Shallow Grave
I Voted For Kodos Lyrics


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He never wanted it like this
Just for once, (he'd) like to be greeted with a kiss
But he's scared of his own home
She never leaves him alone
For twenty-three years he stood silently
While she took his manhood, and his dignity
but Now the kids are all gone
This shouldn't take very long

He dug a shallow grave
To the earth he took his spade
Couldn't stand for one more day
So he dug a shallow grave

He takes breath and he says a prayer
He raises his shovel high into the air
He brings it down upon her head
Just one blow and now she's dead
He drags her body to the back door
Leaves a trail of blood on the floor
He bends down to close her eyes
And then he starts to cry
But never the less, he's glad that she's gone
He throws her in the ground and he piles the dirt on
He goes inside to wash his face
He feels his heart begin to race

He dug a shallow grave
To the earth he took his spade
Couldn't stand for one more day
So he dug a shallow grave

He Starts to realize just what he's done
He goes into the basement, and he grabs his gun
He puts the barrel to his head
He can't believe she's really dead

What will he tell the neighbors, when they pass by the way?
What will he tell the children, when they come on Christmas day?
What will he tell her parents, when they ask for their daughter?
What will he tell the D.A. when they charge him with manslaughter?

He pulls the trigger and he hears a click
The quick solution's not always the quickest fix

He dug a shallow grave
To the earth he took his spade




Couldn't stand for one more day
So he dug a shallow grave

Overall Meaning

The song "Shallow Grave" by I Voted For Kodos is a haunting recount of domestic abuse and the act of murder. The song is written from the perspective of the abuser who is seemingly at his breaking point. The lyrics paint a picture of a man who has been stripped of his dignity, manhood, and personal freedom by his wife for over two decades. The song takes the listener on an emotional rollercoaster as the man ultimately decides to take matters into his own hands by violently killing his wife and burying her in a shallow grave.


The lyrics suggest that the man has been living in fear and misery for far too long, and the only way out of his situation is through violence. The chorus "He dug a shallow grave, To the earth he took his spade, Couldn't stand for one more day, So he dug a shallow grave" highlights the emotional and physical toll that the abuser has been through, and how he can no longer endure his current situation. The chorus also suggests that the act of murder was a momentary solution for the abuser’s problems, rather than a permanent fix, as he later contemplates suicide.


Interestingly, the song raises questions about the justice system, as the last verse suggests that he might be charged with manslaughter. This suggests a lack of understanding of the seriousness of domestic violence as a crime that can escalate to murder. The song highlights how the abuser is often the one who is portrayed as the victim, not the person who has suffered years of abuse.


Line by Line Meaning

He never wanted it like this
He never wanted the situation to turn out like this


Just for once, (he'd) like to be greeted with a kiss
He wishes to feel loved and appreciated with a kiss just once


But he's scared of his own home
He is afraid of his own home due to his abusive partner


She never leaves him alone
His abusive partner never lets him be alone


For twenty-three years he stood silently
He endured abuse silently for twenty-three years


While she took his manhood, and his dignity
She abused him mentally and physically, taking away his self-respect in the process


Now the kids are all gone
His children have moved out and the couple is alone


This shouldn't take very long
The act of killing his partner and burying her body should not take very long


He dug a shallow grave
He dug a grave that was not deep enough for it to be a proper burial


To the earth he took his spade
He took a spade and used it to dig the shallow grave


Couldn't stand for one more day
He could not handle the abusive situation for one more day


So he dug a shallow grave
He dug a makeshift grave to bury his partner's body


He takes breath and he says a prayer
He takes a deep breath and says a last prayer before committing the act


He raises his shovel high into the air
He raises the shovel high before striking his partner to kill her


He brings it down upon her head
He strikes her with force on her head with the shovel


Just one blow and now she's dead
The single blow from the shovel killed her instantly


He drags her body to the back door
He drags her body to the back door to dispose of it


Leaves a trail of blood on the floor
He leaves bloodstains on the floor while moving her body


He bends down to close her eyes
He bends down to close her eyes out of respect as she's dead


And then he starts to cry
He cries after realizing what he has done


But never the less, he's glad that she's gone
Despite feeling guilt, he is glad that his abusive partner is gone


He throws her in the ground and he piles the dirt on
He buries her body by throwing it in the shallow grave and covering it with dirt


He goes inside to wash his face
He goes inside to clean himself up from the blood and tears


He feels his heart begin to race
He starts feeling anxious and panicky


He Starts to realize just what he's done
He starts to comprehend the gravity of the situation he's landed himself in


He goes into the basement, and he grabs his gun
He retrieves his gun from the basement


He puts the barrel to his head
He puts the barrel of the gun to his own head


He can't believe she's really dead
He is still in disbelief about her death


What will he tell the neighbors, when they pass by the way?
He is worried about how his neighbors will react when they find out what he has done


What will he tell the children, when they come on Christmas day?
He is unsure of how to explain the situation to his children when they visit


What will he tell her parents, when they ask for their daughter?
He is at loss for words when it comes to facing his partner's parents


What will he tell the D.A. when they charge him with manslaughter?
He realizes the severity of the consequences if he's caught by the authorities


He pulls the trigger and he hears a click
He attempts to end his own life by pulling the trigger, but the gun doesn't fire


The quick solution's not always the quickest fix
A hasty decision or a quick fix to a problem might not necessarily solve it completely or bring peace to the individual




Contributed by Lily C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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