Critical Mistake
Neck Deep Lyrics


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You have sixteen new messages
First new message:
Why do I even bother calling you
I've called you sixteen times today
And I know you've been online
So stop ignoring me

I made a critical mistake in a momentary lapse of judgement
Now you've called me up again
To remind me of the ways I fucked up
So then I'll take all the blame
It all just feels the same
And we move on
Then I screw it up again
Are you noticing a trend?
Should I go on?
So I said

I could be everything you need
If you could learn to be someone else
I keep trying to bridge the distance
You've been thinking about yourself
It's the way you want the world to be
It's the way you want the world to be

I'm the sinner, you're a saint
You will always have your way
Will you let go?
But when a cynic and a snake come together
It could take a miracle
But it only lasts so long
I know it won't be long 'till I screw up
Can we start it all again
And go back to when we were both wrong?
'Cause we're both wrong
So I said

I could be everything you need
If you could learn to be someone else
I keep trying to bridge the distance
You've been thinking about yourself
It's the way you want the world to be
It's the way you want the world to be

And it all just seemed too perfect to be true
There's nothing perfect about me and you
And I tried to see the best
But I saw right through you
And I know I could be better
But you won't let me forget
That it always seemed so perfect when I played it in my head

You made a critical mistake in a momentary lapse of judgement
Now I'm walking out the door
Like all the times before
Guess I fucked up
So I said

I could be everything you need
If you could learn to be someone else
I keep trying to bridge the distance
You've been thinking about yourself
It's the way you want the world to be
It's the way you want the world to be




I could be everything you need
If you could learn to be someone else

Overall Meaning

The song "Critical Mistake" by Neck Deep tells the story of a relationship in turmoil. The lyrics start with the singer checking their phone and finding sixteen missed calls from their partner. The partner is upset and leaving messages saying that they have been ignored. The singer wishes that their partner would just communicate with them instead of shutting them out.


The next set of lyrics reveal that the singer has made a mistake that has hurt their partner. The singer is taking the blame for the mistake, but they feel like their partner is not being honest with them. The singer is trying to bridge the distance between them, but their partner is only thinking about themselves. The lyrics also hint that the relationship is not a good match and that the two are fundamentally different. Despite this, they keep trying to make it work.


The final verse shows that the situation has become overwhelming for the singer. They are tired of trying to fix things and feeling like they are not appreciated. They realize that it's time to walk away from the relationship, even though it's not the first time they've tried to end things. In the end, the singer acknowledges that they could be everything their partner needs if only they would learn to be someone else.


Overall, the song explores themes of communication, sacrifice, and acceptance in relationships. The constant back and forth between the singer and their partner shows how difficult it can be to navigate a relationship when both parties have different wants and needs.


Line by Line Meaning

You have sixteen new messages
The person being addressed has 16 unread messages waiting for them.


First new message: Why do I even bother calling you. I've called you sixteen times today. And I know you've been online. So stop ignoring me
The sender of the message is frustrated that the person being addressed is not answering their calls despite being online and having received 16 calls. They want them to stop ignoring them.


I made a critical mistake in a momentary lapse of judgement. Now you've called me up again. To remind me of the ways I fucked up. So then I'll take all the blame. It all just feels the same. And we move on. Then I screw it up again. Are you noticing a trend? Should I go on? So I said
The singer admits to making a mistake and being called out on it by the person they are addressing. They take responsibility for their actions and are frustrated with themselves for making the same mistake repeatedly. They feel as though they are in a cycle of messing up and disappointing the person they care about.


I could be everything you need. If you could learn to be someone else. I keep trying to bridge the distance. You've been thinking about yourself. It's the way you want the world to be. It's the way you want the world to be
The singer wants to be what the person they care about needs, but feels as though the other person is too focused on themselves and their own wants and needs. They are trying to bridge the gap between them, but the other person is not reciprocating. They feel as though the other person wants the world to fit their ideal instead of working together to create a better reality.


I'm the sinner, you're a saint. You will always have your way. Will you let go? But when a cynic and a snake come together. It could take a miracle. But it only lasts so long. I know it won't be long 'till I screw up. Can we start it all again. And go back to when we were both wrong? 'Cause we're both wrong. So I said
The singer sees themselves as flawed compared to the person they care about, who they view as perfect. They feel as though the other person always gets what they want and have different personalities, which may cause conflicts in the future. They ask for a chance to start over and share the blame with the other person, acknowledging that they both made mistakes in the past.


And it all just seemed too perfect to be true. There's nothing perfect about me and you. And I tried to see the best. But I saw right through you. And I know I could be better. But you won't let me forget. That it always seemed so perfect when I played it in my head
The singer is acknowledging that their relationship is not perfect and there are flaws in both of them. They attempted to look past the imperfections of the other person, but ultimately could not ignore them. They want to improve themselves, but feel as though the other person is constantly reminding them of their mistakes. They reflect on their idealized version of the relationship that existed only in their mind.


You made a critical mistake in a momentary lapse of judgement. Now I'm walking out the door. Like all the times before. Guess I fucked up. So I said
The person being addressed made a mistake and the singer has decided to leave, as they have done in the past. The singer acknowledges that they are also at fault for the current state of their relationship.


I could be everything you need. If you could learn to be someone else
The singer still wants to be what the other person needs, but only if they can work on themselves and not be so focused on their own desires.


I keep trying to bridge the distance. You've been thinking about yourself. It's the way you want the world to be. It's the way you want the world to be
The singer has been attempting to close the gap between them, but feels as though the other person is only focusing on themselves and their own wants and desires. The other person wants the world to fit their own expectations rather than working together towards a better reality.




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Benedict Kieran James Barlow, Daniel Washington, Matthew Richard West, Philip Michael Thorpe-Evans, Samuel Joseph Bowden

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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