"This has a Beethoven sample [Piano Sonata No. 8 in C Minor, Op. 13 ‘Pathétique’]. It’s a song that my mum used to play on the piano. It’s the only song I remember her playing, and it only made sense to end with that. I wanted it to end with her voice, and that’s her voice, that little more crackle of the end. The metaphor of “Snakeskin” is a handbag, really. A snakeskin handbag that people commercialize, consume, and use as they want. At the end my mum says in Japanese, “I’ve realized that now I want to see who I want to see, do what I want to do, be who I want to be.” I interviewed her about how it felt to turn 60 on her birthday, after having been through everything she’s gone through. For her to say that…I just needed to finish the record on that note."
- via Apple Music
"I wanted this to close the album because I felt like the album itself was my snakeskin; I shed my trauma and made art out of it– now it' s up to the listeners to consume and industry to commercialise. At the end you can hear my mum talking about her intentions as a woman turning 60. The album is about what we do with the trauma and pain we are given, and it' s an invitation for people to explore their own personal histories to create unwavering strength within themselves."
– Rina Sawayama, Avex
Snakeskin
Rina Sawayama Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I ran into your madness
Shutting off my brain just to spite my heart
You're slithering, slithering, slithering into my heart yea
You're changing, changing my, changing my, changing my mind yea
I'm shedding, I'm shedding, I'm shedding, I'm shedding my snakeskin
You're wearing it, wearing it, wearing it every day yea
Buy my expensive, exclusive, pain wear
My fine couture is your branded repayment
I tear my soul into two so that you can
Pretend despair
Like a snakeskin, like a snakeskin
Like a snakeskin, like a snakeskin
Like a snakeskin
Like a snakeskin
Wear me out and tear me down like
Rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip
I'll tear you down like
Strip, strip, strip, strip, strip, strip
So run before I
Bit, bit, bit, bit, bit, bit
And make you all
Addicted, addicted
Addicted to my snakeskin
Rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip
I'll tear you down like
Strip, strip, strip, strip, strip, strip
So run before I
Bit, bit, bit, bit, bit, bit
And make you all
Addicted, addicted
Addicted to my snakeskin
Buy my expensive, exclusive, pain wear
My fine couture is your branded repayment
I tear my soul into two so that you can
Pretend despair
Like a snakeskin, like a snakeskin
Like a snakeskin, like a snakeskin
Like a snakeskin
Like a snakeskin
Wear me out and tear me down like
In Rina Sawayama's song "Snakeskin," the lyrics explore the theme of seeking forgiveness and the toxic cycle of a dysfunctional relationship. The singer is searching for forgiveness and ends up entangled in the madness of their partner. They try to disconnect their rational thoughts from their heartfelt emotions, choosing to shut off their brain to defy their own feelings.
The metaphor of "Snakeskin" is used to illustrate the transformation and manipulation that takes place within the relationship. The partner is compared to a snake, slithering into the singer's heart and changing their mind. This implies that the partner has a deceptive nature and is able to manipulate the singer's thoughts and decisions. The singer feels trapped in this cyclical pattern, shedding their own identity and wearing a metaphorical snakeskin provided by their partner. The concept of wearing snakeskin could represent adopting a false persona or surrendering one's own self-expression to fit someone else's expectations.
The lyric "buy my expensive, exclusive, pain wear" suggests that the partner may use material possessions or extravagant displays of affection to compensate for their mistreatment. The singer tears their soul into two, sacrificing their own well-being for the partner's benefit, allowing them to pretend to be in distress and maintain control over the relationship.
