Anhedonia
Chelsea Wolfe Emma Ruth Rundle Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Take an eye for an eye
Take me down with you
Take it all away

I know it all comes back times three
That human, that demon showed me
How it ends when you treat your friends like foes
So don't come looking for me

I've got my walls up now
Protect myself like a fortress
And I'm on my own now

Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm
Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm
Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm
Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm

No, I can't sleep, baby
And waking up is just a dream
My sadness has lost its cause
And I'm suffocating
So don't come looking for me
I've got no joy to lend
Protect myself like a fortress
Isolating, bridge withdrawing
Isolated, I can't take it

Anhedonia
Anhedonia
I'll be your silent witness
I'll be your borderline
I'll keep you safe and sacred
Just keep your heart close to mine

Anhedonia
Anhedonia

Anhedonia
Anhedonia

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Chelsea Wolfe and Emma Ruth Rundle's song "Anhedonia" taps into the condition of anhedonia, which relates to the inability to experience pleasure or happiness from activities that were once enjoyable. The opening lines, "Take an eye for an eye, Take me down with you, Take it all away," allude to the revenge and bitterness that come with the loss of pleasure. The lines, "That human, that demon showed me How it ends when you treat your friends like foes" suggests that the experience of betrayal or hurt from someone familiar who becomes an enemy can be the trigger point for turning inward and losing sight of one's environment.

The chorus lines of the songs, "So don't come looking for me, I've got my walls up now, Protect myself like a fortress, And I'm on my own now," encapsulates the theme of this song. The singer of the song feels vulnerable and hurt, and they've closed themselves off from the world even though they acknowledge that this may lead to a life full of anhedonia. The song repeatedly uses the phrase "Anhedonia" as a recognition of both the singer's condition and a call for help.

Line by Line Meaning

Take an eye for an eye
If you hurt me, I will hurt you back

Take me down with you
If you're going down, I'm going down with you

Take it all away
Take everything I have, I don't care anymore

I know it all comes back times three
Karma is real and it will come back to you threefold

That human, that demon showed me
Someone I trusted betrayed me and showed their true colors

How it ends when you treat your friends like foes
When you mistreat your friends, you will end up alone

So don't come looking for me
I don't want anything to do with you anymore

I've got my walls up now
I'm protecting myself from getting hurt again

Protect myself like a fortress
I'm not letting anyone in, I'm shutting down

And I'm on my own now
I'm handling things by myself from now on

No, I can't sleep, baby
I can't find peace or rest, no matter how hard I try

And waking up is just a dream
Even when I'm awake, life doesn't feel real to me anymore

My sadness has lost its cause
I'm sad for no reason, my pain is meaningless and overwhelming

And I'm suffocating
I feel like I can't breathe, like there's no escape from my pain

I've got no joy to lend
I'm so unhappy that I can't even fake being happy for someone else

Isolating, bridge withdrawing
I'm cutting myself off from everyone and everything, pulling away

Isolated, I can't take it
I feel completely alone and I can't handle it

Anhedonia
The inability to feel pleasure or happiness in anything

I'll be your silent witness
I'll be there for you, but I won't say anything

I'll be your borderline
I'll be the boundary that you can't cross, the line you can't cross

I'll keep you safe and sacred
I'll protect you and keep you close to my heart

Just keep your heart close to mine
Stay connected to me, let me help you through your pain

Anhedonia
The inability to feel pleasure or happiness in anything

Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
Written by: Chelsea Joy Wolfe

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Winter's Dusk In Mistful Abyss II

3y↑201

~ "Anhedonia" Lyrics~
take an eye for an eye
take me down with you
take it all away
i know it all comes back times three
that human, that demon, showed me
how it ends when you treat your friends like foes
so don’t come looking for me
I’ve got my walls up now
protect myself like a fortress
and I’m on my own now

V2 (emma)
no I can’t sleep baby
and waking up is just a dream
my sadness has lost its cause
and I’m suffocating
so don’t come looking for me
I’ve got no joy to lend
protect myself like a fortress
isolating, bridge withdrawing
isolated, I can’t take it

chorus 2 (emma & chelsea)
anhedonia
anhedonia
I’ll be your silent witness
I’ll be your border line
I’ll keep you safe and sacred
just keep your heart close to mine
anhedonia
anhedonia
anhedonia
anhedonia

All comments from YouTube:

Lady Lazarus

3y↑923

Anhedonia is the inability to feel pleasure in anything you do, probably one of the saddest symptoms of depression. Love the emotion in both their voices.

nycrs ny

3y↑5

Thanks.

