Maltese has always nailed lonesome provocations with idiosyncratic dry wit but "madhouse" reckons with those emotions in a way the half Brittish, half Canadian hasn't yet fully explored until now. "I've found that sometimes the majority of the emotional journey of love and life is actually the search for an understanding of it. And these songs try and make peace with all of that, poke fun at it and, ultimately, embrace it."
As the World Caves in
Matt Maltese Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And your back is pretty tired
And we've drunk a couple bottles, babe
And set our grief aside
The papers say it's doomsday
The button has been pressed
We're gonna nuke each other up, boys
'Til old Satan stands impressed
And here it is, our final night alive
And as the earth burns to the ground
Oh, girl, it's you that I lie with
As the atom bomb locks in
Oh, it's you I watch TV with
As the world, as the world caves in
You put your final suit on
I paint my fingernails
Oh, we're going out in style, babe
And everything's on sale
We creep up on extinction
I pull your arms right in
I weep and say, "Goodnight, love"
While my organs pack it in
And here it is, our final night alive
And as the earth burns to the ground
Oh, girl, it's you that I lie with
As the atom bomb locks in
Oh, it's you I watch TV with
As the world, as the world caves
Oh, it's you that I lie with
As the atom bomb locks in
Yes, it's you I welcome death with
As the world, as the world caves in
As the world caves in
The song "As the World Caves In" by Matt Maltese is a poignant commentary on the state of the world as we know it. The narrative of the song revolves around a couple who come together to spend their final moments as the world faces its biggest threat. The lyrics are laden with symbols of destruction – from aching feet, tired backs, and bottles of alcohol to a doomsday scenario and atoms bombs ready to detonate. However, in the midst of all this chaos and despair, the singer finds solace and comfort in the arms of the one he loves.
The opening lines of the song immediately draw the listener into a state of urgency and panic. The imagery of "aching feet" and "tired backs" reflects the physical exhaustion that the couple is experiencing. The "couple of bottles" serves as a coping mechanism, helping them "set their grief aside." The reference to the "papers" and the "button" being pressed is an allusion to nuclear warfare, suggesting that the world is on the brink of annihilation.
Despite the sense of impending doom and destruction, the singer finds a sense of peace in the company of his lover. As they prepare for the end, they do so in style, with the metaphorical painting of fingernails and the reference to everything being on sale. The ambiguous use of gender pronouns in the song suggests that love transcends identity and is an essential component of our humanity.
Line by Line Meaning
My feet are aching
I am physically exhausted and tired.
And your back is pretty tired
You are also physically tired and in need of rest.
And we've drunk a couple bottles, babe
We have consumed alcohol, maybe in an attempt to forget our problems or fears.
And set our grief aside
We have tried to put aside our sadness and sorrow.
The papers say it's doomsday
The news or media is reporting that the end of the world is near.
The button has been pressed
Someone has initiated a countdown or attack, possibly with nuclear weapons.
We're gonna nuke each other up, boys
We are going to use nuclear weapons on each other, causing mass destruction.
'Til old Satan stands impressed
The destruction we cause will be so great, that even the devil would be impressed or amazed.
And here it is, our final night alive
This is our last night on earth, as we face imminent death and destruction.
And as the earth burns to the ground
The destruction we have caused is so great that the world is literally on fire.
Oh, girl, it's you that I lie with
Even in the face of death, I am with the person that I love and care for.
As the atom bomb locks in
The missile or bomb has been launched and is heading towards us, bringing certain death.
Oh, it's you I watch TV with
Even in the face of death, we are still trying to hold on to some sense of normalcy and routine.
You put your final suit on
We are preparing for our death, possibly by dressing in formal or special clothing.
I paint my fingernails
Even in the face of death, we are still trying to find ways to express ourselves and feel good.
Oh, we're going out in style, babe
We are accepting our fate and trying to make the best of it by going out in a way that suits us.
And everything's on sale
In the face of imminent death, material possessions and money no longer matter to us.
We creep up on extinction
We are slowly approaching our inevitable death and extinction.
I pull your arms right in
I am holding and comforting the person I love as we face our final moments.
I weep and say, 'Goodnight, love'
I am crying and saying goodbye to the person I love, knowing that this is the end.
While my organs pack it in
My body is shutting down and preparing for death.
Yes, it's you I welcome death with
I am accepting death and holding on to the person I love as we face our final moments together.
As the world caves in
As we face the end of the world and our own mortality, we are still holding on to each other and accepting our fate.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Matthew Jonathan Gordon Maltese
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@xtonibx5770
This makes me feel so weak.. Physically and emotionally.
@Andre-by1cv
What do you mean?
@gatito.8519
it hits different around now haha
@Andre-by1cv
Please tell me
@Julia-of2jm
Ikr this song is breaking me
@xtonibx5770
@Lesley Gutierrez True. Matt's subs have gone up so much since this pandemic started because of how different they hit during this whole thing.
@kaepotter
when it hits the "girl, its you" the music swirls in my chest. never has death been so beautiful, man.
@nailahc.8615
kae it’s so beautiful
@ZDisco
It’s really something else
@isabellakim5940
no lie. everytime it reaches that part I drop everything I'm doing "GIRRRRRRLLLLLLL ITSSSS YOUUUUUUUUUUUUU THATTTTT I LIEEEE AWAKE" I'm scheduled for therapy tomorrow