Produced by Alan Wilder & Steve Ly… Read Full Bio ↴Written by Alan Wilder & Richard Hall
Produced by Alan Wilder & Steve Lyon
Released March 1992 on Bloodline
Features the vocals of Moby.
Curse
Recoil Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Killed by the world I'm filled full of greed
Deaf to the touch of a human hand
Can't stand beaten down
By a broken old man
Broken men fill a city full of sadness
Broken limbs fill a body full of badness
I need a need other than the sting of sin
I've got a lover, she clothes me in another
A bad thing to bring to
Sacrifice under the covers
She said, could all that red
Come from inside of me
Like something living made a
Decision to cease to be
Life isn't like that, life isn't like this
I have a need to know what it is
Have you stopped to see what it is to be free
How the world has become a giant shopping spree
Lord help me to believe how the world has changed
If it happens enough, does it seem the same
If it happens to me over and over again
Will I cease to feel all the pain I'm in
Will I cease to feel, will I start to believe
Will I need nothing more than the air that I breathe
Well why waste breathing on a living death
Why even bother with another breath
Why believe, why care, why even fucking feel
Why try to see beyond the evening meal
They tell me four billion people are alive today
But they say that life is sacred anyway
But then to see it, no one seems to be living
Oh lord what is it that we're giving
You're blind, you're blind, you're blind from the facts
You're blind, you're blind, you're blind from the facts
You're blind, you're blind, you're blind from the facts
You're blind, blind from the facts
The song "Curse" by Recoil is a poignant reflection on the state of the world, how it has changed and affected us as individuals. The lyrics express a sense of hopelessness and desperation, as the singer laments being "filled full of greed" and "beaten down" by life. The first stanza admits to being deaf to the touch of a human hand, suggesting a feeling of disconnectedness and isolation. The singer yearns for something to break the cycle of sin and decay, and finds solace in a lover who "clothes me in another." However, there is a sense of ambiguity in this relationship, with the line "A bad thing to bring to Sacrifice under the covers" hinting at an unhealthy dynamic.
The second stanza takes a broader view of the world, questioning the meaning of freedom and how the world has become a consumerist society where life seems to be reduced to a "shopping spree." The singer is struggling to find a reason to believe and care, asking "Why try to see beyond the evening meal?" The final stanza is more confrontational, calling out the blindness of society towards the realities of life and questioning the value of human life when people seem to be just "existing" rather than truly living.
Line by Line Meaning
Lord help me to believe, I've got a need
I am in need of divine intervention to believe in something greater.
Killed by the world I'm filled full of greed
The world has destroyed me, leaving me consumed by greed and materialism.
Deaf to the touch of a human hand
I am unable to connect with others and have lost my sense of humanity.
Can't stand beaten down
By a broken old man
I am tired of being defeated by those who have already given up on life.
Broken men fill a city full of sadness
The world is filled with broken individuals who have lost their sense of purpose, leading to widespread sadness.
Broken limbs fill a body full of badness
Just as a broken body is plagued by pain and discomfort, a broken world is filled with evil and negativity.
I need a need other than the sting of sin
I am searching for something more meaningful than the short-lived pleasure of sin.
I need a sweet kiss to syncopate the rut I'm in
I am searching for a way to break free from my mundane existence and find love and connection.
I've got a lover, she clothes me in another
I have found someone who provides me with emotional protection and helps me feel like a different person.
A bad thing to bring to
Sacrifice under the covers
While my lover provides comfort, it is unhealthy to rely on them as a means of escape or distraction.
She said, could all that red
Come from inside of me
Like something living made a
Decision to cease to be
My lover questions if she is the source of my inner turmoil and if there is a deeper reason for my destructive tendencies.
Life isn't like that, life isn't like this
I have a need to know what it is
I am struggling to understand the true nature of life and what my purpose is within it.
Have you stopped to see what it is to be free
How the world has become a giant shopping spree
The world has lost sight of what true freedom is and is instead focused on consumerism and material possessions.
Lord help me to believe how the world has changed
If it happens enough, does it seem the same
I am struggling to comprehend the constant changes in the world and how they are affecting humanity.
If it happens to me over and over again
Will I cease to feel all the pain I'm in
Will I cease to feel, will I start to believe
Will I need nothing more than the air that I breathe
I am questioning if constant pain and suffering will eventually desensitize me to the point of feeling nothing at all and if simply existing will eventually be enough.
Well why waste breathing on a living death
Why even bother with another breath
I am contemplating if life is even worth living if it is filled with emptiness and despair.
Why believe, why care, why even fucking feel
Why try to see beyond the evening meal
I am questioning the point of caring or feeling anything when life is so bleak and unfulfilling.
They tell me four billion people are alive today
But they say that life is sacred anyway
But then to see it, no one seems to be living
Oh lord what is it that we're giving
Despite the large number of people alive today, many are simply existing rather than truly living, leaving me unsure of the value of life itself.
You're blind, you're blind, you're blind from the facts
You are unable to see and understand the true nature of the world.
You're blind, blind from the facts
You are unable to grasp reality and understand the world we live in.
Contributed by Matthew G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.