Napalm Mornings

3y↑109

I suffer from Anhedonia due to my 20 year battle with MDD. Suicide became a very real option....but I have two young children...so I sought professional help. The road to recovery is long...but I'm on it and making progress. I'm sorry for sharing my personal story....I tried to keep it really short and void of major detail.

Lady Lazarus

3y↑28

@Napalm Mornings that's okay, your life and your story are important. I know depression but definetely not the same way as you do, so I'm wishing you all the best, I really hope you can recover from this and live happily with your children. just remember that all hope lies within.

m01s _

3y↑8

Anhedonia is actually the inability to feel pleasure or joy in anything.

T. Diagnosed with Profound Anhedonia

44 More Replies...

corissa hennessey

3y↑199

I wondered at first why there wasn’t much of a climax to the song, but that’s what anhedonia feels like. Just nothing except occasional waves of indescribable pain that come from the reality that you can’t feel. Well done ladies, well done.

Mintz

1y↑1

Trent Reznor does this a lot in NIN's music too. He deliberately holds back an expected resolution to evoke a feeling of longing or being incomplete, and I don't think anyone can deny NIN's influence on either Chelsea or Emma's music.

Miguel Marques

3y↑623

When my two favorite singers converge, magic happens.

Andrea Sapo

3y↑47

somebody said CONVERGE?

R E F R A C T

thewintersessions

3y↑1

nice

Chris Wilbur

I definitely got excited when I saw this posted!

Herzelied Stein

🐈‍⬛ 🌙

17 More Replies...

Eddie H

1y↑3

A paradox...Such a sad and melancholic song, yet the beauty of the song reminds me that there is still beauty in the world.

Axl Monares

2y↑2

Que hermosa casualidad encontrar su música

Ryan Martin

3y↑1

I've listened to this song entirely too much the past few days. 🖤

Pezzetti Luca

3y↑381

You know that we want a collab album!

Rabotat [•REC]

3y↑10

I second that! Would listen to a full LP of this magic

Ana Oliveira

3y↑8

Yes, please.

_?rafa2112?_

3y↑18

WOULD YOU IMAGINE THE SHEER BRILLIANCE THAT WOULD COME OUT OF SOMETHING LIKE THAT? It'd be something out of this world

Joseph Bastidas

3y↑5

Been a LONG time coming!

Teresa H

Ohshit, yes

Mike H

3y↑12

I've listened to this more than any other song this year. Amazing.

Travis Franks

49w

I'm a year behind you...

abgot

3y↑90

I haven't heard such a beautiful song in a long time.

MustObeyTheRules

3y↑2

Me neither, in fact I had almost stopped listening to music all together

nimhard

2y↑17

This is one of the saddest and most beautiful songs written in the history of humanity. True artistry. Love both of them.

DOOMERDRAKE

2y↑1

Thank you for the song that vibes the best with my depression and loneliness🤘🏻

Vitor Hugo

3y↑22

This is so magic. I'm feeling the convergence of the two singers, and finally some tears drops. Is so deep.
Thanks from Brazil.

Bruno Martins

3y↑52

I felt that song through my entire body. Thank you

Nikki Li

3y↑28

This song is so beautiful yet melancholic. It reflects the visceral pain and despair of a lot of people especially in these dreary and dismal times. Unfortunately there are more and more people who are suffering from depression and anxiety and have serious suicidal thoughts.

David Arriaga

51w

This song is sad but it’s so so so beautiful, I’m not sad at all at this very moment and this song still gives a sense of peace and absolution.

Cecily J's Music Videos

3y↑34

This is such a beautiful song. Thank you lovely ladies. I hope you and anyone else here knows that pain as so empathetically depicted here is non-permanent. And very real positive growth will come from acknowledging it and respecting it, moving through and forward. Strength and better love for our fellow human beings sometimes come from these painful seeds. I am glad you gave the phone numbers for suicide and depression at the end of the video. Real help is out there.

MAXG

3y↑332

Hopefully, you're listening to this on a good day, but if not, remember that there is no shame in seeking help. Everyone's depression is different but in all cases, it's very hard to overcome alone.

I am a doge, please, pet me.

3y↑4

With expectation when you are left alone from toxic homen.

Rubén E.

3y↑9

Is that supposed to be inspiring? I'm trying to overcome it alone, I've got nobody (yes, I see a therapist but I do all by myself, all the time).

