Rat City Riot was formed in 2003 with the sole purpose of rocking. Througho… Read Full Bio ↴Rat City Riot was formed in 2003 with the sole purpose of rocking. Throughout many trials and tribulations, broken down vans, cancelled shows, and stolen equipment they kept true to their roots and it finally worked out for the better. Rat City Riot signed a record contract with TAANG! Records out of San Diego, CA in late 2004 with the scheduled release of "Dirty Rotten Games" set as January 15th 2005. Shortly after that the planned world domination began and the trail of burnt out PA speakers, shredded tires, and shattered beer bottles was the only way to follow this band on their road to ruin. Fast forward 2 years, a few lineup changes, and over 40,000+ tour miles later, Rat City Riot joined up with Street Anthem Records and set up the release of their newest recording; "The Open Road E.P." for August 2007 with many more planned road miles ahead.

Better Off
Rat City Riot Lyrics

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So hard for me to trust when all people do is take.
Not gonna sit around and await my next mistake.
Take you down with me, pull the knife from my back.
Try to apologize but I take everything back.

I'd be better off with you than dead.
I'd be better off with you than dead.
I'd be better off with you than dead.

I'd be better off with you than dead.

I see that the ends never justify the means.
It wasn't my mistake that you walked into my scene.
All you did was take, there wasn't much left of me.
Nothing left but clotted blood, shadows of memory.

You're nothing but a fake, a chameleon in my head.
Hide against memories, I'd be better off with you than dead.
I thought the act was sincere, but now I see the truth.

I've fallen for this too many times.
I've fallen too hard for you. For you.

Overall Meaning

Rat City Riot's "Better Off" contains lyrics that explore themes of trust, betrayal, and the desire to hold onto what is left. The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest of the lyrics; the singer finds it difficult to trust others because all they do is take, leading to numerous mistakes on their part. Instead of waiting around for the next mistake, the singer resolutely states their intention to take down anyone who tries to hurt them, even if it means pulling the knife from their own back. They try to apologize for their actions, but eventually realize that they would be "better off" with the person who hurt them than being dead.

The chorus of the song repeats "I'd be better off with you than dead" multiple times, emphasising the desperation and futility of the situation. The second verse reveals that the other person's actions have caused the singer significant harm, leaving them with little left except for memories tainted with blood and shadows. The person is accused of being a fake, a chameleon who blends into the singer's thoughts but ultimately cannot be trusted. Although the singer initially believed that person's actions were sincere, they eventually come to the conclusion that they have fallen for the deception too many times, leading to a hard, painful fall.

Overall, "Better Off" is a powerful, emotive song that speaks to the universal experience of betrayal and distrust. The lyrics emphasise the difficulty of trusting others, and the pain that can come from being deceived. The repeated chorus, "I'd be better off with you than dead", encapsulates the heart of the song, highlighting the idea that sometimes, even the people who hurt us are still better than being completely alone.

Line by Line Meaning

So hard for me to trust when all people do is take.
It's difficult for me to trust others as all they do is take advantage of me.

Not gonna sit around and await my next mistake.
I won't stay idle and wait for something bad to happen again.

Take you down with me, pull the knife from my back.
I'll make sure to bring you down with me and remove the blade that you stabbed in my back.

Try to apologize but I take everything back.
Even if you try to apologize, I won't forgive you and take back everything you did.

I'd be better off with you than dead.
Despite your faults and mistakes, it's still better for me to be with you alive than to be dead without you.

I see that the ends never justify the means.
I understand that the outcome of something doesn't always make up for the methods used to achieve it.

It wasn't my mistake that you walked into my scene.
You're the one who caused problems by entering my life uninvited.

All you did was take, there wasn't much left of me.
You only took from me without giving anything in return, leaving me with almost nothing.

Nothing left but clotted blood, shadows of memory.
All that's left is the physical scars and emotional memories of what you did to me.

You're nothing but a fake, a chameleon in my head.
You're not genuine and constantly change your personality to match what I want to see, making it hard for me to trust you.

Hide against memories, I'd be better off with you than dead.
Even though memories of you haunt me, it's still better for me to be with you alive than to be dead without you.

I thought the act was sincere, but now I see the truth.
I originally thought your actions were genuine, but now I understand they were not.

I've fallen for this too many times.
I've been tricked by people like you too many times before.

I've fallen too hard for you. For you.
Despite everything, I still have strong feelings for you.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: JOHN SHANKS, KARA DIOGUARDI, ASHLEE SIMPSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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