Malaria
L.A. Guns Lyrics
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Asiatic death
Yellow fever bodies writhe
Sugar on my breath
Is this the final curtain
I don't believe what's happening
She hides behind a veil of tears
She's malaria
She's malaria
Swamp fever
Water black as mud
Strength fading
Demon hold
Hungry 4 my blood
So desperately I cling 2 life
Pain I know I must survive
Entity
I see the eyes I can't forget
Caught between this world and the next
Misery
She's malaria
She's malaria
She's malaria
The first two lines in this verse suggest that there is a presence of a disease that has come from the past (“Somewhere from another time”) and is causing death in the form of “Asiatic death” and “Yellow fever.” The singer seems to be experiencing the effects of the disease as well, as he describes having “Sugar on my breath,” which could be interpreted as a symptom of diabetes, a condition often associated with sugar on one’s breath. This line could also mean that the singer is feeling weak and dizzy, causing his breath to smell like sugar.
The overall feeling of the song seems to be one of dread and fear. The singer is uncertain if this is the end (“Is this the final curtain / I don’t believe what’s happening”), and he feels like he is being held captive by the disease (“Demon hold / Hungry 4 my blood”). He is struggling to stay alive and fighting to overcome the pain (“So desperately I cling 2 life / Pain I know I must survive”).
Line by Line Meaning
Somewhere from another time
The singer feels lost in time and space.
Asiatic death
The idea of death with an exotic, foreign feel.
Yellow fever bodies writhe
The image of people suffering from this deadly disease.
Sugar on my breath
A contrast between the sweetness of sugar and the bitterness of death.
Is this the final curtain
The artist wonders if this is the end.
I don't believe what's happening
The singer is in disbelief at what's going on around them.
She hides behind a veil of tears
A woman is crying and trying to keep her emotions hidden.
Plays upon my darkest fears yea
This woman is doing something that is causing the artist great anxiety.
She's malaria
The figurative idea of this woman being like a deadly disease.
Swamp fever
Another dangerous illness, but one associated with the environment.
Water black as mud
The unclean, murky water that may carry disease.
Strength fading
The artist is growing weaker.
Demon hold
The idea of something evil taking hold of the singer's body.
Hungry 4 my blood
The idea that whatever is affecting the singer is dependent on their blood.
So desperately I cling 2 life
The singer is fighting to stay alive.
Pain I know I must survive
The artist acknowledges the pain, but also knows they must keep going.
Entity
Referring to some sort of being or creature.
I see the eyes I can't forget
The singer is haunted by the memory of someone's gaze.
Caught between this world and the next
The singer feels like they are in limbo between life and death.
Misery
The overall feeling of sadness and suffering.
She's malaria
Reiterating the comparison to a deadly disease from earlier in the song.
She's malaria
The woman in question is like a sickness that the artist cannot shake.
She's malaria
The refrain echoes the message that this woman is dangerous and difficult to escape.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: KELLY NICKELS, MICK CRIPPS, PHILIP LEWIS, STEVE RILEY, TRACII GUNNS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind