Cancer
Shapist Lyrics


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An abstract living dream
Of a cardboard cut-out meaning
Vivid highs and vibrant lies
of a slowly tearing seam

We are the plague, these are bleeding souls
We need a change, I find that there's a hole inside us all
(Hole inside us all)

Hearts made of wood
You pile into your fire
Burn down your white washed walls
So you appreciate the roof that falls

We are the plague
These are bleeding souls
We need a change
We are bleeding

We are the plague, these are bleeding souls
We need a change, I find that there's a hole inside us all

Terminal viruses
Fluctuating through
An Immaculate portrait of perfection
Mutations progress inside a world in distress
You can't escape the deception
A catastrophic progression
This is the end of an era
This is the start of a new

Hearts made of wood
You pile into your fire
As you dance around
Dizzy you fall asleep
Kaleidoscope eyes
Stare through stained glass windows
Burn them alive, just to see the embers tremble

Starlight is only bright
When the sky is clear
When the sky is clear
We fill our lungs (we fill our lungs)




We fill our lungs with the smog
And hold our breath, until we disappear

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of “Cancer” by Shapist tackle the themes of societal decay, disillusionment, and the search for change. The song opens with the metaphor of an “abstract living dream / Of a cardboard cut-out meaning”, which refers to the superficial and shallow nature of modern life, where people pursue hollow goals and values. The “vivid highs and vibrant lies / of a slowly tearing seam” further emphasize this dissonance and the sense of impending collapse. The chorus repeats the lines “We are the plague, these are bleeding souls / We need a change, I find that there's a hole inside us all”, expressing the need for a transformative shift that can heal individuals and the world.


The second verse of the song shifts to a more personal narrative, where the singer urges listeners to break down their walls and burn them in order to realize the value of what remains. The imagery of “Hearts made of wood / You pile into your fire” represents the false facades people construct, which prevent them from truly connecting with others and themselves. The lines “Kaleidoscope eyes / Stare through stained glass windows / Burn them alive, just to see the embers tremble” reflect the desire to break out of stagnancy and see the world in a new light, even if it requires destruction.


Line by Line Meaning

An abstract living dream
Living in an unreal, non-existent world


Of a cardboard cut-out meaning
Empty and meaningless existence


Vivid highs and vibrant lies
False hopes and deception


of a slowly tearing seam
Life falling apart bit by bit


We are the plague, these are bleeding souls
People are suffering and we are the cause


We need a change, I find that there's a hole inside us all
We need to change ourselves for the better


Hearts made of wood
Emotionless hearts


You pile into your fire
You're bringing your own destruction


Burn down your white washed walls
Break free from your self-made prison


So you appreciate the roof that falls
Only when everything is gone, you will realize its worth


Terminal viruses
An incurable disease


Fluctuating through
Spreading uncontrollably


An Immaculate portrait of perfection
A perfect image that doesn't exist


Mutations progress inside a world in distress
Bad things happen in a troubled world


You can't escape the deception
You can't avoid being misled


A catastrophic progression
A disastrous forward motion


This is the end of an era
The end of a certain time period


This is the start of a new
The beginning of something new


As you dance around
As you ignore your troubles


Dizzy you fall asleep
You fall asleep without realizing the danger


Kaleidoscope eyes
Eyes that see things in a fun-house mirror


Stare through stained glass windows
Looking for the beauty in the broken


Burn them alive, just to see the embers tremble
Destroy what you appreciate to feel alive


Starlight is only bright
The only light left is a dim one


When the sky is clear
Only when things are good


We fill our lungs (we fill our lungs)
We breathe in


We fill our lungs with the smog
We breathe in what's harmful


And hold our breath, until we disappear
We keep breathing in the bad until we're gone




Contributed by Anthony L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Exoplanet

Love this song. Love the lyrics. Love you guys.

A very solid debut EP. I'm satisfyingly impressed :)

LEVRAN

1:20 about 4 years after and still im having that first section of the solo im my head

travisamazingable

love that solo

DarksoulistX

I fell in love with the intro :)

Tyler C.

This better be on iTunes because I'm getting on my laptop to buy it now! Those riffs are too perfect!

Hayden Wigle

This is killer !!!!

Sierra Cecil

<3 love this song, love this band! New favorite for sure:)

曾柏

great song ! LOVE IT~~

Alexandra Yrigoyen

really love the sound.

Chase Mccreery

is anyone aware if these guys are still creating music... good lyrics great sounds

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