Dead END
Format Lyrics


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Hold on, there's a hole in my heart
Everyone can see right through me
It goes all the way to the waves
Where my love she tried to wash it away

see we break for the summers
So she can find lovers
She treats them like a bottle of wine
They make you dinner
And they sing you to sleep
But by the morning find the bottle is empty

'Cause she never gives it the time
Every bottle she finds
They don't compare
To the ones she left behind
There is never a note
So she waits for me to come back home

I'm looking for a dead end song
You wish that smoke
Could change its color
I love it when you talk so much
And act like nothing went wrong
I'm looking for a dead end song
While we sit and find flaws in everyone
I want to keep you by my side
Holding off tidal waves

"Mint car" is keeping us warm
She lays crossed upon the bed
We are puzzles making shapes
With our hands
I take my finger, turn into a pen
Then I run my hand down your spine
You guess I wrote something profound
Something like:
"Our love will last 'till we die"
I say "you're good at this game"




But what I really wrote is
"How I've yet to be saved"

Overall Meaning

The opening line, “Hold on, there’s a hole in my heart,” sets the tone for the rest of Format’s “Dead End”- a song about the journey of love, loss and the search for something that touches the edge of life, something that let us feel every emotion at once, and a song that is a dedication to the idea of wandering without purpose. The hole in the heart is the place where love comes and goes and loss seeps in and reaches every inch of the soul. The verse continues, “Everyone can see right through me / It goes all the way to the waves / Where my love she tried to wash it away,” compelling the listener to picture an incredibly vulnerable, emotionally naked person, standing at the edge of the ocean, feeling the breeze and the salt on the face, seeking a respite from their shattered love.


The chorus is equally introspective, “I’m looking for a dead end song / While we sit and find flaws in everyone / I want to keep you by my side / Holding off tidal waves.” The idea of a dead end song refers to a song that has something inherently finite about it, something that suggests a natural ending, a song that is old, faded and nostalgic. The singer of the song is looking for something that stops and starts abruptly, something to leave him where he is, without needing to move on or escape. The song is also an observation on human nature- how we have a tendency to dismissively point out flaws in others, often to make ourselves feel better, even though doing so only reinforces our own sense of inadequacy.


Line by Line Meaning

Hold on, there's a hole in my heart
I feel a deep emotional void within myself


Everyone can see right through me
My emotions are visible and transparent to others


It goes all the way to the waves
My pain is so intense it reaches the depths of the ocean


Where my love she tried to wash it away
My past attempts to move on and forget love have been unsuccessful


see we break for the summers
We take breaks from each other during the summer months


So she can find lovers
During our break, she seeks out other romantic relationships


She treats them like a bottle of wine
She enjoys them for a short period of time then quickly discards them


They make you dinner
Her lovers impress her with their cooking skills


And they sing you to sleep
Her lovers provide her with a sense of comfort


But by the morning find the bottle is empty
She quickly loses interest in her lovers and moves on


'Cause she never gives it the time
She doesn't invest enough time and effort into her relationships


Every bottle she finds
Every new lover she discovers


They don't compare
None of her new lovers live up to her past loves


To the ones she left behind
She still longs for the love she left in the past


There is never a note
Her past loves never leave behind any closure or explanation


So she waits for me to come back home
She relies on me to give her a sense of stability and familiarity


I'm looking for a dead end song
I want to find a song that reflects my feelings of despair and hopelessness


You wish that smoke
You desire to escape reality through smoking


Could change its color
You wish for a change in your current circumstances


I love it when you talk so much
I appreciate your chatter as it distracts me from my pain


And act like nothing went wrong
I appreciate your ability to ignore the troubles in our relationship


While we sit and find flaws in everyone
We criticize others to deflect from our own issues


I want to keep you by my side
I desire your presence as a source of comfort


Holding off tidal waves
We try to overcome overwhelming emotional waves together


"Mint car" is keeping us warm
The song 'Mint Car' provides comfort and warmth to us


She lays crossed upon the bed
You lie in a peaceful, crossing position on the bed


We are puzzles making shapes
We are trying to fit the pieces of our relationship together


With our hands
We are using our hands to create and build


I take my finger, turn into a pen
I use my finger as a makeshift pen


Then I run my hand down your spine
I trace my hand down your back


You guess I wrote something profound
You think I wrote something meaningful


Something like:
A reference to a previous statement


"Our love will last 'till we die"
The message I'm sending to you is that our love is eternal


I say "you're good at this game"
I make a lighthearted comment about our activity


But what I really wrote is
I confess that what I wrote was not entirely truthful


"How I've yet to be saved"
The true message I wanted to send is that I still struggle and need to be rescued




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: LINDA PERRY, NATE RUES, SAM MEANS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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