Empire
Jawbreaker Reunion Lyrics


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the ashy black of my fingertips
just like clouds on a stormy night
clouds that crowd my lungs
gasping for air like a child

i didnt want this, but i thought of it
every night, waking up
gasping for breathe
once again like a child
my worst nightmare
losing myself and everyone else in one swift instance

why can't i talk about it
and not just think about it?
that tower crashing down on me and dying instantly
like my ancestors
like my parents will
just like i might at any second
without the chance of saying...

i can't breathe, with this shit on me
i can't breathe, whats expected of me




i can't breathe, my responsibilities
i can't breathe, take it away from me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Jawbreaker Reunion's "Empire" are introspective and have a reflective quality to them. The opening lines, "the ashy black of my fingertips/ just like clouds on a stormy night" create an image of darkness and gloom. The singer's thoughts take a turn for the worse, as the clouds "crowd" her lungs and leave her gasping for air like a child. The following lines, "i didn't want this, but i thought of it/ every night, waking up/ gasping for breathe/ once again like a child" illustrate the sense of helplessness and the fear that the singer feels.


The song then progresses to the singer's worst nightmare, losing oneself and everyone else around them in one swift instance. This fear is echoed in the line "why can't I talk about it/ and not just think about it?", suggesting a sense of frustration of not being able to adequately express her fears to others. The metaphor of the tower crashing down on the singer and dying instantly compares the current situation to the singer's ancestors and parents in the past, implying a sense of inevitability about the situation.


The final lines, "i can't breathe, with this shit on me/ i can't breathe, whats expected of me/ i can't breathe, my responsibilities/ i can't breathe, take it away from me" reveal a cry for help or release from the burdens that have been placed on the singer. The repetition of "I can't breathe" draws on a widely-used phrase in the reality of police brutality and the Black Lives Matter movement, brings the song further into the modern era and adds a layer of relevance and social commentary.


Line by Line Meaning

the ashy black of my fingertips
The feeling of dirt and grime on my hands creates a sense of darkness and decay.


just like clouds on a stormy night
Similar to the way clouds accumulate and create a feeling of chaos and unease during a thunderstorm.


clouds that crowd my lungs
Like the buildup of clouds during a storm, my lungs are congested and struggling to breathe.


gasping for air like a child
In the same way a child might struggle to catch their breath, I am fighting to take in air.


i didn't want this, but i thought of it
Although I didn't desire this situation, it still infiltrates my thoughts regularly.


every night, waking up
The situation is so heavy on my mind that it disrupts my sleep and causes me to wake up in the middle of the night.


gasping for breath
My anxiety is so severe that I feel like I cannot take in air properly.


once again like a child
Similar to my previous comparison, the feeling of helplessness is reminiscent of how children might react in a crisis.


my worst nightmare
This scenario is my greatest fear.


losing myself and everyone else in one swift instance
The situation would not just impact me, but everyone around me, all at once.


why can't i talk about it
Despite how much it occupies my thoughts, I am struggling to express it aloud to others.


and not just think about it?
I wish I could discuss this situation freely with others instead of feeling it burden me alone.


that tower crashing down on me and dying instantly
The problem is so overwhelming that it feels like the collapse of a great building crushing me, leading to my death.


like my ancestors
Referencing the weight of generations before me and the external pressures put on me to succeed like my forebears.


like my parents will
Continuing the idea of external pressure and the high expectations set by parents.


just like i might at any second
Given the weight of this situation, I feel like I could collapse at any moment.


without the chance of saying...
If I were to die suddenly, there are things left unsaid that I wish I could express.


i can't breathe, with this shit on me
The situation feels unbearable and like it's suffocating me.


i can't breathe, whats expected of me
The pressure to meet external expectations is so heavy that I feel like I am suffocating under it.


i can't breathe, my responsibilities
The weight of my obligations takes a toll on me and feels constricting.


i can't breathe, take it away from me
The only way to feel relief from the situation is to have it removed entirely.




Contributed by Colin H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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