The group is effectively a re-branding of the touring group that performed under Welch's name to promote his solo album. Formed in 2009, Welch recruited musicians through open auditions via YouTube, and second-round auditions, in person, at his studio in Phoenix, Arizona. The original group was a six-piece group, that featured Michael Valentine on Bass, Ralph Patlan on guitar, Brian Ruedy on keyboard, Scott "SVH" Von Heldt on guitars and vocals and Dan Johnson on drums. After two years of touring, Von Heldt departed the band due to financial reasons, Ruedy was let go a few months earlier and later joined Whitesnake. Patlan also departed the band, but no reason was given. The search began to find a guitar player. In March 2011, two weeks before a tour, Welch discovered "the perfect fit" for his band through Thousand Foot Krutch's public audition videos for a new guitarist on Youtube. 15 years old at the time, J.R. Bareis was chosen by Welch to be the new guitar player and became an official permanent member of the band, as they settled on establishing themselves as a four-piece. The group released a single, "Paralyzed" in November 2011, under the Brian "Head" Welch name. In February 2012, the touring band was re-branded into the group Love and Death.
Love and Death was formally announced in February 2012 through an official statement made by Welch. In the statement, Welch explained that "I have wanted to use a band name for branding my music for a few years. It has been an ongoing discussion with my management, but we were just starting to tour and I was in the middle of supporting my third book and it seemed like a bad time to switch names. Now with the new music coming out, its time to really separate the things I do. I want the music to be about music. I will still be doing public speaking under Brian Head Welch. I am happy that all the confusion will be over."
Watching the Bottom Fall
Love and Death Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(It's not criminal)
I say it's logical
(It's logical)
I said my last "no thank you"
(Where do we go from here?)
We trust the same lies, trust the same things
(Watch it falling)
What is it for?
Watching the bottom fall
Watching you burn it all
And will we learn again?
And will it hurt forever?
Watching the bottom fall
Fall
You say I'm cynical
(You say, I say)
You're hypocritical
(I say)
I said my last "no thank you"
(I thought I made it clear)
We trust the same lies, trust the same things,
Justify the crime
(Watch it falling)
What is it FOR!
Watching the bottom fall
Watching you burn it all
And will we learn again?
And will it hurt forever?
Watching the bottom fall
I don't have energy for you
I don't have energy to see this through
I don't have energy for you
I don't have energy, can we be through!
I'm through with you
I'm through with you
I'm through with you
I'm through with you
I'm through with you
Watching the bottom fall
Watching you burn it all
And will we learn again?
And will it hurt forever?
Watching the bottom fall
Fall
The song "Watching the Bottom Fall" by Love and Death is a commentary on the cyclical nature of destructive behavior. The lyrics suggest that humans are prone to repeating the same mistakes, trusting the same lies and justifying the same crimes over and over again. The first two lines of the song set up a dichotomy between what is criminal and what is logical, implying that sometimes the two can be indistinguishable. The chorus elegantly captures the theme of the song, with the repeated line "Watching the bottom fall" suggesting that humans are doomed to watch their own destruction unfold.
The verses of the song are directed at someone who the singer has had enough of. The line "I don't have energy for you" suggests a relationship that has become toxic and draining. The lyrics culminate in the singer declaring "I'm through with you" repeatedly, ending the song on a final note of closure.
Overall, "Watching the Bottom Fall" is a powerful meditation on the human tendency towards self-destruction, as well as an exploration of the frustrations and pain that come with trying to extricate oneself from a harmful situation.
Line by Line Meaning
You say it's criminal
You believe this is an unlawful act
(It's not criminal)
However, I disagree and believe it is not illegal
I say it's logical
I believe this decision makes logical sense
(It's logical)
And I do not see anything irrational about it
I said my last "no thank you"
I have declined this offer for the final time
(Where do we go from here?)
I am uncertain of what steps to take next
We trust the same lies, trust the same things
We both rely on the same false ideas and beliefs
Justify the crime
We try to rationalize this wrongdoing
(Watch it falling)
Observe it as it collapses
What is it for?
What is the purpose of this destruction?
Watching the bottom fall
Observing as everything crumbles
Watching you burn it all
Seeing you destroy everything without regard
And will we learn again?
Will we gain knowledge from this experience?
And will it hurt forever?
Will the pain last indefinitely?
You say I'm cynical
You accuse me of being distrustful and pessimistic
(You say, I say)
We have conflicting viewpoints
You're hypocritical
I think that you are pretending to have virtues or qualities which you don't have
(I say)
But this is simply my opinion
I said my last "no thank you"
I have declined this offer for the final time
(I thought I made it clear)
I believed that I had communicated this effectively before
We trust the same lies, trust the same things,
We both rely on the same untrue notions and beliefs
Justify the crime
We try to rationalize this wrongdoing
(Watch it falling)
Observe it as it collapses
What is it FOR!
What is the point of this destruction?
Watching the bottom fall
Observing as everything crumbles
Watching you burn it all
Seeing you destroy everything without regard
And will we learn again?
Will we gain knowledge from this experience?
And will it hurt forever?
Will the pain last indefinitely?
I don't have energy for you
I am too drained to continue investing in you
I don't have energy to see this through
I do not have the stamina to see this situation to the end
I don't have energy for you
I am too drained to continue investing in you
I don't have energy, can we be through!
I lack the vitality to continue, can we end this?
I'm through with you
I have decided to end our relationship
Watching the bottom fall
Observing as everything crumbles
Watching you burn it all
Seeing you destroy everything without regard
And will we learn again?
Will we gain knowledge from this experience?
And will it hurt forever?
Will the pain last indefinitely?
Fall
Everything is breaking apart and collapsing
Lyrics © TUNECORE INC, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JOSEPH ROBERT RICKARD, JOSHUA E BAKER, JR BAREIS, MARK HOLMAN, JASEN RYAN RAUCH, BRIAN WELCH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind