pieces
Hell or Highwater Lyrics


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Trying to find some order
One step back two forward
In the belly of the beast, insanity repeats

Rising up from the shadows
Barely avoiding the gallows
But I won't let history repeat
No!

I've been closing in on the one thing
That I need just to break me free
From all these chains that keep me
Down, down, down, down
I found out that all I need is
To look past what's just in reach
And separate myself from all that's
Drowning me out

None of this comes easy
Push back your demons
Quit to concede
There's never been a choice for me

Rising up from the shadows
Barely avoiding the gallows
But I won't let history repeat
No!

I've been closing in on the one thing
That I need just to break me free
From all these chains that keep me
Down, down, down, down
I found out that all I need is
To look past what's just in reach
And separate myself from all that's
Drowning me out

I've been waiting all night
I've been fighting for life
Pick up the pieces just
Before I fall apart
Turn the dark into light
No one here by my side
Pick up the pieces just
Before I fall apart
X

I've been waiting all night
I've been fighting for life
Pick up the pieces just
Before I fall apart
The only power I trust
Exists in all of us
It's what you give away
That fills an empty heart

I've been closing in on the one thing
That I need just to break me free
From all these chains that keep me
Down, down, down, down
I found out that all I need is
To look past what's just in reach




And separate myself from all that's
Drowning me out

Overall Meaning

The song "Pieces" by Hell or Highwater speaks about the struggles of finding order in life while dealing with personal demons and feeling trapped by one's own thoughts and memories. The opening lines convey a sense of frustration and the difficulty of making progress when it seems like setbacks outnumber progress. The following lines create an image of being trapped in a cycle of negative thoughts and emotions, represented by "the belly of the beast." The refrain of "Rising up from the shadows, Barely avoiding the gallows, But I won't let history repeat" represent a moment of determination to overcome the negative cycle, to not be defined by the past.


The lyrics further deal with the theme of struggling to overcome personal demons and the difficulty of letting go of old patterns. The singer speaks of breaking free from chains, and looking past what's in reach to separate themselves from the things that are drowning them out. The latter part of the song speaks of waiting for something or someone to help fight against the negative aspects that seem to bring them down, but ultimately realizing that the power to overcome this comes from within oneself. It is about picking oneself up through the process of examining oneself and finding the strength to move forward.


Line by Line Meaning

Trying to find some order
Attempting to create structure in my life


One step back two forward
I make progress, but it's not always linear


In the belly of the beast, insanity repeats
I feel trapped in a difficult situation and it's causing me to feel crazy


Rising up from the shadows
Becoming stronger after a struggle


Barely avoiding the gallows
Escaping a close call with death or serious consequences


But I won't let history repeat
I won't make the same mistakes again


I've been closing in on the one thing
I've been making progress towards my goal


That I need just to break me free
The thing that will help me escape this situation


From all these chains that keep me
From the things that are holding me back


Down, down, down, down
Continuously pushing me lower


I found out that all I need is
I discovered that the solution is simple


To look past what's just in reach
To see beyond what's immediately in front of me


And separate myself from all that's
To distance myself from the things that are


Drowning me out
Overwhelming me


None of this comes easy
This is all difficult


Push back your demons
Fight against your personal struggles


Quit to concede
Don't give up and accept defeat too quickly


There's never been a choice for me
I've always had to fight for what I want


I've been waiting all night
I've been patient for a long time


I've been fighting for life
I've been struggling to survive


Pick up the pieces just
Reassemble the parts of my life and myself


Before I fall apart
Before I lose control of everything


Turn the dark into light
Transform the negative into positive


No one here by my side
I'm going through this alone


The only power I trust
The only thing I can rely on


Exists in all of us
Is within every person


It's what you give away
It's what you do for others


That fills an empty heart
That brings meaning and purpose to life




Writer(s): BRANDON SALLER, KYLE ROSA, NICK MALDANADO, JON HOOVER, JOEY BRADFORD

Contributed by Samuel D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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