Misery
Darren and Chris Lyrics

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Won't you take one link from this misery chain?
Keep it to remind you of a long forgotten time or a place
So that you'll recognize its shape when it's near
Any time or place this misery chain should appear

Take the locks and shackles, and melt all of it down
Shine a light upon every shadow, every acre of ground
The hidden corners on, in, or around

Anywhere you feel this misery chain could be found

And when we're gone, and it's all said and done
What will we leave?
Stories told, will they speak of us well? God only knows
What those words will be

And if I should fall from the top of the world
To the depths below, so far below what I believed could exist
Down further still will be the one who hides the key
And dares to try to put these misery chains on me

And when we're gone, and it's all said and done
What will we leave
Stories told, will they speak of us well? God only knows
What those words will be

Won't you take one link from this misery chain?
Keep it to remind you of a long forgotten time or a place
So that you'll recognize it, 'til it's understood
And that every trace of this misery chain is gone for good

'Til every trace of this misery chain
Is gone for good

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Darren and Chris's song "Misery" speaks about the idea of the misery chain and the desire to break free from it. The first verse asks someone to take one link from this misery chain and keep it as a reminder of a long forgotten time or a place. This is so they will be able to recognize the shape of the misery chain whenever it appears. The second verse asks to take the locks and shackles and melt it all down to get rid of any hidden traces of the misery chain. The song then shifts to the idea of leaving a legacy and the stories that will be told about us after we're gone. The chorus then repeats, asking again to take one link from this misery chain until every trace of it is gone for good.

The song speaks to a universal theme of wanting to break free from things that cause us to feel stuck and in pain, represented here as the misery chain. The idea of recognizing its shape when it's near highlights the fact that sometimes we can be blind to patterns in our lives that keep us trapped. The line "if I should fall from the top of the world to the depths below" shows the extremity of the situation that the singer is in, where the one who hides the key and tries to put the chain on them is deep down.

Overall, the song encourages listeners to reflect upon the things that keep us chained to misery and to take steps to break free from it, even if it means starting with just one link.

Line by Line Meaning

Won't you take one link from this misery chain?
Would you please separate one of the links from this chain of unfortunate events?

Keep it to remind you of a long forgotten time or a place
Save it so that you can recall a time that has faded from memory or a location that has been left behind.

So that you'll recognize its shape when it's near
This will enable you to spot similar signs when you're near them.

Any time or place this misery chain should appear
Wherever and whenever you encounter this pattern of misery.

Take the locks and shackles, and melt all of it down
Destroy the chains and bondage by melting them.

Shine a light upon every shadow, every acre of ground
Examine every nook and cranny thoroughly.

The hidden corners on, in, or around
Small or unnoticeable areas, whether inside, outside, or around us.

Anywhere you feel this misery chain could be found
In any spot you suspect this chain of events exists.

And when we're gone, and it's all said and done
After we die, when everything has been accomplished or settled.

What will we leave?
What legacy will remain after we pass away?

Stories told, will they speak of us well? God only knows
The narratives told about us when we're gone; only the almighty knows if they'll be positive or negative.

What those words will be
What phrases will that description encompass?

And if I should fall from the top of the world
If I lose prestige or status.

To the depths below, so far below what I believed could exist
fall to even lower depths that I never knew existed.

Down further still will be the one who hides the key
The person who has the power to alleviate my discomfort is even deeper.

And dares to try to put these misery chains on me
As if that individual is willing to extend the misery to me further.

Won't you take one link from this misery chain?
Would you please separate one of the links from this chain of unfortunate events?

Keep it to remind you of a long forgotten time or a place
Save it so that you can recall a time that has faded from memory or a location that has been left behind.

So that you'll recognize it, 'til it's understood
Until the pattern is fully discerned or recognized.

And that every trace of this misery chain is gone for good
When everything related to this negative sequence of events has vanished completely.

'Til every trace of this misery chain
Until all remnants of this pattern of grief have completely vanished.

Is gone for good
When everything negative regarding this chain of events has disappeared completely.

Lyrics © HIPGNOSIS SONGS GROUP, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Chris Cornell

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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