Ten Years
PHARAOH Lyrics


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Lie alone in the shadows
My own company
Always hiding in silence
Melt in misery
Every night is a horror
Days are sickening
Still the distance glimmers
Freedom beckoning

Ten years I lost my life
Ten years in chains
Ten years I dreamed of you
Ten years your name

It's a curse in the making
Sick another year
Yet I'm so far from lifeless
Will I die in here?
In a cage for the ages
Fear entombing me
And it's locked from the inside
Trapped without a key

Ten years I lost my life
Ten years in chains
Ten years I dreamed of you
Ten years your name

Suddenly, like a shockwave
The door is opening
And I walk into darkness
Sick and suffering
Demons hide in the open
Wild and hunting me
An escape to the outside
Laced with tragedy

Ten years you lived my life
Ten years ashamed




Ten years I hated you
Ten years insane

Overall Meaning

The song "Ten Years" by Pharaoh takes us into the life of someone who has been trapped in a cage for a decade. The lyrics describe the loneliness and misery that the person has to endure during all those years of imprisonment. The agony of the situation is visible when the person wonders whether they are going to die in the cage. To make matters worse, the person feels like they have been cursed, making their predicament even more unbearable.


In contrast to the hopeless prison, there is a sense of hope that is expressed in the song. The person longs for freedom, and every day they see it beckoning to them, even though it may be in the distance. The person dreams of a life outside the cage, a life where they are not imprisoned, and where they can be with their loved ones again. In the end, the person is freed from the cage but the freedom is bittersweet. They have missed out on 10 years of their life, and they have to endure the trauma and the pain that those years have brought them.


Overall, "Ten Years" is a song about the pain and agony of imprisonment, and the longing for freedom. It is also a song about the toll that imprisonment takes on a person's mental and emotional health.


Line by Line Meaning

Lie alone in the shadows
I feel isolated and alone, with no one to turn to.


My own company
I have only myself to rely on for comfort and companionship.


Always hiding in silence
I feel like I can never speak up or be heard, always keeping my thoughts and feelings to myself.


Melt in misery
I feel overwhelmed by sadness and pain, as if it is consuming me completely.


Every night is a horror
I experience terrifying nightmares and cannot find peace in my sleep.


Days are sickening
My days are filled with nausea and disgust, and I feel sickened by my own existence.


Still the distance glimmers
I can see the faint hope of escape in the distance, but it seems far away and unattainable.


Freedom beckoning
Despite my despair, I feel a pull towards the idea of being free and escaping my current situation.


Ten years I lost my life
For a decade, I have felt as though I have not been truly living, but rather just existing in misery.


Ten years in chains
For a decade, I have been trapped in a situation that makes me feel imprisoned and powerless.


Ten years I dreamed of you
For ten years, I have clung to the hope of a better life and the idea of being with someone who could make me happy.


Ten years your name
For ten years, I have kept that person's name close to my heart and held onto the thought of them as a source of comfort and hope.


It's a curse in the making
My situation feels like a never-ending cycle of misfortune and despair, like a curse that is building and growing stronger each day.


Sick another year
Each passing year only seems to bring more illness and suffering, without any relief or respite in sight.


Yet I'm so far from lifeless
Despite my struggles, I still feel alive and full of passion and desire for something better.


Will I die in here?
I feel like my current situation could be my downfall, and I fear that I could die without ever truly living or being free.


In a cage for the ages
I feel like I am trapped in a situation that has persisted for a very long time, with no end in sight.


Fear entombing me
My fear is consuming me, as if it is burying me alive and suffocating any hope of escape or relief.


And it's locked from the inside
The source of my entrapment and suffering seems to come from within me, as if I am my own worst enemy.


Trapped without a key
I feel stuck and powerless to change my situation, as if there is no way out of my current circumstances.


Suddenly, like a shockwave
Something unexpected has happened, like a jolt of electricity or a sudden burst of energy or hope.


The door is opening
A path to escape or freedom seems to be presenting itself, as if a previously locked door has suddenly become unlocked.


And I walk into darkness
Despite the newfound hope, I am still entering into an unknown and uncertain future, with no clear path or direction.


Sick and suffering
Despite my hope for the future, I am still struggling with pain and illness, as if my current wounds will not heal.


Demons hide in the open
There are still things that scare and haunt me, even in the light of day where everything seems mundane and ordinary.


Wild and hunting me
I feel like I am being pursued by something dangerous and vicious, as if my struggles are never truly over.


An escape to the outside
Despite the continuing struggles and fears, I still feel like there is hope and potential for me to escape my current situation and find freedom.


Laced with tragedy
Despite my hope and optimism, there is still a sense of sadness and loss present, as if my journey towards freedom will not come without cost.


Ten years you lived my life
For ten years, someone else has been living the life that I could have had, if circumstances had been different and I had found a different path.


Ten years ashamed
For ten years, I have felt a sense of shame and regret at my current situation, like I have let myself down and failed to live up to my potential.


Ten years I hated you
For a decade, I have harbored anger and frustration towards someone who I feel has held me back or caused me pain and suffering.


Ten years insane
For ten years, I have felt like I am losing my mind or going crazy, as if my struggles and pain have driven me to a state of mental instability.




Contributed by Aubrey C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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