Fireside is a Swedish rock band from the northern city of Luleå that formed… Read Full Bio ↴Fireside is a Swedish rock band from the northern city of Luleå that formed in the early 1990s. They had some success in the US with their second album "Do not tailgate" which was released around the same time as Texas is the Reason's debut album. Both albums are credited with modernizing the emo genre and moving it away from hardcore and more into the realm of pop. The music is hard and emotional with lyrics about troubled love. The first album is strongly reminiscent of Quicksand and Fireisde singer Kristofer Åström has said in an interview with Messed Mag (in September 2020) that

"I clearly remember how Fireside started. All of us were huge hardcore fans and listened to bands like Gorilla Biscuits and Youth of Today, and when the guitarist of Gorilla Biscuits started a new band called Quicksand I pre-ordered a seven-inch single. When it arrived I phoned Pelle Gunnerfelt and he biked from the other side of town to my home and we listened to it together, and the first thing we said was “We’re starting a new band and it’s gonna sound like this” (laughs). That was the decisive moment when Fireside started; Quicksand were the role models together with Fugazi. "

Having released five albums to date, Fireside have since developed a personal style. Their most recent album, Get Shot, was released in 2003 via V2 Records.

The Betrayer
Fireside Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I'm the betrayer
Well, I'm the…

I'm the betrayer
I'm the second one
What have I ever done to you
What have you done to yourself?
I guess it takes you back

A decade or two
I'm the black sheep boy
Another problem to you

I'm the betrayer
Well, I'm the…

So you don't want me around
I guess I can live with that
I've been away for a while
I haven't really missed you yet
But if you ever come by here
Just give me a reason
Well I'm your black sheep boy
Well I'm your flesh and blood

I'm the betrayer
Well, I'm the…

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Fireside's song "The Betrayer" reflect feelings of alienation and betrayal felt by the singer. The use of the first-person point of view underscores the personal nature of the lyrics. The repetition of "I'm the betrayer," serves to emphasize the singer's sense of guilt and remorse. The line "I'm the second one" suggests that the singer is not the main betrayer but rather a secondary one. This could imply that the singer has betrayed someone as a result of being influenced by another person.

The lyric "what have I ever done to you, what have you done to yourself?" suggests that there has been some sort of conflict or negative behavior between the singer and the person being addressed in the lyrics. The line "I'm the black sheep boy, another problem to you" further emphasizes the singer's sense of being an outsider or someone who is not fully accepted by those around him. The line "I guess it takes you back a decade or two" could suggest that the conflict between the singer and the person addressed in the song has deep roots and goes back many years.

Overall, "The Betrayer" is a powerful song that speaks to the themes of alienation, betrayal, and guilt. The repetition of the chorus underscores the singer's sense of remorse and hints at the possibility of redemption.

Line by Line Meaning

I'm the betrayer
I am admitting to being someone who has betrayed another person or group.

I'm the second one
I am not the only person who has betrayed, and I may have been betrayed too.

What have I ever done to you
I want to know why you think I am a betrayer or what actions of mine led you to that conclusion.

What have you done to yourself?
Perhaps you betrayed yourself or made bad decisions that led to this situation.

I guess it takes you back A decade or two
This may have been going on for a long time, and it's not a new issue.

I'm the black sheep boy Another problem to you
People already see me as someone who doesn't fit in or is causing problems. So being a betrayer isn't a big surprise.

So you don't want me around I guess I can live with that
It's clear you don't want me to be a part of your life, and I can accept that.

I've been away for a while I haven't really missed you yet
I haven't been around for a while, so it's not like I was actively betraying you recently.

But if you ever come by here Just give me a reason
If you do visit or contact me, I want to know why and what specifically you need from me.

Well I'm your black sheep boy Well I'm your flesh and blood
Despite everything, we have a connection and are still family. I hope that can count for something.

I'm the betrayer Well, I'm the…
I am still trying to process and understand my role as a betrayer, but it's clear that's how people see me.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: CARL JOHAN OLSSON, FRANS PER ERIK JOHANSSON, KRISTOFER LARS ASTROM, PER GUNNERFELDT, PER LENNART NORDMARK

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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