Empty Souls
Manic Street Preachers Lyrics


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Empty souls will leave their homes
To find a place where they're alone
Rattling memories and hollow bones
Leaves a taste so bitter and cold

For empty souls will stand alone
Shivering like black-eyed dogs
Waiting to be taken home
Where that is they only know

Exposed to a truth we don't know
Collapsing like the twin towers
Falling down like April showers
Colossal endless like a marathon

God knows what makes the comparison
God knows what makes the comparison
For the empty souls, for the empty souls

For empty souls they stand alone
Shivering like black-eyed dogs
Waiting to be taken home
Where that is they only know

Exposed to a truth we don't know
Collapsing like the twin towers
Falling down like April showers
Colossal endless like a marathon

God knows what makes the comparison
God knows what makes the comparison
For the empty souls, for the empty souls

Colossal endless like a marathon
God knows what makes the comparison




God knows what makes the comparison
For the empty souls, for the empty souls.

Overall Meaning

The song "Empty Souls" by Manic Street Preachers is a powerful commentary on the existential crisis that many people face in their lives. The lyrics describe the struggle of "empty souls" who feel disconnected and isolated from the world around them, and who are searching for meaning and purpose in their lives. These individuals are willing to leave behind everything they know in search of something new and meaningful, but as they journey further, they find only emptiness and bitter cold.


The chorus of the song repeats the refrain "For empty souls they stand alone/Shivering like black-eyed dogs/Waiting to be taken home/Where that is they only know", underscoring the feeling of isolation and desperation felt by these individuals. The reference to the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11 adds a sense of tragedy and urgency to the song, suggesting that the crisis faced by "empty souls" is not just personal, but also reflects larger societal issues.


Overall, "Empty Souls" is a powerful and poignant song that speaks to the struggles faced by many people in contemporary society. Its haunting melody and evocative lyrics make it a standout track on the album "Lifeblood" and have cemented it as one of Manic Street Preachers' most enduring works.


Line by Line Meaning

Empty souls will leave their homes
People who lack emotional fulfillment will abandon their surroundings


To find a place where they're alone
In search of solitude, where they don't have to deal with people and the world around them.


Rattling memories and hollow bones
Their thoughts and body feel weak and empty, creating a disturbing sensation


Leaves a taste so bitter and cold
This feeling is an unpleasant and painful experience


For empty souls will stand alone
Lacking in empathy, they choose to isolate themselves


Shivering like black-eyed dogs
They stand vulnerable in their unease


Waiting to be taken home
Hopeful or actively looking for a place of comfort, acceptance and where they belong


Where that is they only know
Their inner sense of motivation and identity remained elusive to the outside world.


Exposed to a truth we don't know
Faced with something that only they can comprehend or experience


Collapsing like the twin towers
An allusion to the devastation of September 11, Collapse and failure threatening to engulf them


Falling down like April showers
Just like how rain falls heavily and unrelenting in April, the emptiness hits them emotionally similarly.


Colossal endless like a marathon
The struggle they face, with no clear end in sight, looms ominously huge like a seemingly never-ending marathon race.


God knows what makes the comparison
Questioning and pondering the use of these particular metaphors


For the empty souls, for the empty souls
Repeating the notion that this experience is one that only those that 'lack soul' can understand.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JAMES BRADFIELD, NICHOLAS JONES, SEAN MOORE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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