Smoke and Mirrors
For All It's Worth Lyrics
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The lyrics of "Smoke and Mirrors" by For All It's Worth convey a message of betrayal and disillusionment. The singer is finally opening their eyes to the manipulations and deceit of the person they once thought was perfect. The "virtues" and "perfection" of this person were all a façade, manufactured by the singer's own disbelief that someone could be anything less than perfect. The imagery of the mask being shattered reveals the true self of this person, and the singer is left feeling disgusted and betrayed. The final stanza speaks of the singer cutting their wrists and bleeding to cleanse themselves of this toxic relationship, recognizing that the other person never truly loved them, just the attention they received from the singer.
The song paints a picture of a person who has been manipulated and deceived by someone they trusted, and only after a period of being hoodwinked, is the singer able to see beyond the 'smoke and mirrors.' The lyrics are raw and emotional, describing the anguish that the singer is feeling at realizing someone they so deeply trusted was not who they thought they were. The imagery of vomiting up lies is particularly visceral, and underscores the feeling of betrayal.
Line by Line Meaning
Your virtues. Are a lie. Manufactured. By my. Disbelief.
I believed you were perfect, but now I see that all of your supposed virtues were just a fabrication of my own disbelief.
That you could be. Anything. But perfect.
I thought you were flawless, but now I realize that you are not capable of being anything but imperfect.
Gasping for breath. My screams go unheard. As I choke.
I'm struggling to breathe and screaming, but you don't hear me because you're suffocating me with your lies and manipulations.
Vomiting up all the lies. You shoved down my throat. With manipulations. And false tears.
I'm getting sick from all the lies you've forced me to swallow, all while pretending to be sympathetic with fake tears and manipulations.
In one moment of clarity. I opened up my eyes. And now I can see. For the first time.
Finally, I have a moment of enlightenment and see you for who you truly are for the first time.
The mask behind which you hid your eyes is shattered. And I look into them for the first time unblinded.
The façade you put on is gone, and I can finally see into your eyes with clarity.
Everything comes crashing down, As your true self is revealed.
All the falsehoods come tumbling down, and your true self is exposed.
And I shudder to think. That I. Once lost myself in that gaze.
I'm horrified to remember that I once got lost in your gaze, unaware of the lies behind it.
I open my hand. In which I thought contained your heart. And before my own disbelieving eyes. The illusion is revealed.
I realize that what I held in my hand was not your heart but an illusion, and it suddenly vanishes from my hand.
And all that remains is ashes and my own blood. It drips down my fingers and I taste it. Bitter and cold.
All that's left is a painful memory, and I'm left feeling bitter and cold as I taste my own blood dripping from my hand.
Curdled by the poison that taints everything from your tongue.
The poison that comes from your tongue has affected everything, and all I'm left with is bitterness and the aftertaste of your lies.
I cut my wrists, And bleed. So that each drop may be cleansed. Purified. From you.
I cut my wrists to purify my blood from the poison that came from you, hoping to cleanse myself of your lies and manipulations.
You don't love me. You never did. You only loved. The affection you'd get.
You never truly loved me, you only loved the idea of being loved and the attention that came with it.
Contributed by Violet P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Jayme Woods
I fucking used to love the guys..i always will. Reppin' CT. I wish there were still shows like this💯