CcLady~♡

3y↑2

@Rubén E.
I'm sorry you are alone in your struggle. But I do not think he was trying to be anything. I thought his comment was heartfelt and made sense.
Plz remember when you do feel alone...you are extremely lucky to have a therapist. I know...lucky is a stupid word. I just mean some ppl would give anything to poor it all out to a proffessional. Must relieve a lot of fear knowing you're being taken seriously. Now some truly do have no one. No family.
No friends. Nothing. And we all know therapist's cost the earth.
I do wish you well in body and mind~

duikmans

2y↑5

@CcLady~♡ Unfortunately, even with family, you can still have no one.

Christabel44

I’m going through this right now and I can describe how this song has captured this state so perfectly.

3 More Replies...

Fatima El Harchaoui

2y↑4

I have schyzophrenia and anhedonia but your voice touch me

Natalie Ramon

3y↑30

The sound of these two goddess voices conjoining is incredible. Love.

Kostya Bondar

3y↑20

Queen of darkness and Queen of melancholia... This is amazing!

Kajetan Giziński

49w

This is tremendously beautiful. Both girls with heavy baggage of experiences sing the saddest song ever written for others to save hope. Love you girls, your souls are beautiful!

celeste

3y↑22

it kinda bums me out that i can relate so much with this song lol... but it is a very beautiful song. these two ladies are so talented and sound even better when singing together <3

FRATERGAUDINISTHXXI

3y↑1

MASTERPIECE! #tears #shivers

MellowJelly

i reallyyyy want them to collab more!!! likeeee can we get a whole EP please lmao

Lauren Seegz

3y↑4

These lyrics give me chills

Daniel Dorsz

Be better, give me chills

Kristo

3y↑21

Literally the first song to ever make me tear up. This means a lot, thank you.

Char lie

3y↑57

Chelsea and Emma’s anhedonia actually makes me feel good about coming to terms with the anhedonia episodes I went through.

Mariah Hroniari

3y↑41

Oh my God!!! Great clip for an amazing song. Thank you Emma and Chelsea for this incredible masterpiece! Greetings from Greece.

Mike Carter

2y↑1

Perfect harmony. Thank you

Malcolm Bradley

1y↑1

Song provides massive food for thought!

Vitaly A.

3y↑1

я просто не могу перестать слушать эту песню

Fadinha

3y↑3

Deusas da porra toda 🖤 Awesome song 🖤

Karen Barbosa

Concordo muito...🖤🖤🖤

Windchoir

3y↑3

It always amazes me how true artists like ERR and CW create such beauty through so much pain.

Deedee 60

1y↑1

Lovely, atmospheric sounds!

Erlexar

3y↑11

FINALLLLY THEY DID A COLLAB!!! 😍😍😍😍😍😍 song is so awesome! It represents their music a lot in one song.

Abrasion Equation

2y↑8

I keep coming back to this song
I can't express how much I relate

Sun Eater

3y↑26

Had this on repeat since it came out. Amazing.

ALA87

3y↑7

thank you to Emma and Chelsea for such a beautiful song and video. It is pure beauty.

Joey Clemenza

2y↑4

we need more from these two incredible women... every time someone asks me who my favorite singers are, these are ALWAYS the first two names that I rattle off... a third would be Mlny Parsonz of Royal Thunder... I just want one album with all three of these women, please.

Winter's Dusk In Mistful Abyss II

3y↑201

I Walk

3y↑4

Thank you.

Leslie Schmidt

3y↑3

Thank you for the lyrics.

Surfer Rosa

🖤

terminator500

3y↑47

Perfect matchup of artists here! Now how about a full album? 😁

Private Music Lab Ink.

1y↑3

Chelsea Wolfe and Emma Ruth Rundle create the most beautiful acoustics of all time, in my opinion.

Sammy Thor Rhodes

1y↑2

It’s disheartening to see Lana Del Ray achieve such success when you have these two utterly perfect melancholia. They should be huge.

beatriz

2y↑6

sempre me emociono com essa música

Tom Baker

3y↑1

i love your soprano, so unique

Auballagh Wolfsbane

2y↑5

Oh My God.... this one gutted me. Well done ladies, this is just absolutely beautiful.

sveinung lidsheim

3y↑37

When something is so beautiful that you have to stop for a moment because it is "too much". Just like you have to let your heart take it`s time to tremble when you eat a dark chocolate cake to your coffee and you see a flock of birds flying into the blue hour.

khultura

3y↑1

wonderful! 🖤

Mark Jones

3y↑3

Absolutely stunning beyond belief

66blancett66

What a gift this is. Thank you.

