Discography:
1995 - Sleater-Kinney (Chainsaw)
1996 - Call the Doctor (Chainsaw)
1997 - Dig Me Out (Kill Rock Stars)
1999 - The Hot Rock (Kill Rock Stars)
2000 - All Hands on the Bad One (Kill Rock Stars)
2002 - One Beat (Kill Rock Stars)
2005 - The Woods (Sub Pop)
2015 - No Cities to Love (Sub Pop)
2019 - The Center Won't Hold (Mom+Pop)
2021 - Path of Wellness (Mom+Pop)
Sympathy
Sleater-Kinney Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm not the best believer
Not the most deserving
But all I have all I am all I can
For him
I'd beg you on bended knees for him
Precious baby, is your life hanging by a thread?
All I have all I am all I can
I'd beg you on bended knees for him
I've got this curse in my hands
All I touch fades to black
Turns to dust turns to sand
I've got this curse on my tongue
All I taste is the rust
This decay in my blood
I don't like the doctor with the deep long face
Only wants to give us the very worse case
I'd rather shout out and shake him and do anything
For him
I'd beg you on bended knees for him
When the moment strikes
It takes you by surprise and
Leaves you naked in the face of death and life
There is no righteousness in your darkest moment
We're all equal in the face of what we're most afraid of
And I'm so sorry
For those who didn't make it
And for the mommies who are left with their heart breaking
Search for the meaning in sores
The sentences they might form
It's the grammar of skin
Peel it back, let me in
Look for hope in the dark
The shadow cast by you heart
It's the grammar of faith
No more rules, no restraint
How anger I would be
If you'd taken him away
I wish I was wiser but instead
I'll be grateful I'll say thanks
For the joy for the love for the smile on his face
I'd beg you on bended knees for him
The lyrics of Sleater-Kinney's "Sympathy" describe the desperation of a narrator who pleads to a higher power to protect a loved one. The singer acknowledges their own shortcomings as a believer but pledges to do anything to save this precious baby's life. The song's title, "Sympathy," can be interpreted as a message to listeners to empathize with the singer's fear and sadness.
The verses of the song describe a curse that seems to be afflicting the singer, rendering everything they touch dead and turning to dust. The curse also affects their tongue, causing them to taste only rust and decay. These vivid images paint a picture of the singer as someone who feels hopeless and powerless to save the life of the one they love.
The chorus of the song contains a repeated plea to a higher power to spare this loved one's life, with the singer offering to beg on bended knees if necessary. The second verse takes on a more confrontational tone, with the singer expressing anger towards a doctor who delivers bad news and casting doubt on the idea of righteousness in the face of death.
The song's bridge encourages listeners to "search for the meaning in sores," perhaps suggesting that life's pain can offer insight and growth. The closing verse expresses gratitude for the time spent with the loved one and begs for their continued survival.
Overall, "Sympathy" is a heart-wrenching plea for help and a testament to the intensity of love and fear.
Line by Line Meaning
I know I come to you only when in need
Admitting that I don't always turn to you when I should, but only when I need something.
I'm not the best believer
Acknowledging that I struggle with faith and doubt.
Not the most deserving
Recognizing my own faults and shortcomings, and feeling unworthy of your help.
But all I have all I am all I can For him I'd beg you on bended knees for him
Despite my faults, I am willing to do whatever it takes, even plead on my knees, for the sake of the person I care about.
Precious baby, is your life hanging by a thread?
Expressing concern and anxiety for someone in a precarious situation.
I've got this curse in my hands All I touch fades to black Turns to dust turns to sand I've got this curse on my tongue All I taste is the rust This decay in my blood
Feeling like everything I touch or say turns to ruin or decay, as if I am cursed.
I don't like the doctor with the deep long face Only wants to give us the very worse case I'd rather shout out and shake him and do anything For him I'd beg you on bended knees for him
Distrusting authority and institutionalized medicine, and again expressing a willingness to do anything for the person I care about.
When the moment strikes It takes you by surprise and Leaves you naked in the face of death and life There is no righteousness in your darkest moment We're all equal in the face of what we're most afraid of And I'm so sorry For those who didn't make it And for the mommies who are left with their heart breaking
Reflecting on the suddenness and finality of death, and acknowledging the shared vulnerability and fragility of all people. Expressing empathy for those who have experienced loss and heartbreak.
Search for the meaning in sores The sentences they might form It's the grammar of skin Peel it back, let me in Look for hope in the dark The shadow cast by you heart It's the grammar of faith No more rules, no restraint
Looking for meaning in pain and suffering, and seeing it as a kind of language. Encouraging openness and vulnerability as a way of finding hope and faith, free of rules and constraints.
How anger I would be If you'd taken him away I wish I was wiser but instead I'll be grateful I'll say thanks For the joy for the love for the smile on his face I'd beg you on bended knees for him
Expressing the depth of emotion I would feel if something were to happen to the person I care about, and acknowledging my own limitations and shortcomings. Grateful for the love and joy that person brings to my life, and willing to plead for their safety and well-being.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: CARRIE RACHEL BROWNSTEIN, CORIN LISA TUCKER, JANET LEE WEISS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind