Petals
Hole Lyrics


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Tear the petals off of you
And make you tell the truth
All the darling buds of May
They fall with no sound
They carry you down
They carry you down
All the lilies bloomed and blossomed
Wilted and they're shivering
I can't stop their withering




Oh this world is a war

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Hole's song "Petals" are beautiful yet melancholic, and they speak of a person who is deeply hurt and betrayed by someone close to them. The first two lines of the song, "Tear the petals off of you and make you tell the truth," suggest that the person is trying to get to the heart of the matter and force the truth out of the person who has hurt them. By tearing the petals off of them, they are removing the superficial layer to reveal the real person underneath.


The next few lines suggest that the person is feeling a sense of loss and sadness. The "darling buds of May" are a metaphor for the beauty and potential of life, and the fact that they fall with no sound suggests that they are fragile and easily broken. The person feels as if they are being carried down by the weight of their pain, and they are powerless to stop it.


The chorus of the song is incredibly powerful, as it speaks of the beauty of life slowly fading away. The lilies have bloomed and blossomed, but they are now wilting and shivering, unable to withstand the pain of the world. The person cannot stop their withering, and they are left to watch as everything around them slowly fades away.


Overall, "Petals" is a beautifully tragic song that speaks to the pain of loss and betrayal. The lyrics are vivid and poetic, and the haunting melody perfectly captures the emotional weight of the song.


Line by Line Meaning

Tear the petals off of you
Strip away the superficial layers and expose your innermost self


And make you tell the truth
Force you to confront and reveal unpleasant realities


All the darling buds of May
All the beautiful things in life


They fall with no sound
They leave quietly and without fanfare


They carry you down
They contribute to your eventual decline and demise


All the lilies bloomed and blossomed
All the promising opportunities that once existed


Wilted and they're shivering
Fading away and struggling to survive


I can't stop their withering
I am powerless to prevent their decline


Oh this world is a war
Life is a constant battle with no clear winners




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: William Patrick Corgan, Eric T Erlandson, Courtney M. Love

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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