Jen-nahnuhnah

3y↑9

Song’s been in my head all morning long 😌🖤
It’s just SO FUCKING BEAUTIFUL 😭😭

Antichrist Superstar

3y↑1

Two of my favorite artists... thanks

Bloodytooth

3y↑3

I can't even describe how beautiful this song is.

Swiatlocien

3y↑54

The message at the end is a very nice touch, considerung the topic of the song.
As to the music, queens remain queens, nuff said.

John Behan

3y↑44

This is the first new music I heard after getting most of my lost hearing back in one ear. There is hope.

Lavender Gilly

3y↑2

Congratulations

An Angry Auroch

3y↑1

Such a great song.

Kelsey Reyes

3y↑1

i wish chelsea wolfe can make more happy songs as a way for her to rise stronger... we are living in a higher and different vibration now... she can use these experiences to empower her through more positive lyrics ... she has so much more strength and potential than what I feel she realizes. Chelsea wolfe will always be a dear distant sistar of mine... she actually helped me find my sound as a singer and song writer so I am forever grateful for her coming into my life <3

Kareem

Not everyone is made for this. We're all built different.

Kelsey Reyes

3y↑1

@Kareem that is definitely true! However, experiencing sadness, depression, and social anxiety for years is not normal because of the scientific proof that it is low vibrational. Experiencing low feelings over time becomes an unhealthy pattern and low feelings are also equal to low vibrations/low frequency. Science already proves that low feelings actually hurt the immune system. So yes we are all built differently, but life is supposed to be happy and fun. We are living in a world where this is enough communities and places that support happy overall mental, emotional, and spiritual health. By doing simple health activities such as yoga, meditation, sun gazing, journaling, being with positive people that do not have to limit beliefs on humanity all make a huge difference. People don't have to be sad but choose to be stuck in a place they do not have to be stuck in. But I do agree with you on how we are all different and we all are fucked over somehow from the system and need music to express that. All I was saying was that she is so talented and powerful that she can use her dark experiences to empower people to change. Chelsea has a decent
following and can inspire her listeners even more with stronger and positive lyrics. We all need positivity in our lives no? She has a great crowd and she can reach those people in that way.

Kelsey Reyes

3y↑1

It is positive criticism, love.

chromesthesia

3y↑2

@Kelsey Reyes some people cannot just meditate their way out of depression or anxiety.

Ahad Riz

3y↑176

I just loved how they mentioned suicide prevention line and other resources at the end of the video. real goth queen 🖤

resistor 27 rutter

That would suck

MustObeyTheRules

3y↑2

I don’t agree with suicide prevention but I do love her music.

Spencer VanMeter

3y↑17

@MustObeyTheRules wtf? How the hell do you not agree with suicide prevention? Suicide isn’t something to encourage or promote

Hazardous Jazzgasm

3y↑25

@MustObeyTheRules But most people who experience suicidal ideation don't actually want to die. And in fact, many people who survive suicide attempts regret their decision in the middle of the act. So to say "suicide prevention does nothing" is pretty ignorant of basic psychological facts and stats

27 More Replies...

Ahad Riz

3y↑13

I kid you not when I say I've listened to this on repeat over 100 times on spotify definitely gonna show up in my spotify wrapped lol

Lavender Gilly

I'm getting there. Since 2am, it's 1pm now

{𝔗𝔥𝔢-𝔇𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔡-𝔏𝔦𝔠𝔥-𝔎𝔦𝔫𝔤}

2y↑4

"I'll be your silent witness" is so comforting.

Angel Lynx

3y↑3

Quero o cd♥

Федя Кастров

3y↑4

Эмма и Челси классные. Каждая по-своему. Круто, что они записались вместе

Hipparchia

3y↑2

Magnifique. Magnifique.

Alma Rodriguez

2y↑2

Hermosa canción I love you chelsea

Miss Armi

Honestly, this is the most perfect duo ever. Both talented and dedicated musicians... Love Emma and Chelsea!

vincent s

49w

2:14 when those 2 voices come together WoW🖤

Stelios P

3y↑7

Hey Chelsea and Emma, this was a beautiful teaser for a full album collab :)

Virginia Hamamelis

3y↑1

this is the dream collab i was waiting for 🖤

Theresia Lynch

3y↑2

Beautiful!

Bert Hazlewood

3y↑9

This is absolutely beautiful ❤️

Bengü Eda

2y↑4

i felt this song with all my heart

Dios Diablo

3y↑14

Love the use of the moths, they represent the dark aspects of the mind. Great choice.

