The Rose with the Broken Neck
Danger Mouse & Daniele Luppi Lyrics


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Lonely I see
Lonely I need
Lonely I feel
Lonely I bleed
Lonely I trust
And lonely I must
Be the rose with the broken neck
The plow on the farm
The train on the track
The tracks on my arm
The train in the wreck

That's when they all sing this song
About when you are all alone
In your home with the broken neck

Help myself to a drink
Help myself to the sink
The dogs start to moan
And the crows start to beg
At my eyes and down at the ground
Oh and it shows
On the rose with the broken neck

Lonely I see
Lonely I need
Lonely I feel
And lonely I bleed
Lonely I trust




And lonely I must
Be the rose with the broken neck

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "The Rose With A Broken Neck" by Danger Mouse and Daniele Luppi express a feeling of isolation and loneliness. The repetition of the word "lonely" emphasizes this feeling, suggesting that the singer is not just alone physically, but also emotionally. The metaphor of the rose with a broken neck represents the singer's vulnerability and fragility, as the rose is a delicate flower that has been damaged. The image of the plow, train, and tracks on the singer's arm suggests self-harm or drug use as a way of dealing with their loneliness and pain. The line "help myself to a drink, help myself to the sink" indicates that the singer is using substances to cope with their emotions. The haunting melody and sparse instrumentation add to the overall sense of despair and hopelessness conveyed by the lyrics.


Overall, the song seems to be about the struggle to find meaning and connection in an increasingly disconnected and fragmented world. The metaphor of the broken rose suggests that the singer is struggling to hold on to something beautiful and fragile in the face of pain and isolation. The repeated line "lonely I must be" suggests that the singer has come to accept their loneliness as a fundamental part of who they are.


Line by Line Meaning

Lonely I see
I am able to observe and understand loneliness in others


Lonely I need
Despite the pain it brings, I crave companionship


Lonely I feel
I am intimately familiar with the feeling of loneliness


Lonely I bleed
Loneliness has caused me great emotional pain


Lonely I trust
I have no other option but to trust in my own abilities and instincts


And lonely I must
I am resigned to the fact that I will always be lonely


Be the rose with the broken neck
Like a flower with a damaged stem unable to hold itself up, I am broken and unable to stand alone


The plow on the farm
The tools of agriculture represent the hard work required to sustain oneself


The train on the track
The journey of life, and the need to stay on course


The tracks on my arm
Scars from past mistakes and poor decisions


The train in the wreck
The moment when everything falls apart and all is lost


That's when they all sing this song
When one hits rock bottom, everyone seems to know it


About when you are all alone
People are quick to judge and offer empty platitudes when they don't truly understand


In your home with the broken neck
In the place where you should feel safe and secure, you are instead rendered helpless


Help myself to a drink
Seeking temporary solace in alcohol


Help myself to the sink
Succumbing to self-destructive behavior


The dogs start to moan
Even animals can sense the despair and hopelessness


And the crows start to beg
These scavengers of death seem to be asking for scraps


At my eyes and down at the ground
The world seems to be mocking me, both literally and figuratively looking down on me


Oh and it shows
There is no hiding the pain, it is written plainly on my face and in my actions


On the rose with the broken neck
My physical and emotional wounds are becoming one and the same, defining my very existence




Contributed by Riley R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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