Rats
Joy Again Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You don't even know me
Even though I've been waiting for you in your street
And I know it don't matter
Even though I've been talking about you for weeks

You want some things to happen but you don't want to believe

You know I'd wait here
I'd give you anything that you please
And I know it don't matter
Even though I've been talking about you for weeks

You know you made me a promise that you don't seem to want to keep
I've been laying dead for six hours, hoping someone would call me

You want some things to happen but you don't want to believe
You know you made me a promise that you don't seem to want to keep

I just can't believe that you gave me your disease
You're an asshole to me, you make me grind my teeth
Be careful with the love that you receive

Can't believe the way you treat honesty, don't lie to me
I guess I should try and find the martyr inside me so I can breathe
Inside of the foaming upholstery, mixed with some thin leaves it reads
Something like you, you were like me, I don't wish to look beneath




And find something I forgot about, shut your mouth before I pass out
Wrap me 'til extremely dizzy and somewhat Byzantine

Overall Meaning

In Joy Again's song "Rats," the lyrics express the frustrations and sadness of unrequited love. The singer in the song has been waiting for the object of their affection in their street, but despite talking about them for weeks, the person still doesn't know they exist. The singer is aware that their efforts may not matter, but they cannot help their longing for this person. The lyrics of the song become more intense as they delve into the singer's feelings of betrayal when the person they love breaks a promise to them. The anger and hurt are palpable as the singer accuses the person of giving them a disease and being an "asshole."


The lyrics perfectly capture the complexity of emotions one can feel when dealing with unreturned affections. The song is a mix of soft and mellow tones that contrast heavily with the sharp accusation expressed in the lyrics. The song's final lines are a mix of confusion and desperation, with the singer feeling lost and unsure. They wish to ignore what they may find beneath the surface and feel as though they are growing increasingly dizzy in the overwhelming emotions they feel.



Line by Line Meaning

You don't even know me
Despite waiting for you in your street, you don't know who I am.


Even though I've been waiting for you in your street
I have been patiently waiting for you, hoping you would see me.


And I know it don't matter
I know that what I am doing is futile and won't affect anything.


Even though I've been talking about you for weeks
I have been discussing you with others, even though it seems pointless.


You want some things to happen but you don't want to believe
You wish for certain things to occur, but you refuse to accept them.


You know I'd wait here
I would wait here for you, because I care about you so deeply.


I'd give you anything that you please
I would do anything for you to make you happy.


You know you made me a promise that you don't seem to want to keep
You made a promise to me that you do not appear to be inclined to fulfill.


I've been laying dead for six hours, hoping someone would call me
I have been waiting for hours, feeling defeated and alone, hoping for some sort of communication.


I just can't believe that you gave me your disease
It is difficult for me to accept that you have passed on something negative or hurtful to me.


You're an asshole to me, you make me grind my teeth
Your behavior towards me is cruel and irritating, causing me stress and frustration.


Be careful with the love that you receive
Be mindful of the affection you are given, as it can have unexpected consequences.


Can't believe the way you treat honesty, don't lie to me
The way you handle honesty and truthfulness is shocking, and I do not want you to deceive me.


I guess I should try and find the martyr inside me so I can breathe
I feel that I should sacrifice my own well-being so that I can feel some sort of relief.


Inside of the foaming upholstery, mixed with some thin leaves it reads
In this chaotic and confusing situation, there is something written in a hidden place that holds significance.


Something like you, you were like me, I don't wish to look beneath
The writing suggests that you and I are similar in some way, but I am afraid to explore that idea further.


And find something I forgot about, shut your mouth before I pass out
I fear that if I delve too deeply into my thoughts and emotions, I will uncover something unpleasant and lose consciousness.


Wrap me 'til extremely dizzy and somewhat Byzantine
I want to be comforted so much that I become overwhelmed and dizzy, losing myself in the chaos.




Writer(s): William Diserafino, William Butera, William Shea, Blaise O Brien, Caleb Laven, Zachary Tyndall

Contributed by Charlie T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@leonsalgeuro

Joy Again - Rats

[Sachi DiSerafino]
You don't even know me
Even though I've been waiting for you in your street
And I know it don't matter
Even though I've been talking about you for weeks

[Arthur Shea]
You want some things to happen
But you don't want to believe

[Sachi DiSerafino]
You know I'd wait here
I'd give you anything that you please
And I know it don't matter
Even though I've been talking about you for weeks

[Arthur Shea]
You know you made me a promise that
You don’t seem to want to keep (Fling)
I've been laying dead for six hours
Hoping someone would call me (Blah)

You want some things to happen
But you don't want to believe
You know you made me a promise that
You don’t seem to want to keep

I just can't believe that you gave me your disease
You're an asshole to me, you make me grind my teeth
Be careful with the love that you receive

Can't believe the way you treat honesty, don't lie to me
I guess I should try and find the martyr inside me so I can breathe
Inside of the foaming upholstery, mixed with some thin leaves it reads
Something like you, you were like me, I don't wish to look beneath
And find something I forgot about, shut your mouth before I pass out
Wrap me till extremely dizzy and somewhat Byzantine



All comments from YouTube:

@Squidami

You guys are my favorite band ever, I seriously love you guys

@ufo5587

Good choice 👍 😎

@golettemitangu5178

heyy

@diegogomezcalixto9564

Same

@lykanex

I came across this song in my spotify recommendations and got curious , your music slaps guys 👍

@leonsalgeuro

Joy Again - Rats

[Sachi DiSerafino]
You don't even know me
Even though I've been waiting for you in your street
And I know it don't matter
Even though I've been talking about you for weeks

[Arthur Shea]
You want some things to happen
But you don't want to believe

[Sachi DiSerafino]
You know I'd wait here
I'd give you anything that you please
And I know it don't matter
Even though I've been talking about you for weeks

[Arthur Shea]
You know you made me a promise that
You don’t seem to want to keep (Fling)
I've been laying dead for six hours
Hoping someone would call me (Blah)

You want some things to happen
But you don't want to believe
You know you made me a promise that
You don’t seem to want to keep

I just can't believe that you gave me your disease
You're an asshole to me, you make me grind my teeth
Be careful with the love that you receive

Can't believe the way you treat honesty, don't lie to me
I guess I should try and find the martyr inside me so I can breathe
Inside of the foaming upholstery, mixed with some thin leaves it reads
Something like you, you were like me, I don't wish to look beneath
And find something I forgot about, shut your mouth before I pass out
Wrap me till extremely dizzy and somewhat Byzantine

@ufo5587

Arthur’s ending part makes me feel like I’m a frog living in some kind of psychedelic swamp

@abdullahtomeh

UR LITERALLY EVERYWHERE PLS-

@mikaelsuominen9747

every song they make me wanna dance and cry

@zarahill7277

this song literally makes me cry idk why

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