Chelsea Stawicki

3y↑7

I love how beautiful they created something emotional

DVaneZza _

3y↑7

Oh por dios, pero que belleza estoy escuchando, perfecto para mi inspiración 🖤🖤🖤

Jorge Diego Bonillla Flores

3y↑1

Es grato encontrar a otra persona hablando español escuchando a estas grandes artistas.

DVaneZza _

3y↑1

@Jorge Diego Bonillla Flores asi es amigo

Thomas Bernhard Schaub

3y↑18

Never dared to dream of a song created by Chelsea AND Emma together. This song is a MASTERPIECE! What about a MASTERPIECE-Album together? This song is so deep, soulful, not really anhedoniac. Cheers!

Nicolás Machuca

Es lo mas hermoso escucharlas a las dos. Me esta ayudando en estos días medios tristes. Muchas gracias por poner amor y dedicación a su arte. Las amo 🖤

Ryan Ranger

3y↑5

I’ve seen them both live. Hopefully they’ll tour together soon if the end of end times ever comes.

Rhys Martin

3y↑4

This is genuinely what puts me into a place of happiness and peace. I listen to both to help me sleep. Both help me relax perfectly 🖤🖤🖤

Argonian Mate

1y↑1

For all the people who feel this right now - you can pull thorough, I've been through this hell for several years, but you can live through it, please just don't give up no matter how hard it might feel, and it might feel unbearable. But you can do it, you're not alone even if it feels like it.

Bernhard Zorn

3y↑1

My favorite two singers. Absolutely fantastic. My queens!!! 🖤

zny

1y↑1

queens 👑

Jenson Nuñez

3y↑29

THERE IS NO SINGLE FAILURE HERE, I love this cosmically.

_?rafa2112?_

3y↑1

ME TOO (I think I hadn't use all caplocks in a long time till now jaja)

Polaris 23

3y↑1

They are incredible together. They should do an LP

IVAN THE TEA

Нечто восхитительное, очень рад услышать их вместе. 🖤

GET THOSE SKILLS

3y↑5

Once again a delightful piece of dark mysterious music and art.
Loving Chelsea Wolfe and other dark experimental artists like
Portishead, Massive Attack, HTDA, Tricky, Allflaws

Chris Wilbur

3y↑2

What a great collaboration! I'd live to see these 2 do a whole album together!

Edgar J Cordero

This is legendary!

Frazer Burns

3y↑2

I keep coming back to this. Just something about it absolves me of something i can't really describe

Cade Miller

3y↑5

if you two did a collaborative EP or album I would buy that shit in a heartbeat

ANTONIOS KAPOLOS

3y↑4

I can't believe how beautiful is this song!

Cannon Hawk

3y↑1

God i love this song😢

Farine Flower

3y↑4

I've loved the song but now that I saw the music video it was even more powerful, it made me cry. I loved the idea that moth became attracted to Chelsea & Emma as to the light meaning the moth didn't want to be alone anymore. I really wish more and more people would ask and get the help they need

NietzscheOnTheMoon

3y↑1

Getting help is painful, and many people just want their pain to end... what many "normal" people don't actually understand is that when it comes to mental illness the therapy is often as painful as the disease, and after starting it the patient has nowhere to hide anymore: he can no longer bury himself under the bed sheets and wait for the pain to subside, because now he knows (or he's at least starting to know) what that pain means, what it actually is, and that's an awareness that will never leave his mind. Therapy will heal you in the end, but it will also destroy you.

Woken Giant82

3y↑4

This is not a sad song this a song for having compassion for the saddest ones and has hope in it soulfully!!

Ancient spirit

3y↑1

video matching the song ... absolutely awesome!!!

Stoffele1969

3y↑3

This is when magic fills the room . Love it

Alexander Komar

2y↑1

Pain, depression. What can i say....in my country war. Your music can help me

Green Arm Chair Gaming.

2y↑1

Had to play it twice, once for shock and once for sorrow.

Sed DelMar

3y↑3

Beautiful, and deep. Agonizing and soul hurt.
Thank you, your magic.

Cadmus92

3y↑1

Chelsea and Emma, I doubt you will ever see this comment. But thank you for this song, thank you both so much.

Milivoje Milovic

Holy crap , I've been waiting on this collaboration for a while now.

Abegail theresa

3y↑2

Beautiful collaboration, I love the song. Both women have very beautiful voices. I can listen to them sing all day. 🖤💜🖤💜🤘🏼🥰

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