Make Do And Mend is an American post-hardcore band from West Hartford, Conn… Read Full Bio ↴Make Do And Mend is an American post-hardcore band from West Hartford, Connecticut, formed in 2006. They first released a 6-track EP (We're All Just Living) in 2007, and then a follow-up EP (Bodies Of Water). They gave it for free online, and then Panic Records called to help out with an official release, which came true in March 2009. At the end of the year, the band entered the studio to record two songs for a split album with Touché Amoré, released September 2010 on Panic Records. On October 26th, 2010, Make Do And Mend released their first full-length album, entitled End Measured Mile--a split label release between Paper + Plastick and Panic Records.
The band announced they had signed with Rise Records and would be recording a new album in February 2012. On June 19th, 2012, the band released a new record, (Everything You Ever Loved). While technically members of "The Wave", along with La Dispute, Touché Amoré, Pianos Become the Teeth, and Defeater, the band has since clarified that "The Wave" was merely an inside joke between those bands and does not represent a particular movement or subgenre in post-hardcore.

Current members:
James Carroll - guitar, vocals
Mike O'Toole - guitar
Luke Schwartz - bass guitar
Matt Carroll - drums

Shambles
Make Do and Mend Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I don't believe in anything worth fighting for, worth dying for.
I don't believe the clouds are hiding much more than a reason to downpour.
So what would you do if you were me?
Give up, forget, and go back to sleep.

And I believe that heaven is like her ocean eyes, deeper than mountains climb.
And I believe that hell is like watching her smile knowing she'll never be mine.
So what would you do if you were me?

Just hide your heart and go back to sleep.

So go back to sleep.

Overall Meaning

The song "Shambles" by Make Do and Mend speaks about the struggles of life and the coping mechanisms that people adopt. The first verse talks about the singer's sense of nihilism, as he does not believe in anything that is worth fighting or dying for. He also has a pessimistic view of life, where he sees the clouds as just a prelude to downpour, with no hope of anything better.

The second verse talks about his unrequited love for someone, and his belief that the woman he loves will never be his. He describes heaven as deep and meaningful as her ocean eyes, while hell is like watching her smile, knowing that she'll never be with him. The chorus asks what the listener would do if they were him, and suggests that hiding their heart and going back to sleep is the best course of action.

Overall, this song seems to be a reflection of the singer's mood and the struggles he is experiencing in life. It highlights the pain of unrequited love while also conveying a sense of hopelessness and helplessness.

Line by Line Meaning

I don't believe in anything worth fighting for, worth dying for.
I don't find anything in this world worth putting my life at risk for.

I don't believe the clouds are hiding much more than a reason to downpour.
I don't believe in the possibility of good things happening.

So what would you do if you were me?
What would you do in a situation like mine?

Give up, forget, and go back to sleep.
I would prefer to give up on everything and go to sleep.

And I believe that heaven is like her ocean eyes, deeper than mountains climb.
I believe that the depth of her beautiful eyes is immeasurable.

And I believe that hell is like watching her smile knowing she'll never be mine.
Seeing her smile makes me feel devastated because she will never be mine.

Just hide your heart and go back to sleep.
My coping mechanism is to protect my feelings and go back to sleep.

So go back to sleep.
I am resigning myself back to sleep and avoidance, as a way of dealing with the challenges in life.

Contributed by Charlie W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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TRACKS