Can't Stop Killing You
Kirsty MacColl Lyrics

He blew into town like a paper sack
Describing the arrival of a transient individual in town in a haphazard and unprepared manner, much like a paper bag blowing in the wind.

In a stolen car with a shotgun in the back he said
He arrived in town with illegally acquired possessions and weapons, suggesting dangerous and violent intentions.

She can't run now, she can't hide
He has taken away her ability to escape or hide from him, exerting physical and emotional control over her.

I'm gonna get her back for her lies lies lies
He blames her for something she had done to him (whether real or imaginary), and seeks to avenge himself on her by any means possible.

He taught her how to pout
He instructed/scolded her on how to express a particular emotion or attitude.

And he taught her how to tease
He instructed/scolded her on how to flirt with or provoke someone in a particular way.

And he taught her how to beg
He instructed/scolded her on how to supplicate or yield to someone in a particular way.

When she fell down to her knees he said
He demanded a submissive posture from her, and punished her when she failed to follow his instruction.

Your face is different
He recognizes that she is not the same person she used to be, but in his warped worldview, all women are essentially interchangeable.

But you're really all the same
He finds all women to be the same in their essence, despite superficial differences.

I have to teach you a lesson again and again
He sees himself as an educator or disciplinarian who needs to repeatedly reinforce his rules and expectations through physical and emotional abuse.

See I feel no pleasure
He is emotionally vacant and cannot derive any satisfaction from his actions.

And I feel no pain
He has internalized a stoic or nihilistic philosophy that prevents him from experiencing empathy or compassion.

So what else can I do?
He sees violence and destruction as the only viable outlet for his emotional void.

I can't stop killing you
He is tormented by his own compulsions and cannot resist the urge to harm others.

When you're out there in the dark
She lives in constant fear and cannot escape him, even in her dreams.

I'll come rushing through your brain
He pervades her thoughts and sensations, leaving her traumatized and powerless.

When you wake up in the morning
She cannot find any reprieve, even in the sanctity of sleep.

I'll be coursing through your veins
He has infected her with his violence and negative energy, which can never be fully purged.

When you're swimming in the water
Even when she experiences a moment of peace and serenity, he still haunts her.

I'm the hand that drags you under
He sees himself as a malevolent force that will always pull her down and cause her suffering.

I'm the lightning that strikes you
He can inflict sudden and severe pain, destroying everything in his path.

Just before you hear the thunder
He is a harbinger of doom, warning of the impending danger before it arrives.

Well she woke up in the bathroom
She is suffering from physical and emotional trauma that has driven her to self-destructive behavior.

With her face upon the floor
She has hit rock bottom and feels humiliated and ashamed of herself.

She said I don't know what I'm doing here
She is lost and confused, unable to fathom how she ended up in such a dire situation.

But I've been here before
This is not the first time she has endured this kind of abuse.

And the fixit man had fixed her
She has relied on self-destructive coping mechanisms and addictive behaviors to numb her pain.

'Cause he's such a little hitler
She recognizes that the man who exploits her weakness and vulnerability is a tyrant and abuser.

And he loves the feel of power
He derives pleasure and satisfaction from dominating and controlling others.

That she gives him through her terror
He uses her fear and vulnerability to fuel his own sense of superiority and control.

Well she looked into the mirror
She is trying to confront her own reflection and come to terms with her own identity.

And she smoked her cigarette
She indulges in self-destructive habits as a way to cope with the trauma she has endured.

And she wondered where she'd go now
She is searching for a way out of her current predicament, and looking for a path towards self-discovery and healing.

To find a place she could forget
She longs to escape her past and start anew, free from the trauma and abuse that has defined her life.

All the things he said he'd do
She has internalized his threats and sees him as a malevolent force that looms over her future.

I can't stop killing you
Despite everything she has been through, she cannot fully escape his grasp and is haunted by his abusive legacy.