Senses Fail is a post-hardcore/pop-punk band formed in Ridgewood, New Jerse… Read Full Bio ↴Senses Fail is a post-hardcore/pop-punk band formed in Ridgewood, New Jersey in 2002. The band's original lineup consisted of James "Buddy" Nielsen, Dan Trapp, Dave Miller, Garrett Zablocki, and Mike Glita. The band released their debut EP From the Depths of Dreams with a limited 300 copy run on August 13, 2002, through ECA Records. It was then reissued through their new label Drive-Thru Records on April 29, 2003 with two bonus tracks, "Handguns and Second Chances" and "The Ground Folds (acoustic)." Two years later their debut album Let It Enfold You was released, on September 7, 2004, through Vagrant. This album had two popular singles, Buried a Lie and Rum Is for Drinking, Not for Burning - music videos were recorded for both songs.

In 2005 guitarist Dave Miller left the band and was replaced by Heath Saraceno, formerly of Midtown. The band's second full-length album, Still Searching, was released in 2006. They joined Warped Tour and Taste of Chaos in support of the album. Mike Glita then left the band the following year and Jason Black, also a member of Hot Water Music, joined initially as a temporary replacement but ended up remaining in the band. Their third album, Life Is Not a Waiting Room, was released in 2008. Heath Saraceno then left the band after their appearance at the 2009 Warped Tour and was replaced by Zack Roach, also guitarist of post-rock band Spirit of the Stairs.

Senses Fail's fourth album The Fire was released October 25, 2010 through UK label Hassle Records and elsewhere through Vagrant the following day. In February 2011, Garrett Zablocki left the band to attend college and was replaced by Matt Smith, also guitarist for Strike Anywhere.

Slow Dance
Senses Fail Lyrics

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If you pull too hard,
Then the string will break.
And if you leave the slack,
Then the string won't hold..

So how can we find ourselves
Trapped in our own private hells
Where we just scream

But no one can hear.
'X' marks the spot where the dig begins
The treasure is found within
The broken hearts, that are soaked with fear.

Fill the glass to the brim
And it will spill out
And keep a shotgun next to you
Drop it, it will, it will be so blunt.

So how can we find ourselves
Trapped in our own private hells
Where we just scream
But no one can hear.
'X' marks the spot where the dig begins
The treasure is found within
The broken hearts, that are soaked with fear.

Me, I wanted, more, your lies.
Everytime I, awful thought.[x4]

(So how can we find ourself, trapped inside our own private hells) So how can we live on
(Where we just scream but no one can hear) Without your lies
(X marks the spot where they the dig begins) And do without
(The treasure is found within the broken hearts that are soaked with fear) Doing any
Don't try to hide
Doing distempt

I go messed up
Messed up what i had

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Senses Fail's "Slow Dance" explore the idea of losing control in a relationship and not knowing how to fix it. The opening lines "If you pull too hard, then the string will break / And if you leave the slack, then the string won't hold" paint a vivid picture of being stuck in a situation where one wrong move can lead to disaster. This can also be interpreted as a metaphor for life - too much pressure can lead to a breakdown, but too little effort can result in a lack of progress.

The chorus focuses on feeling trapped in a private hell, where one screams but no one can hear them. The use of the phrase "X marks the spot where the dig begins" implies that the solution to the problem lies within oneself. The treasure to be found is within the broken hearts that are soaked with fear, but it can only be reached by digging through the pain.

The second verse expands on this idea, comparing emotions to a glass that can easily overflow if filled too much. The use of a shotgun as a metaphor suggests that a little bit of force can go a long way and can cause significant damage. The repetition of the chorus connects these two ideas, linking the theme of control to the overarching story of a relationship falling apart.

Overall, "Slow Dance" is a poignant commentary on the difficulties of trying to maintain control in difficult situations and dealing with the aftermath of losing that control.

Line by Line Meaning

If you pull too hard, Then the string will break.
If you push yourself too hard, you will burn out and fail.

And if you leave the slack, Then the string won't hold..
And if you don't push yourself at all, you won't be able to hold on to anything.

So how can we find ourselves Trapped in our own private hells Where we just scream But no one can hear.
How can we end up in our own personal hells, where we shout but no one listens?

'X' marks the spot where the dig begins The treasure is found within The broken hearts, that are soaked with fear.
The starting point for healing is identifying and embracing our deepest hurts and fears.

Fill the glass to the brim And it will spill out And keep a shotgun next to you Drop it, it will, it will be so blunt.
If we overindulge, we risk losing control. And if we rely on brute force, it will backfire and leave us defenseless.

Me, I wanted, more, your lies. Everytime I, awful thought.[x4]
I crave the lies that give me comfort, even though they fill me with despair.

(So how can we find ourself, trapped inside our own private hells) So how can we live on (Where we just scream but no one can hear) Without your lies (X marks the spot where they the dig begins) And do without (The treasure is found within the broken hearts that are soaked with fear) Doing any Don't try to hide Doing distempt I go messed up Messed up what i had
Without the false beliefs and behaviors that are holding us back, how can we move forward and find true happiness and fulfillment? We can't keep ignoring our challenges or self-sabotaging, or we'll only hurt ourselves in the long run.

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: GARRETT ZABLOCKI, BUDDY JAMES NIELSEN, DANIEL TRAPP, DAVID MICHAEL MILLER, MICHAEL GLITA

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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