Overall, "Snakeskin" delves into the complexities of a toxic relationship where forgiveness is sought but ultimately leads to self-destruction and the loss of personal identity.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking for forgiveness
Searching for absolution
I ran into your madness
I collided with your insanity
Shutting off my brain just to spite my heart
Suppressing my rationality to defy my emotions
You're slithering, slithering, slithering into my heart yea
You're stealthily infiltrating my emotions
You're changing, changing my, changing my, changing my mind yea
You're manipulating and influencing my thoughts
I'm shedding, I'm shedding, I'm shedding, I'm shedding my snakeskin
I am discarding my deceptive facade
You're wearing it, wearing it, wearing it every day yea
You're donning my false identity constantly
Buy my expensive, exclusive, pain wear
Purchase my costly, limited edition agony
My fine couture is your branded repayment
My exquisite fashion represents your retribution
I tear my soul into two so that you can
I divide my essence to allow you
Pretend despair
To feign sorrow
Like a snakeskin, like a snakeskin
Similar to shedding snake skin
Wear me out and tear me down like
Exhaust me and dismantle me
Rip, rip, rip, rip, rip, rip
Tear apart, tear apart, tear apart, tear apart
I'll tear you down like
I will dismantle you like
Strip, strip, strip, strip, strip, strip
Remove, remove, remove, remove, remove
So run before I
Escape before I
Bit, bit, bit, bit, bit, bit
Bite, bite, bite, bite, bite
And make you all
And render all of you
Addicted, addicted
Dependent, dependent
Addicted to my snakeskin
Addicted to my deceptiveness
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Adam Mark Crisp, Clarence Clarity, Jonny Lattimer, Rina Sawayama
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Joanna J.
[Intro]
Looking for forgiveness
I ran into your madness
Shutting off my brain just to spite my
Heart
Heart
Ha-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ah-ah-ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
[Verse 1]
You're slithering, slithering, slithering into my heart, yeah
You're changing my, changing my, changing my, changing my mind, yeah
I'm shedding, I'm shedding, I'm shedding, I'm shedding my snakeskin
You're wearin' it, wearin' it, wearin' it every day, yeah
[Pre-Chorus]
Buy my expensive, exclusive, pain wear
My fine couture is your branded repayment
I tear my soul into two so that you can
P-p-p-pretend despair
[Chorus]
Like a snakeskin, l-l-l-like a snakeskin
Like a snakeskin, l-l-l-like a snakeskin
Like a snakeskin, like a snakeskin
Wear me out and tear me down like
[Verse 2]
Rip rip, rip rip, rip rip
I'll tear you down like
Strip strip, strip strip, strip strip
So run before I
Bit bit, bit bit, bit bit
And make you all
Addicted, addicted
Addicted to my snakeskin
Rip rip, rip rip, rip rip
I'll tear you down like
Strip strip, strip strip, strip strip
So run before I
Bit bit, bit bit, bit bit
And make you all
Addicted, addicted
Addicted to my snakeskin
[Pre-Chorus]
Buy my expensive, exclusive, pain wear
My fine couture is your branded repayment
I tear my soul into two so that you can
P-p-p-pretend despair
[Chorus]
Like a snakeskin, l-l-l-like a snakeskin
Like a snakeskin, l-l-l-like a snakeskin
Like a snakeskin, like a snakeskin
Wear me out and tear me down like
[Outro]
dahalofreeek
The opening melody she sings until about 20 seconds in and the closing piano is from Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 13 'Pathetique.'
Strange and awesome to hear that in a pop song.
Renan Covre Mulla
She sample Battle Fanfare from FFVII too ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
BurgoJohnes
Thank you so much, I was looking everywhere for it, heard it in Marry the night music video.
Corentin MARSEU
I KNEW IT WAS FAMILIAR WE HEAR IT IN LADY GAGA'S "MARRY THE NIGHT" MUSIC VIDEO
Isaac Lee
the way she also references Britney Spears and Final Fantasy in the same song as well xD
Im Kuelll Gremlin
kind of a shame the first part wasn't re iterated through out the song, it has a really good hook.
Meg G
YESSS, she needs to make an alt version of this song URGENTLY
Gabrielle Lashley
Rina sampling Final Fantasy? Truly a woman of culture. When will your fave ever?
AVETIQ
@Willows why did I think you were making fun of me writing "pathetic" but styling it differently?😂😂
Willows
@AVETIQ “pathetique” it’s the piano sonata at the end