Disobedient
Sarah and the Safe Word Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So you can see my pretty smile
When it's upside down
Now won't you hang me from your heart
Won't you let me swing
And wrap your hands around my throat
When I start to sing
And now you've got money and it's understood
I want to be a body buried in your neighborhood
So when the sun goes down, boy, we will too
And leave a stain upon the family that she bought for you
Taste the sulfur in my heart
Let us never be apart
Trace the line of every vein
Spell the letters of your name
'Causе I've been so disobedient
You want to feel what it's likе to drown?
I can keep the water warm when you hold me down
I won't dance at the party
I won't meet your friends
Because you don't know the meaning
Of a means to an end
Taste the sulfur in my heart
Let us never be apart
Trace the line of every vein
Spell the letters of your name
'Cause I've been so disobedient
And in the corner I can catch your eye
You say you love me and I know you lie
And I'll come crawling to you every time
Until the sunlight tears the veil of night
Taste the sulfur in my heart
Let us never be apart
Trace the line of every vein
Spell the letters of your name
'Cause I've been so disobedient
The lyrics of "Disobedient" by Sarah and the Safe Word describe a toxic and masochistic relationship between two people. The singer of the song is willing to do anything to please their partner, even if it means hurting themselves. The lyrics "I want to feel what it's like to frown, so you can see my pretty smile when it's upside down" illustrate how the singer is willing to reverse their natural expression to show their partner how far they're willing to go to please them. They even ask to be hung from their partner's heart and have their partner wrap their hands around their throat when singing.
The song draws a parallel between the singer's sense of obedience and their desire to be buried in their partner's neighborhood, leaving a stain upon the family that she bought for them. The repetitive refrain of "taste the sulfur in my heart, let us never be apart, trace the line of every vein, spell the letters of your name" highlights the singer's desperation to please their partner no matter what. In the end, the singer realizes that their partner is not capable of loving them as they deserve and that their love is better left unrequited.
Line by Line Meaning
I want to feel what it's like to frown
I want to express a negative emotion, so you can appreciate when I'm genuinely happy
So you can see my pretty smile
To emphasize the juxtaposition between my ability to appear happy and my underlying discontent
When it's upside down
When faced with adversity or pain
Now won't you hang me from your heart
Please demonstrate your love for me by exerting control over me
Won't you let me swing
Please allow me to experience the sensation of weightlessness and loss of control
And wrap your hands around my throat
Please exert physical power over me and put me in a vulnerable position
When I start to sing
Punish me for trying to express myself and stifle my voice
And now you've got money and it's understood
You now have power over me and it's tacitly accepted that I am vulnerable to exploitation
I want to be a body buried in your neighborhood
I want to be so close to you that even in death, I am linked to you
So when the sun goes down, boy, we will too
We will engage in morally questionable activities
And leave a stain upon the family that she bought for you
We will engage in behavior that is not only frowned upon but that will bring shame to your family
Taste the sulfur in my heart
Experience the bitterness of my true feelings
Let us never be apart
The intensity of our connection should always be maintained
Trace the line of every vein
Explore every part of my body and my soul
Spell the letters of your name
Impose your identity on me
'Cause I've been so disobedient
I've acted against society's expectations
You want to feel what it's like to drown?
I want to explore the limits of your power and vulnerability
I can keep the water warm when you hold me down
I am willing to facilitate your exploration without limit
I won't dance at the party
I won't engage in typical social behavior
I won't meet your friends
I won't acquiesce to your expectations of normalcy
Because you don't know the meaning of a means to an end
You are focused on the outcome without considering the morality of the process
And in the corner I can catch your eye
I am aware of your attention even when I try to fade into the background
You say you love me and I know you lie
Your love is merely a tool for control rather than an authentic expression
And I'll come crawling to you every time
I am aware of my own subservience and willingness to be manipulated
Until the sunlight tears the veil of night
Until a dramatic, tangible event forces us to acknowledge the consequences of our actions
Contributed by Maria H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.