Angels Would Fall
Melissa Etheridge Lyrics

The rope that's wrapped around me
Metaphorically, the burdens and responsibilities that are overwhelming me are starting to hurt me physically.

Is cutting through my skin
The pressures I am experiencing are causing actual physical harm.

And the doubts that have surrounded me
I have been struggling with fears and uncertainties that have enveloped me.

Are finding their way in
These doubts have started to negatively impact my thoughts and actions.

I keep it close to me
I am holding on to these negative thoughts and feelings very tightly.

Like a holy man prays
I am clinging to them with the same fervor as a devoted religious person would cling to their faith.

In my desperate hour
During my most trying times,

It's better that way
It feels easier and safer to hold on to my doubts and fears rather than let them go.

So I'll come by and see you again
Despite the challenges I am facing, I will come back to visit you.

I'll be such a very good friend
I will do my best to be a loyal and supportive friend to you.

Have mercy on my soul
I am asking for your forgiveness and compassion regarding my inner struggles.

I will never let you know
I am keeping my struggles and doubts hidden from you.

Where my mind has been
I am not going to reveal the depths of my mental and emotional turmoil to you.

Angels never came down
My situation is so bleak and hopeless that even divine intervention seems unlikely.

There's no one here they want to hang around
My struggles are so overwhelming that even angels wouldn't want to stick around to help me.

But if they knew
If these divine beings truly understood my situation,

If they knew you at all
If they knew you and your qualities as a person,

Then one by one the angels
They would feel compelled to come down to earth and help me,

Angels would fall
Showing just how dire my situation truly is.

I've crept into your temple
I have invaded your personal space, like a disrespectful intruder.

I have slept upon your pew
I have taken your hospitality for granted and made myself at home in your house of worship.

I've dreamed of the divinity
I have fantasized about the purity and holiness that is present within you.

Inside and out of you
Both mentally and physically, I have been fixating on your pure essence.

I want it more than truth
My desire for your purity and goodness is stronger than my desire for honesty and authenticity.

I can taste it on my breath
This desire has become overpowering and is almost tangible to me.

I would give my life just for a little death
I am willing to do whatever it takes to experience a small amount of the purity and goodness that you possess.

I will not look upon your face
I am ashamed of my thoughts and fantasies and cannot bear to make eye contact with you.

I will not touch upon your grace
I do not deserve to be in your presence or benefit from your kindness.

Your ecclesiastic skin
Your holy and pure exterior.

If I whisper they will know
Even if I keep my thoughts hidden, they will still be apparent and transparent to those around me.

I'll just turn around and go
I can't bear to stay here any longer, so I will leave quickly and abruptly without saying anything.

You will never know my sin
I am carrying a lot of guilt and shame that I cannot bring myself to confess to you.