Love Letters from Hell
John Maus Lyrics
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I'm feelin very sorry that it hasn't rained all year
I'm feelin very sorry that I, that I've got the fear
It's taking time to sort through my winding mind
When i can smell her on my neck
(yeah)
You've got to, you've got to run away
You've got to, you've got to find a way, baby
Until there's no one left but you
The ship is down
Skins is on the sidewalk
Filling things with acid
Mom is in the kitchen
Crying for her father
Meaningless as music
Making as amusements
Slides into the doorway
Chattering like horseplay
I am, I am sending you a love letter from hell
Fuck the boys, fuck all the boys
Fuck girls while you're at it
Load into a limousine
Well I'm fillin in for Gracie Roberts tonight, yeah
I'm feelin very sorry that it hasn't rained all year
I'm feelin very sorry that I that ive got the fear
It's taking time to sort through my winding mind
When I can smell her on my neck
(yeah)
You've got to, you've got to run away
You've got to, you've got to find a way, baby
You've got to fade away
'Til there's no one left but you
The ship is down
The lyrics of John Maus's song Love Letters from Hell describe a sense of despair and confusion. The singer is taking the place of someone named Gracie Roberts, which suggests a feeling of being lost or adrift. The mention of the absence of rain also reinforces this idea of emptiness and lack of vitality. The "fear" that the singer is experiencing is left open to interpretation, but it could refer to a variety of things such as anxiety or a sense of hopelessness. The smell of someone on the singer's neck is perhaps the only sign of connection or intimacy in a world that feels disconnected.
The second verse of the song is a strange collage of imagery that is difficult to parse. The term "Skins" likely refers to a gang or group of people, and the implication is that they are engaging in destructive behavior (filling things with acid). The mention of the singer's mom crying for her father adds another layer of melancholy and seems to further underscore the idea that the world is a bleak and hopeless place. The reference to music as "meaningless" is interesting and suggests a kind of nihilism, while the suggestion to "fuck all the boys" and "fuck girls while you're at it" feels almost like a defiant rejection of societal norms.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I'm fillin in for Gracie Roberts tonight, yeah
I'm taking Gracie's place tonight, and it's just an introduction to the song.
I'm feelin very sorry that it hasn't rained all year
I feel sad since it hasn't rained this year.
I'm feelin very sorry that I, that I've got the fear
I'm sorry I'm scared.
It's taking time to sort through my winding mind
I need some time trying to understand the complexity of my thoughts.
When i can smell her on my neck (yeah)
When I can still smell her perfume around my neck, it reminds me of my lover.
You've got to, you've got to run away
You need to leave your problems behind.
You've got to, you've got to find a way, baby
You need to find a solution to your problems.
You've got to fade away
You have to fade away from the world.
Until there's no one left but you
You have to isolate yourself until you're the only one left.
The ship is down
The situation is not going well, and things are falling apart.
Skins is on the sidewalk
Someone named Skins is on the sidewalk.
Filling things with acid
They're filling things with acid, which is not good.
Mom is in the kitchen
Mom is in the kitchen.
Crying for her father
She's crying for her father.
Meaningless as music
Everything is meaningless as music.
Making as amusements
People are not taking things seriously, and everything is just for amusement.
Slides into the doorway
Someone is sliding into the doorway.
Chattering like horseplay
People are talking loudly like they're playing horse.
I am, I am sending you a love letter from hell
I am sending you a love letter from a terrible place to tell you that things aren't going well.
Fuck the boys, fuck all the boys
I don't care about the boys or their opinion anymore.
Fuck girls while you're at it
Don't care about the girls either, nothing wrong with acting like this.
Load into a limousine
Get on a limousine to get away from everyone and everything.
Contributed by Charlie G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.