause they ate me alive
SHARE THE LYRICS
Ives
LYRICS
Sorry to disappoint you
But you can’t even grasp what I’ve been through
In the end, you’ve engraved this in my head
You taught me to be dead
Do you even know what you said
Remember when I closed my eyes and took my last breath
By the grasp of your hand clinched tight around my neck
So you made me this will, you created this mistake
You tried to put me away with every blow I would take
But I grew up now and I’m sorry to say
I’m exactly like you
A fucking mistake
Sorry to humiliate you
But they have never felt dead like I do
Tore out my insides, left me to die
I crawled like a dog to save my own life
Sorry to disappoint you
But you can’t even grasp what I’ve been through
They are me alive they ate me alive
I curled up and died because they ate me alive
Where were you when I learned to take it like a man
Where were you when I learned to stand
Where were you when I learned to take it like a man
Dead man walking
Chipping at my soul and taking it in slow
He’s dead man walking
Circles in my head I swear
Now I can say that I know what it’s like to play dead
And I still see your twitching ghost
When I’m looking in the mirror
Do you see mine
We are one in the same, I swear
Now I can say that I know what it’s like to play
Dead man walking
Sorry to repulse you
But you have never fought like I do
Forgot how to cry, learned how lie
I put you away to the back of my mind
Sorry to disgust you
But you can’t even taste what I’ve been through
They are me alive they ate me alive
I curled up and died cause they ate me alive
William Smith
This band has serious talent, I must see them in concert.
Dave Davidson
You definitely should, the energy is unreal, it's dangerous to be near the stage with all the moshers and body surfers.
Sarah-Leigh Walker
I saw then live like 5 years ago I think, they killed it
Hunter Eaton
This band gives me chills everytime and this song really hits home for me as the majority of there music does but set that aside for a second, these official album stream videos are emotional for me to watch because they have grown alot since goliath, goliath was a great and intense album but this new album blows me away it's some of the rawest material i've ever heard. i've never met them but you can hear the growth and strength of these human beings on this album.
Pâmela
Sorry to disappoint you
But you can’t even grasp what I’ve been through
In the end, you’ve engraved this in my head
You taught me to be dead
Do you even know what you said
Remember when I closed my eyes and took my last breath
By the grasp of your hand clinched tight around my neck
So you made me this will, you created this mistake
You tried to put me away with every blow I would take
But I grew up now and I’m sorry to say
I’m exactly like you
A fucking mistake
Sorry to humiliate you
But they have never felt dead like I do
Tore out my insides, left me to die
I crawled like a dog to save my own life
Sorry to disappoint you
But you can’t even grasp what I’ve been through
They are me alive they ate me alive
I curled up and died because they ate me alive
Where were you when I learned to take it like a man
Where were you when I learned to stand
Where were you when I learned to take it like a man
Dead man walking
Chipping at my soul and taking it in slow
He’s dead man walking
Circles in my head I swear
Now I can say that I know what it’s like to play dead
And I still see your twitching ghost
When I’m looking in the mirror
Do you see mine
We are one in the same, I swear
Now I can say that I know what it’s like to play
Dead man walking
Sorry to repulse you
But you have never fought like I do
Forgot how to cry, learned how lie
I put you away to the back of my mind
Sorry to disgust you
But you can’t even taste what I’ve been through
They are me alive they ate me alive
I curled up and died cause they ate me alive
SHARE THE LYRICS
Augusto Martinez
❤
Gemma Aboagye
Love this song. Take it like a man is fantastic!! Carla and Heidi are fantastic!!
Scott Westley
I really like this song because, yeah it might be "generic" as people call it, because of In This Moment or Arch Enemy, but both of the lead singers have a really awesome harmonic overtone to this song. To me, the music sounds nice and heavy and the singing matches right along with it with two kinds of screaming. This song kicks ass!
David Lamothe
I love this rage vibe, how it climbs up with Heidi and Carla slowly raising their voices until screams. This song gives me goosebumbs everytime I listen to it!
Geese Iya
Definitely, this is metal. Talent, loud sound, energy, powerfull female voices 🤘😍.