Thorns of the Rose
Jack The Envious Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I could start this story saying
He never knew a better way
Grew as a nice kid but it's the nice ones, that can hide their deeds away
And she was the reflection of what he thought he'd ever need
But sometimes things turn out to be as far from what they seemed
The lasting desperation he used to wipe out in his dreams
Made him spend his days conflicted
By the choices and the pleads

Drifting the halls
He never did quite belong here
As he sits all alone
Whispers to the only ghost that sat beside him
She has a purpose
And It bleeds through the surface
All the thorns of the rose never left his head
For days on end and no one knows

Oh, oh, oh
Crept to the side of the road
With the blood still in his hands
She told him soon this shame will fade
But they will never beat you up again
And I wont let anyone get close to you my only friend
Because they seek out to hurt you
And I won't forgive their sins

Drifting the halls
He never did quite belong here
As he sits all alone
Whispers to the only ghost that sat beside him
She has a purpose
And It bleeds through the surface
All the thorns of the rose never left his head
For days on end and no one knows

They ran committed their suicide
And no one will ever care to ask
So Why do I want to know
I want to know the truth behind the blood on my hands
And there's still a need
They have to pay for their sins
I'm digging their grave
And I don't wanna know
You don't wanna know

You can ask for the dead
You can ask for the hopeless

Drifting the halls
He never did quite belong here
As he sits all alone
Whispers to the only ghost that sat beside him
She has a purpose
And It bleeds through the surface

All the thorns of the rose never left his head
For days on end and no one knows

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Jack The Envious's song Thorns of the Rose describe a story of a boy who grew up as a nice kid, but eventually did something terrible that he had to live with for the rest of his life. He falls in love with a girl who he thinks is everything he needs, but things are not as they seem. He has a lasting desperation that he cannot shake off, and it prevents him from making the right choices. He spends his days conflicted between the choices he has made and the pleas for forgiveness.

The boy is alone and haunted by the memories of his past. He sits alone and whispers to the only ghost that sat beside him. The lyrics suggest that the girl who he thought was everything he needed is dead, and she is the only one who still stays with him. He believes that she has a purpose, and it bleeds through the surface. The thorns of the rose never left his head, and no one knows the pain he has to endure. The boy is consumed by guilt and is digging a grave for those who wronged him. The song ends with a plea to the dead and hopeless to give answers to his questions.

Line by Line Meaning

I could start this story saying
The beginning of the story involves the singer introducing the main character of the song.

He never knew a better way
The main character was limited in his perspective and did not have many options.

Grew as a nice kid but it's the nice ones, that can hide their deeds away
Although the main character appeared to be good, he had a dark side that he kept hidden from others.

And she was the reflection of what he thought he'd ever need
A woman was the main character's ideal partner, but his perception of her was not entirely accurate.

But sometimes things turn out to be as far from what they seemed
The main character's expectations did not align with reality.

The lasting desperation he used to wipe out in his dreams
The main character's struggles and insecurities were persistent and difficult to overcome.

Made him spend his days conflicted
The main character was constantly dealing with internal struggles and conflicting emotions.

By the choices and the pleads
The main character's conflicting emotions were caused by the choices he made and the requests of others.

Drifting the halls
The main character is aimlessly wandering through a place (possibly a school or institution).

He never did quite belong here
The main character felt out of place in his surroundings.

As he sits all alone
The main character is isolated and does not have anyone to talk to.

Whispers to the only ghost that sat beside him
The main character is speaking to a ghost of someone who used to be there for him.

She has a purpose
The ghost has a specific role to play in the main character's life.

And It bleeds through the surface
The ghost's purpose is evident and affects the main character deeply.

All the thorns of the rose never left his head
The difficulties and trauma that the main character has experienced continue to haunt him.

For days on end and no one knows
The main character is suffering alone and nobody around him is aware of his struggles.

They ran committed their suicide
Some people from the main character's past have taken their own lives.

And no one will ever care to ask
Nobody is interested in finding out what happened to these people.

So Why do I want to know
The main character wants to know the truth about what happened.

I want to know the truth behind the blood on my hands
The main character is seeking answers about why he feels guilty for what happened to these people.

And there's still a need
The main character still feels a strong desire to uncover the truth.

They have to pay for their sins
The main character wants those responsible for what happened to face the consequences of their actions.

I'm digging their grave
The main character is taking matters into his own hands and seeking revenge.

And I don't wanna know
Despite the main character's desire for the truth, there are some things he would rather not know.

You don't wanna know
The truth is so dark and disturbing that nobody would want to know.

You can ask for the dead
The main character is suggesting that it is pointless to try to get answers from those who are no longer alive.

You can ask for the hopeless
Those who are beyond help or redemption are also not worth seeking answers from.

Contributed by Ian Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS