If You Can't Leave It Be Might As Well Make It Bleed
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Never saw it coming did you?
Its easy to be surprised with both your eyes sewn closed
Handled with great precision, another thoughtless execution
You're the subject of this exhibition
A willing cadaver, a willing cadaver.
Scalpel, sutured.
Made whole again.
These cuts are leaving creases
Trace the scars, fit the pieces
Tell your story, you don't need to say a word.
Call off the cavalry, can't save a wretch like me.
Clean this with kerosene.
If you can't leave it be might as well make it bleed.
Scalpel, sutured.
Made whole again.
Your wires are frayed, can't fire right
You look better when out of sight
You were not made to stand and fight
There's something better wrong with you
Your wires are frayed, can't fire right
You look better when out of sight
You were not made to fire right
There's something better wrong with you
Your pulse is anemic, you're tired of the fire
You're bruising too easy and falling behind
And no one is waiting for you.
And no one is waiting for you.
And no one is waiting for you.
Call off your quarantine, can't save the rest from me
Clean this with kerosene.
If you can't leave it be might as well make it bleed.
Scalpel, Sutured.
Made whole again.
Your wires are frayed, can't fire right
You look better when out of sight
You were not made to stand and fight
There's something better wrong with you
Your wires are frayed, can't fire right
You look better when out of sight
You were not made to stand and fight
There's something better wrong with you
The song "If You Can't Leave It Be Might As Well Make It Bleed" by Dashboard Confessional has a haunting and dark undertone. At first listen, it might seem like a love song with lyrics like, "You were not made to stand and fight, there's something better wrong with you," but in actuality, this song could be interpreted as a deeper personal issue or a mental illness that the singer is grappling with. The lyrics, "Handled with great precision, another thoughtless execution, you're the subject of this exhibition, a willing cadaver" indicate a helpless surrender to something causing pain.
The use of the medical imagery of a "scalpel" and "sutured" however, hints towards a more medically-oriented subject matter. The cuts might denote a surgical procedure and the "cadaver" might feature as a product of scientific experimentation. Furthermore, the use of "cadaver" could also allude to a sense of death or mortification that the singer feels. The chorus, "If you can't leave it be might as well make it bleed," implies that the singer would rather explore and experience rather than shy away from the pain. The singer also claims to have scars that have formed over time, hinting at a past full of trauma.
Overall, the song's message could be that the concept of pain is a metaphor of life itself; pain is an inevitable part of existing, and while it may be temporarily subdued, it must always be reckoned with. The song suggests that being open to the cuts, and the pain in general, is the path to becoming "whole again."
Line by Line Meaning
What you've found sure upsets you
The discovery you've made has caused you great distress
Never saw it coming did you?
You were taken completely by surprise
Its easy to be surprised with both your eyes sewn closed
When you choose not to see what's in front of you, it's easy to be caught off-guard
Handled with great precision, another thoughtless execution
Your situation has been handled in a highly precise yet careless manner
You're the subject of this exhibition
You are being used as an object to display someone else's actions
A willing cadaver, a willing cadaver.
You are willing to go along with what's happened, even if it hurts you
Scalpel, sutured.
The process of healing involves making cuts at times
Made whole again.
However, once the wounds have been stitched back together, you can be made whole again
These cuts are leaving creases
The wounds you're experiencing are leaving long-lasting effects
Trace the scars, fit the pieces
You need to face your past in order to heal from it
Tell your story, you don't need to say a word.
You can communicate your experiences and emotions without necessarily speaking
Call off the cavalry, can't save a wretch like me.
It's no use trying to save someone like you who is in a bad situation
Clean this with kerosene.
In order to start anew, sometimes you need to burn everything down first
If you can't leave it be might as well make it bleed.
If you can't move on from your difficulties, then you might as well face them head-on and let the pain out
Your wires are frayed, can't fire right
You're feeling broken and unable to function as you should
You look better when out of sight
When you're not in the public eye, you feel more comfortable
You were not made to stand and fight
You weren't constructed to handle confrontation or adversity
There's something better wrong with you
You have internal struggles that aren't always visible to others, but they still impact you
Your pulse is anemic, you're tired of the fire
You're feeling weak and exhausted from constantly battling your problems
You're bruising too easy and falling behind
You're more sensitive than usual and finding it hard to keep up with life's challenges
And no one is waiting for you.
You feel like you're on your own and that nobody is there to help you
Call off your quarantine, can't save the rest from me
It's no use isolating yourself in an attempt to protect others from your problems
Your wires are frayed, can't fire right
You're feeling broken and unable to function as you should
You look better when out of sight
When you're not in the public eye, you feel more comfortable
You were not made to stand and fight
You weren't constructed to handle confrontation or adversity
There's something better wrong with you
You have internal struggles that aren't always visible to others, but they still impact you
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CHRISTOPHER ANDREW CARRABBA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind