Checkmate
Jerk Magnet Lyrics
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Feel trapped? and yes I'm pushing on but everything all
At once makes me look back and my thoughts are
Wearing clothes everyone around here seems to know
Just what's on my mind I'm out of style or hard to find
And tommorow i will follow through with every promise
That i make to myself about you and today is my way
Of backing out on every single promise that was made
The lyrics of "Checkmate" by Jerk Magnet explore the feelings of being trapped in a perpetual cycle of promises made and broken. The singer questions whether or not everything they do is leading them towards a checkmate, a final victory or defeat. Despite feeling trapped, the singer continues to push forward but finds themselves looking back at everything they've done. The line "my thoughts are wearing clothes" suggests that their innermost thoughts and feelings are on display for everyone to see.
The singer feels out of place and misunderstood, as though they're either out of style or hard to find. This sense of alienation drives them to promise themselves that tomorrow they will do better, that they will follow through with every promise made to themselves about "you." Yet, today is their way of backing out of every promise made yesterday, suggesting that they're caught in a cycle of self-deception and broken promises.
Overall, the song is a poignant exploration of the human condition, of our motivations and our innermost fears. It's a reminder that promises are easy to make, but difficult to keep, and that sometimes we need to take a step back and reassess where we are and where we want to go.
Line by Line Meaning
Well is it checkmate when everything i do makes me
Feel trapped?
I'm feeling trapped and wondering if it's a lost cause or checkmate.
and yes I'm pushing on but everything all
At once makes me look back
Even though I'm trying to move forward, everything seems to weigh me down, making me constantly look back.
and my thoughts are
Wearing clothes everyone around here seems to know
Just what's on my mind
It feels like everyone can tell what I'm thinking and my thoughts are on display for all to see, like clothing I'm wearing.
I'm out of style or hard to find
I feel like I don't fit in or belong here.
And tommorow i will follow through with every promise
That i make to myself about you
I'll make promises to myself about you, and tomorrow I'll make sure to keep them.
and today is my way
Of backing out on every single promise that was made
Yesterday
But today, I'm breaking all the promises I made to myself yesterday, and it's my excuse to do so.
Contributed by Michael H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.