After the success of “Nancy Boy,” the release of “Bruise Pristine” again in the UK in 1997 prompted a peak of number 12 on the single charts, it also received a remixing from band "One Inch Punch" after this where Brian Molko opens the track with "See what you don’t realise is I made you turn the lights down so I could sing naked". The music video was filmed in an abandoned, empty swimming pool.
Ex-drummer, Robert Schultzberg, revealed during the 10th anniversary celebrations that it is one of his favourite tracks to play live. The song is a heavy riff-based track and is notable for its "behind the bridge" guitar solo. It's played in F-A-D-G-C-C tuning.
Bruise Pristine
Placebo Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Fade to gray
Trying to be ruthless
In the face of beauty
In this matrix
It's plain to see
It's either you or me
Pristine
Serene
We were born to lose
Cause 'n' lie with a velvet glove
Reading like an open book
In the hands of love
In this matrix
It's plain to see
It's either you or me
Bruise
Pristine
Serene
We were born to lose
(Encore)
Means are right for taking
Fade to gray
Trying to be ruthless
In the face of beauty
In this matrix
It's plain to see
It's either you or me
Bruise
Pristine
Serene
We were born to lose
The lyrics to Placebo's song Bruise Pristine are deep and cryptic. The opening line, "The means are right for taking," suggests that there is an opportunity or choice available to the singer, but it may be a morally ambiguous one. The repetition of "fade to gray" further emphasizes the ambiguity and negativity of the situation. The listener is then presented with the phrase "Trying to be ruthless in the face of beauty," which hints at a struggle or internal conflict between the singer's desire for something beautiful, and the need to engage in ruthless behavior to achieve it.
The line "In this matrix, it's plain to see, it's either you or me" adds to the tension and ambiguity of the song. The use of the word "matrix" may suggest a sense of being trapped or manipulated, which further reinforces the dualistic undertones of the song. The chorus, which repeats the words "bruise pristine serene, we were born to lose," delivers a powerful message that hints at a fatalistic worldview.
Overall, the song suggests a struggle between beauty and ruthlessness, and presents a bleak view of the world in which we live. It's possible that the song is a commentary on the dark side of human nature, or perhaps a warning against the consequences of seeking beauty at any cost.
Line by Line Meaning
The means are right for taking
We have the necessary resources to achieve our goal
Fade to gray
Losing clarity and hope as we approach our objective
Trying to be ruthless
We must be unforgiving and unyielding to succeed
In the face of beauty
Despite the pleasant surroundings, we must remain focused
In this matrix
Within this complex and interconnected system
It's plain to see
The solution is obvious and easily identifiable
It's either you or me
Only one of us can triumph in this situation
Bruise
We will endure physical and emotional pain
Pristine
Despite our struggles, we remain untainted by corruption
Serene
We possess inner peace despite the chaos surrounding us
We were born to lose
Our fate of defeat was determined at birth, but we must persevere
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRIAN MOLKO, STEFAN OLSDAL, ROBERT SCHULTZBERG
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Allison J
Lyrics
The means are right for taking
Fade to gray
Trying to be ruthless
In the face of beauty
In this matrix
It's plain to see
It's either you or me
Bruise
Pristine
Serene
We were born to lose
Cause 'n' lie with a velvet glove
Reading like an open book
In the hands of love
In this matrix
It's plain to see
It's either you or me
Bruise
Pristine
Serene
We were born to lose
Means are right for taking
Fade to gray
Trying to be ruthless
In the face of beauty
In this matrix
It's plain to see
It's either you or me
Bruise
Pristine
Serene
We were born to lose
Gariford
The means are right for taking, fade to grey
Trying to be ruthless in the face of beauty
In this matrix it's plain to see
It's either you or me
[Chorus]
Bruise
Pristine
Serene
We were born to lose
[Verse 2]
Cast a line with a velvet glove
Reading like an open book, in the hands of love
In this matrix it's plain to see
It's either you or me
fionn
placebo's debut album has this weird quality of sounding incredibly ahead of its time, yet at the same time so incredibly of its time
deceiver
You summed it perfectly
LumenDenoir
same about
Mk84
Dude, fucking ditto
Rachel Clancy
this NEVER got the recognition it deserved, I remember staying up till 2am when I was 14 & I taped this from MTV on video cassette. I was fucking obsessed with this band. listening to this now when I'm 35, wow, the memories & emotions come floating back. I loved my teens :)
Adrané
me too ... this is the video which i discovered placebo and it was love at first sight
rose
This is SO underrated
Chris Fairbarn
Like all Placebo.
Butter Cream
Underated? Why?
Sinan Salimov
Starting from the complexity of the guitars, the text, melancholy, is a perfection of a song