Numb
Holly McNarland Lyrics

The lyrics to Holly McNarland’s song “Numb” are quite dark and evoke a sense of emotional turmoil. The song delves into the concept of numbing oneself to avoid feeling pain or emotions. The opening lines of “chase destruction of your own emotions” suggest that the singer is actively trying to prevent themselves from experiencing emotions. The next line “and your need for love, makes you easy prey” hints that the singer may have experienced love that has resulted in pain or trauma. The line “safety of a rubber glove seems much too simple” adds to the overall sense of numbness - even the seemingly simplest things feel too complicated when emotions are avoided. The singer is waiting for “the day” when they can finally feel something again, however, the pain they have experienced has made it difficult for them to know what emotions are genuine.

The chorus of the song, “You can’t see if I'm not listening, You can’t hear with my eyes open, I can hate with my eyes open, I feel better when I'm numb” carries a strong message about the numbness that the singer is experiencing. They cannot see or hear anything, and the only emotion they can feel makes them feel better is hate. The line “Chase distraction of your own existence, keep it clean enough to stab” further emphasizes the singer’s attempt to numb themselves. They are not only avoiding emotions, but they are also actively distracting themselves from their existence. The line “lick your own wounds, anxious for the next one, cry for more pain, heal what you have” once again highlights the singer's willingness to keep numbing themselves even if it causes more pain in the long run. The final verse describes the singer’s relationship with someone else, and how they are willing to be a “hit” for the one they love. This relationship seems to be causing them more harm than good, and they wish that the person they care about would finally “put them down”.