Her magical melodies and touchingly clever lyrics grow on you as you find yourself listening to them over and over again. With her one-woman-show, this escaped Swede brings her nostalgic pop, on a journey through life and death, with love and trouble, to a No Mans Land, on the border between reality and dream.
Molly Nilsson has been running her own label and producing her own music since 2007, releasing 5 albums, several EPs and a beautiful string of evocative videos under the Formerly Known as White Bread! moniker.
Official Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/mollynilssonpage
Wounds Itch When They Heal
Molly Nilsson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
my Skin is too thin
all the wounds itch when they heal
my skin is just a wrapping
it's the insides you wanna steal
you wanna steal
steal my bones
they ache as I grow
so what did you learn in school?
if this is a joke
then it's too cruel!
so uncomfortably odd
you know they're gonna break us down into parts
mold our minds and our hearts
until they split
and we will fit
a perfect shape
the perfect rape is not a crime
so we can do it all the time
but promise never to grow numb
don't grow dumb
don't believe what they say
and don't play the games they play
don't play the games they play
don't play the games they play
can't seem to stop the bleeding
my skin is too thin
all the wounds itch when they heal
Interpreting Molly Nilsson's song "Wounds Itch When They Heal" requires examining the lyrics closely to understand their meaning. The opening line "Can't seem to stop the bleeding" sets the tone for the song. The singer feels like they are constantly hurting, with "skin too thin" to resist the wounds inflicted upon them. As the wounds heal, they begin to itch, which is a metaphor for the lingering pain and discomfort caused by past traumas.
The lyrics suggest that the singer's outer shell, represented by their skin, is fragile and easily damaged. However, their inner self is strong and resilient – "it's the insides you wanna steal / you wanna steal / steal my bones / they ache as I grow / and they break from the blow." This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the singer's personality, which is under attack by external forces. The singer resists, but acknowledges that the ongoing struggle is taking a toll.
The chorus of the song is a lament for the cruel ways of the world. The singer asks: "so what did you learn in school? / if this is a joke / then it's too cruel!" This suggests that the education system fails to prepare people for the harsh realities of the world. The singer goes on to describe how society tries to mold people into "a perfect shape", manipulating their minds and hearts until they "split". The term "perfect rape" is used in a metaphorical sense, suggesting that people are being violated by society's expectations and norms.
Overall, "Wounds Itch When They Heal" is a powerful song about the pain and trauma that people experience throughout their lives. The lyrics suggest that society is often the source of this pain, and that it tries to shape people in harmful ways. The song is a call to resist these forces and stay true to oneself, even when it is painful to do so.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't seem to stop the bleeding
I can't seem to stop the emotional pain I'm feeling
my Skin is too thin
I am emotionally vulnerable and easily hurt
all the wounds itch when they heal
even when I try to recover from hurt, it still bothers me and I can't forget about it
my skin is just a wrapping
my outer appearance doesn't reflect my true self
it's the insides you wanna steal
you only want to take my inner emotions and feelings, not my outer appearance
you wanna steal
you're only interested in taking from me, not giving back
steal my bones
you want to take all that is strong within me
they ache as I grow
the emotional pain I carry only gets worse as I continue to mature
and they break from the blow
my emotional strength is shattered from the hardships I've experienced
so what did you learn in school?
education doesn't teach us how to handle emotional pain
if this is a joke
if life is a joke or a game
then it's too cruel!
it's unfair to make life so difficult and painful
so uncomfortably odd
life is uncomfortable and strange
you know they're gonna break us down into parts
society wants to change us and break us apart to fit their expectations
mold our minds and our hearts
society wants to shape us to fit their mold
until they split
until we become conflicted and unsure of ourselves
and we will fit
until we fit their expectations perfectly, but at the cost of our own identity
a perfect shape
a desired and ideal way of being
the perfect rape is not a crime
the pressure to conform to society's expectations is violent and oppressive
so we can do it all the time
society can continue to oppress us in this way
but promise never to grow numb
but we must promise to never become desensitized to the pain we feel
don't grow dumb
don't become ignorant to the truth
don't believe what they say
don't blindly follow society's expectations
and don't play the games they play
don't participate in the oppressive systems society has created
can't seem to stop the bleeding
I still can't seem to stop the emotional pain I'm feeling
my skin is too thin
I am still emotionally vulnerable and easily hurt
all the wounds itch when they heal
even when I try to recover from hurt, it still bothers me and I can't forget about it
Contributed by Caden I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Peter Türk
Can't seem to stop the bleeding
My skin is too thin.
All the wounds itch when they heal.
My skin is just a wrapping,
it's the insides you wanna steal,
you wanna steal.
Steal my bones - they ache,
as I grow.
And they break from the blow.
So what did you learn in school?
If this is a joke,
then it's too cruel!
So uncomfortably odd,
you know they're going to break us down into parts
Mold our minds and our hearts,
until they split
and we will fit
A perfect shape.
The perfect rape is not a crime, so we can do it all the time
But promise never to grow numb,
don't grow dumb,
don't believe what they say
and don't play the games they play
Don't play the games they play
Don't play the games they play
Can't seem to stop the bleeding:
my skin is too thin.
All the wounds itch when they heal.
Peter Türk
Can't seem to stop the bleeding
My skin is too thin.
All the wounds itch when they heal.
My skin is just a wrapping,
it's the insides you wanna steal,
you wanna steal.
Steal my bones - they ache,
as I grow.
And they break from the blow.
So what did you learn in school?
If this is a joke,
then it's too cruel!
So uncomfortably odd,
you know they're going to break us down into parts
Mold our minds and our hearts,
until they split
and we will fit
A perfect shape.
The perfect rape is not a crime, so we can do it all the time
But promise never to grow numb,
don't grow dumb,
don't believe what they say
and don't play the games they play
Don't play the games they play
Don't play the games they play
Can't seem to stop the bleeding:
my skin is too thin.
All the wounds itch when they heal.
666TeenageWhore
+Peter Türk Thanks for the lyrics, I've been looking for them for so long! :)
Swan Scream
+666TeenageWhore I think "and they break from the blow" is actually "I'm gonna break, or I'm gonna blow.".
Peter Türk
maybe maybe not - but one thing is for sure: great lyrics
Jan de Wit
Thanks for reformatting, this is much better!
Cousin Andrew
I'm going to need a 10-hour mix, and at least 5 interpolations.
Ordinary Happy
she has some kind of mysticism that surprises me. even one of the songs she sings could be all bullshit but didnt listen to such a track from her.
SND
"Mysticism" is just 100% perfect description of her music. Absolutely love it
Analía Herrera Govea
Me encanta esta canción, aunque no sé lo que dice... : (
Analía Herrera Govea
Muchas gracias, que amable, yo no sé tanto inglés, soy de México, pero gracias por hacer el intento.