Punishment Time
Korn Lyrics


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I'm walking on a razor blade
Careful not to cross the line
Every little step I take, it's punishment time now
I'm getting to the end of the blade
Slipping to the other side
Every little step I take, it's punishment time!

Fighting to survive there's no tomorrow
Fighting to survive there's no today
Final flight I'm losing my mind
Heavy on the heart there's no tomorrow
Heavy on the heart there's no today
Final flight I'm losing my mind

I'm hanging like a bat today
Crucified by the sign
Every little move I make, it's punishment time now
I'm sleeping on a bed of nails
They're breaking through one at a time
Cause every little move I make
The punishments mine

Fighting to survive there's no tomorrow
Fighting to survive there's no today
Final flight I'm losing my mind
Heavy on the heart there's no tomorrow
Heavy on the heart there's no today
Final flight I'm losing my mind

I give and don't get
I try to my death
There's something inside of me
That makes me forget
I give and don't get
I'll try to my death
There's something inside of me
That makes me forget
I give and don't get
I'll try to my death
There's something inside of me
That makes me forget
I give and don't get
I'll try to my death
There's something inside of me
That makes me forget!

Fighting to survive there's no tomorrow
Fighting to survive there's no today
Final flight I'm losing my mind
Heavy on the heart there's no tomorrow
Heavy on the heart there's no today
Final flight I'm losing my mind

Losing my mind, losing my mind, losing my mind
Losing my mind





Losing my mind, losing my mind, losing my mind!

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Punishment Time" suggest that the singer is struggling to keep their balance while walking on a razor blade. They are careful not to take a wrong step and cross the line, but it seems that no matter what they do, punishment awaits them. Every little move they make is a stepping stone towards their inevitable demise. They feel like they are fighting to survive but there is no tomorrow or today. The heavy burden on their heart is causing them to lose their mind.


The refrain "Fighting to survive there's no tomorrow/Fighting to survive there's no today/Final flight I'm losing my mind/Heavy on the heart there's no tomorrow/Heavy on the heart there's no today/Final flight I'm losing my mind" suggests that the singer is in a constant struggle just to survive. It seems as though their efforts are futile and that they are always just one step away from certain doom. The phrase "final flight" implies that the singer is in a situation where they must give it their all, or they are doomed to fail.


As the song progresses, the singer's situation seems to become even more dire. They are now hanging like a bat, crucified by the sign, and every little move they make is met with punishment. They sleep on a bed of nails that breaks one at a time, and the punishments they face are ever-increasing. It seems that the singer is trapped in a vicious cycle where they give and don't get anything in return. They try to push themselves to the limit but are ultimately weighed down by the heaviness on their heart.


Overall, "Punishment Time" is a powerful song that speaks to the struggles of those who feel trapped in their own lives. It highlights the enormous amount of pressure that some people face and the toll it takes on their mental and emotional wellbeing.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm walking on a razor blade
I'm taking great risks and trying to balance carefully to avoid harm.


Careful not to cross the line
I'm conscious of the boundaries in place and making an effort not to exceed or violate them.


Every little step I take, it's punishment time now
Every action I take has consequences; I'm on edge and liable to receive punishment for any mistakes.


I'm getting to the end of the blade
I've been treading on thin ice and I'm close to falling off or experiencing danger.


Slipping to the other side
I'm losing stability and control, and shifting onto the other side of a situation that could be more perilous than before.


Fighting to survive there's no tomorrow
I'm struggling to persevere and endure but there's no guarantee of success or a future for me.


Fighting to survive there's no today
I'm fighting to stay alive and cope in the present but there's no relief or aid available to me.


Final flight I'm losing my mind
I'm at my breaking point and feeling like I'm going to snap mentally, unable to handle the stress and pressure any longer.


Heavy on the heart there's no tomorrow
I'm burdened by emotions and weighed down by anxiety and worry; there's no future to look forward to.


Heavy on the heart there's no today
I'm feeling overwhelmed and bogged down by problems and concerns with no respite or solution in sight.


I'm hanging like a bat today
I'm in a vulnerable and uncomfortable position, powerless and exposed to danger.


Crucified by the sign
I'm trapped and confined by circumstances and unable to escape or break free.


Every little move I make, it's punishment time now
I'm hyper-aware that any move I make could lead to unforeseen consequences or punishment for my actions.


I'm sleeping on a bed of nails
I'm suffering and enduring hardships and distress, with each adversity and difficulty adding to my pain.


They're breaking through one at a time
The hardships and obstacles I'm facing are wearing me down, one after the other, grating on my soul and testing my capacity to cope.


I give and don't get
I'm generous and selfless, but don't receive any positive feedback or support in return for my efforts.


I try to my death
I give all my effort and energy to succeed at something, even if it means exhausting myself entirely.


There's something inside of me that makes me forget
I have a flaw or weakness that causes me to overlook mistakes or ignore dangers, leading me to repeat past errors and failures in my decision-making.


Losing my mind, losing my mind, losing my mind
The stress and pressure of my situation is becoming unbearable; I'm close to having a mental breakdown or losing my sanity.


Losing my mind
I'm deeply troubled and suffering from psychological anguish, feeling like I'm on the brink of losing control or going insane.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: BRIAN WELCH, DON GILMORE, JAMES SHAFFER, JONATHAN DAVIS, RAYMOND LUZIER, REGINALD ARVIZU

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@InHellITrust

[Verse 1]
I'm walking on a razor blade
Сareful not to cross the line
Every little step I take
It's punishment time now

I'm getting to the end of the blade
Slipping to the other side
Every little step I take
It's punishment time
[Chorus]
Fighting to survive, there's no tomorrow
Fighting to survive, there's no today
Fight or flight, I'm losing my mind
Heavy on the heart, there's no tomorrow
Heavy on the heart, there's no today
Fight or flight, I'm losing my mind

[Verse 2]
I'm hanging like a bat today
Crucified by design
Every little move I make
It's punishment time now

I'm sleeping on a bed of nails
They're breaking through one at a time
'Cause every little move I make
The punishment's mine

[Chorus]
Fighting to survive, there's no tomorrow
Fighting to survive, there's no today
Fight or flight, I'm losing my mind
Heavy on the heart, there's no tomorrow
Heavy on the heart, there's no today
Fight or flight, I'm losing my mind
[Bridge]
I give and don't get
I'll try till my death
There's something inside of me
That makes me forget
I give and don't get
I'll try till my death
There's something inside of me
That makes me forget
I give and don't get
I'll try till my death
There's something inside of me
That makes me forget

[Chorus]
Fighting to survive, there's no tomorrow
Fighting to survive, there's no today
Fight or flight, I'm losing my mind
Heavy on the heart, there's no tomorrow
Heavy on the heart, there's no today
Fight or flight, I'm losing my mind
Losing my mind
Losing my mind
Losing my mind
Losing my mind
Losing my mind
Losing my mind



All comments from YouTube:

@misakishinco9818

One of the most underrated songs by Korn

@gogoyubari366

How do you know it's underrated?

@ladiesman2454

Absolutely, also the entire untitled album of theres

@artunblock9433

I wanted to write the same

@brandonthomas5760

Either I've never heard it or never paid attention to it. But damn I'm hooked on that recurring riff.

@johnsmith-kj8jd

"Wish i wasn't born today" by korn

2 More Replies...

@RG800xB

we love you Jonathan Davis, stay strong for your fans.

@teta1554

stop to say this at all music

@ljubobilic2079

Did you write that comment on every Paradigm Shift song?

@wobertlewis9447

@@ljubobilic2079 so.

More Comments