Gallows Bird
Paraquat Lyrics

There's no time to be cynical
It's difficult to be cynical about daily life, especially when it's trivial and easy to forget.

When daily life's so trivial
Daily life can be insignificant and unimportant, making it difficult to find purpose or meaning.

And easy to forget.
The mundane and routine nature of daily life can make it forgettable and unmemorable.

When you're never going back.
The thought of never being able to return to a previous version of oneself or a previous time can be daunting and unsettling.

So they grab their things and sail with me,
People who feel like outsiders or outcasts are often drawn to others like them and may follow them in search of a sense of belonging.

The black sheep of a family
The disreputable or non-conforming member of a group, particularly a family.

Of robbers, traitors, sluts and
People who are seen as morally reprehensible or dishonest.

Thieves, addicted to misery.
People who are drawn to negative experiences and are often unhappy or discontented.

If you bury me, please bury me here.
If I die, please lay me to rest in this place that has become important to me.

Let me sink to the floor of the blackened sea
Allow me to be consumed by the darkness and grimness of my circumstances.

And sing me songs from home.
Bring me comfort and familiarity in the face of hardship and isolation.

And if the bleak winds cover your face with salt
If you face adversity and difficulty, specifically at sea.

And you lose your way and run aground
If you feel lost, alone, and have problems navigating your circumstances.

I'll sing you songs from home.
I can offer you comfort and familiarity when you need it most.

So bound me in chains and take my place
Replace me, take my burdens and responsibilities to allow me to break free and escape my circumstances.

If you can navigate this ship alone.
If you can manage this task, go ahead and do it.

Go on and kill you and your's.
Succumb to your own self-destructive tendencies, at your own risk.

You've got a lot to lose.
Proceed with caution, there are more potential consequences to your actions than you may realize.

You came to me with hopes and dreams
You had aspirations and goals when you first approached me or when you aimed to achieve something.

Of freedom, peace and happiness.
You desired to escape feelings of oppression, unrest, and discontentment with pleasant and content experiences.

I took it all away
I removed and destroyed all that you hoped, dreamed, and wished for.

And threw it overboard.
I discarded your aspirations and goals in a casual and indifferent manner.

When there's the sea in front and the sea behind
When you're surrounded and overshadowed by vast and intimidating forces, there's not much beautiful to appreciate.

There's not so much beauty to find.
Things can be bleak and devoid of charm or allure, causing you to become discouraged and uninspired.

But oh, she had a pretty face
Despite the bleak environment, you may still be drawn to beauty and aesthetics of certain things.

And oh, she made me dwell
You may become fixated on and preoccupied with someone or something that draws you in, even if it's ill-advised.

But she wouldn't stay with me
This idealized entity doesn't reciprocate or isn't content in your company.

And I wouldn't let her stay with someone else.
You struggle with the idea of someone that you idealize being with someone else, instead preferring to cling onto your illusion of them.

So this is what people call happiness?
You may question the validity or definition of happiness, particularly when it alludes you.