Set It Off has experimented with a variety of genres, beginning with pop-punk within their early years and then adding R&B elements within their album Duality, in 2014. Carson has stated online that the band was influenced by Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, Green Day and Blink-182 in the earliest years of the band. Set It Off introduced more influences; including hip-hop and emo within 2019's Midnight. However, in 2023, the band have returned to their pop-punk roots, through singles including 'Punching Bag', 'Win Win' and 'Evil People'.
The band have released five studio albums including Cinematics (2012), Duality (2014), Upside Down (2016), Midnight (2019) and Elsewhere (2022). They have also appeared in 'Punk Goes' through various covers including 'This Christmas (I'll Burn It to the Ground)' and 'Problem'.
NO CONTROL
Set It Off Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When beauty crumbles and decays
It's like having a voice, with no chance to speak
It's something that you hold, and hold to keep
Fall to my knees, God I beg you please
Show me just a inch of mercy
Help me, help me, I'm doing all I can
Swear this isn't what I wanted
God, this house is haunted
The way that this could be, if things were a melody
And after all of this we've been through
I wish we could switch shoes
This life ain't fair for us all
My ears re-sound, with the sound of broken dreams
A hat where you would breathe, exist internally
Tell them to leave
You're coming home with me (right now)
Remove that damn ID
I wish my words could cure illness
It's like running a race with no legs or
Swimming a lap with no arms
I don't need a tip in my fist but
The windows will heal my scars!
Swear this isn't what I wanted
God, this house is haunted
The way that this could be, if things were a melody
And after all of this we've been through
I wish we could switch shoes
This life ain't fair for us all
My walls are built, and on display
I drown in guilt, due to dismay
Maybe someday I can see how this has shaped me
Bite my tongue, with swelling lungs
I gasp for air and let this go
Swear this isn't what I wanted
God, this house is haunted
The way that this could be, if things were a melody
And after all this shit we've been through
I wish we could switch shoes
Well this life ain't fair for us all
The song "No Control" by Set It Off explores themes of powerlessness, pain, and unfairness in life. The lyrics refer to the feeling of watching something beautiful deteriorate, and to the frustration of having a voice but no opportunity to use it. The singer begs for mercy and help, while trying to hide their own pain. The song also touches on the idea of empathy, in which the pain of others becomes one's own present.
In the second verse, the singer mentions broken dreams and internal pain, and asks someone to leave with them and remove their identity. They wish their words could heal illness, but instead feel like they're running a race, or swimming with no arms. The lyrics reveal a sense of hopelessness and feeling trapped, as the singer's walls are built and on display, and they drown in guilt due to dismay. However, there is a glimmer of hope at the end, as the singer realizes that someday they may be able to see how their experiences have shaped them, and they bite their tongue, gasping for air and letting go of their pain.
Overall, "No Control" is a deeply emotional and introspective song, exploring the complexities of pain, empathy, and hope.
Line by Line Meaning
It's like watching a rose just wither away
Seeing something beautiful fade and wither away
When beauty crumbles and decays
The rapid destruction of beauty
It's like having a voice, with no chance to speak
Feeling unheard and powerless
It's something that you hold, and hold to keep
Clutching onto something precious
Fall to my knees, God I beg you please
Pleading for mercy and help
Show me just a inch of mercy
Asking for a small amount of compassion
Help me, help me, I'm doing all I can
Struggling and reaching out for assistance
Pretend I'm unaffected, but their pain became my present
Trying to hide your emotions, but feeling the pain of others
Swear this isn't what I wanted
Expressing regret and disappointment
God, this house is haunted
Comparing their life to a haunted house
The way that this could be, if things were a melody
Reflecting on how life could be more harmonious
And after all of this we've been through
Acknowledging the struggles they have faced
I wish we could switch shoes
Desiring to experience life from another's perspective
This life ain't fair for us all
Recognizing the injustice in life for everyone
My ears re-sound, with the sound of broken dreams
Hearing the disappointment of shattered hopes
A hat where you would breathe, exist internally
Feeling suffocated and trapped
Tell them to leave
Ordering unwanted guests to depart
You're coming home with me (right now)
Offering to provide safety and shelter
Remove that damn ID
Removing a label that defines someone
I wish my words could cure illness
Yearning for the power to heal
It's like running a race with no legs or
Attempting something impossible due to limitation
Swimming a lap with no arms
Encountering a challenge due to physical inability
I don't need a tip in my fist but
Not searching for a fight or argument
The windows will heal my scars!
Finding solace and hope in the future
My walls are built, and on display
Displaying emotional walls for protection
I drown in guilt, due to dismay
Succumbing to guilt over disappointments
Maybe someday I can see how this has shaped me
Hopeful for a positive outcome from past experiences
Bite my tongue, with swelling lungs
Holding back words to avoid conflict
I gasp for air and let this go
Releasing tension and letting go of negativity
Well this life ain't fair for us all
Reiterating the unfairness of life
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind