the sword of damocles
Rocky Horror Lyrics
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and I've got the feelin' someone's gonna be cuttin' the thread
Oh, woe is me
My life is a misery
Oh, can't you see
That I'm at the start of a pretty big downer
I woke up this mornin' with a start when I fell out of bed
And left from my dreaming was a feeling of unnameable dread
I'm dressed up with no place to go
And all I know
Is I'm at the start of a pretty big downer
Shalalala that ain't no crime
Shalalala that ain't no crime
Shalalala that ain't no crime
It ain't no crime
The Sword of Damocles is hangin' over my head
And I got the feelin' someone's gonna be cuttin' the thread
Oh, woe is me
My life is a mystery
And, can't you see
That I'm at the start of a pretty big downer?
Shalalala that ain't no crime
Shalalala that ain't no crime
Shalalala that ain't no crime
It ain't no crime
Shalalala that ain't no crime
Shalalala that ain't no crime
Shalalala that ain't no crime
It ain't no crime
Shalala
The song "The Sword of Damocles" from the Rocky Horror Picture Show is essentially about the fear of impending doom. The title references an ancient Greek parable where a powerful ruler named Damocles is given the chance to experience the luxuries of the throne, but with the caveat that a sword is suspended over his head by a single hair, reminding him of the danger and uncertainty that come with power. The lyrics describe the feeling of being at the mercy of some unknown force, with the singer "at the start of a pretty big downer." The sense of dread is all-encompassing, as even the singer's "high is low" and they're "dressed up with no place to go." The repetitions of "Shalalala that ain't no crime" feel like a desperate attempt to reassure oneself in the face of an ominous future.
Musically, the song is a bit of a departure from the more upbeat numbers in Rocky Horror, with a slower tempo and darker, more ominous instrumentation. The vocals are also more restrained, with the occasional explosion of a powerful wail from the singer. The song's placement in the film comes right before the iconic "Time Warp" sequence, serving as a kind of moody counterpoint before launching into the frenetic dance number.
Line by Line Meaning
The Sword of Damocles is hangin' over my head
I feel like something bad is going to happen to me soon.
and I've got the feelin' someone's gonna be cuttin' the thread
I feel like my life is in danger or that I might die soon.
Oh, woe is me
I feel sad and helpless.
My life is a misery
I feel like my life is full of pain and suffering.
Oh, can't you see
Can't you understand how I feel?
That I'm at the start of a pretty big downer
I feel like things are only going to get worse for me.
I woke up this mornin' with a start when I fell out of bed
I had a sudden and scary awakening from my sleep.
And left from my dreaming was a feeling of unnameable dread
I had a feeling of fear and anxiety that I can't even describe.
My high is low
I'm feeling down even though I might have been feeling good before.
I'm dressed up with no place to go
I'm ready to do something but I don't know what to do.
And all I know
The only thing I'm certain of is that I'm feeling bad.
Is I'm at the start of a pretty big downer
I feel like things are only going to get worse for me.
Shalalala that ain't no crime
It's not a bad thing to sing or express myself.
It ain't no crime
It's not a bad thing to feel or think the way I do.
Contributed by Noah E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
IndridMothman
[Verse 1]
The sword of Damocles
Is hanging over my head
And I've got the feeling
Someone's gonna be cuttin' the thread
[Verse 2]
Oh woah is me
My life is a misery
Oh can't you see
I'm at the start of a pretty big downer
[Verse 3]
I woke up this morning with a start
When I fell out of bed
(That ain't no crime)
And left from my dreaming
Was a feeling of unnameable dread
(That ain't no crime)
[Verse 4]
My high is low
I'm dressed up with no place to go
And all I know
Is I'm at the start of a pretty big downer
[Chorus]
Sha-la-la-la-la that ain't no crime
Sha-la-la-la-la that ain't no crime
Sha-la-la-la-la that ain't no crime
That ain't no crime
[Verse 1]
The sword of Damocles is hanging
Over my head
(That ain't no crime)
And I got the feeling
Someone's gonna be cuttin' the thread
(That ain't no crime)
[Verse 2 - Altered]
Oh woah is me
My life is a mystery
And can't you see
I'm at the start of a pretty big downer
[Chorus]
Sha-la-la-la-la that ain't no crime (oh no no no)
Sha-la-la-la-la that ain't no crime (oh no no no)
Sha-la-la-la-la that ain't no crime
That ain't no crime
Sha-la-la-la-la that ain't no crime (oh no no no)
Sha-la-la-la-la that ain't no crime (oh no no no)
Sha-la-la-la-la that ain't no crime
That ain't no crime
Sha-la-la
LolItzMorgan
It really sucks that this song isn’t on the soundtrack, it’s such a great song and really underrated
Ana Claudia Lopes
Not so much the actor singing, but the backing vocals "shaa laa laa laa that ain't no lieeee" it's definitely catchy and fun
Moonwalking SoldierOfLove
@Boopers there's two versions of it
Boopers
I found it on Apple music but it's weird it's like a hair too slow and the voice is a little deeper
Caitlin Daly
It's on spotify now 😁!!
Tomedy
Peter hinwood the actor of Rocky was not a singer, so they used Auto-Tune
mrf19741
Frank chasing after Rocky in heels screaming & howling is absolutely hysterical!
F J X
Kinda crazy looking
Alicia Petronio
Yup 😄😄
Jack Long
Agreed, it's hysterical!