The Patient
Slip Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

A groan of tedium escapes me
Startling the fearful
Is this a test? It has to be
Otherwise I can't go on
Draining patience, drain vitality
This paranoid, paralyzed vampire act's a little old

But I'm still right here
Giving blood, keeping faith
And I'm still right here

But I'm still right here
Giving blood, keeping faith
And I'm still right here

Wait it out
Gonna wait it out
Be patient (wait it out)

If there were no rewards to reap
No loving embrace to see me through
This tedious path I've chosen here
I certainly would've walked away by now

Gonna wait it out

If there were no desire to heal
The damaged and broken met along
This tedious path I've chosen here
I certainly would've walked away by now

And I still may, I still may

Be patient
Be patient
Be patient

I must keep reminding myself of this
I must keep reminding myself of this
I must keep reminding myself of this
I must keep reminding myself of this

And if there were no rewards to reap
No loving embrace to see me through
This tedious path I've chosen here
I certainly would've walked away by now
And I still may
And I still may
And I still may
And I

Gonna wait it out
Gonna wait it out




Wait it out
Gonna wait it out

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Slipknot's "The Patient" embody the experience of living with mental illness. The singer's "groan of tedium" suggests a sense of exhaustion and boredom that often accompanies daily struggles. The addition of "startling the fearful" suggests that the singer's struggles may also be horrifying for those around them. The lyrics further suggest that the singer sees their struggles as a test, but they are unsure what the test is meant to prove or whether they will pass. The line "Otherwise I can't go on" implies that the singer feels they have no choice but to endure their struggles, even if they can't always find a way to succeed.


As the song continues, the singer uses the image of a "paranoid, paralyzed vampire act" to describe the way they often feel. This suggests that they feel trapped in their own mind, unable to move forward, and constantly drained of energy. Despite this, however, they remain committed to "giving blood, keeping faith," indicating that they are still determined to move forward, even if they are not always sure how. The repeated refrain "wait it out" encourages the singer to be patient with themselves and their struggles, suggesting that healing is possible but may take time.


Ultimately, the lyrics suggest that living with mental illness is a long, difficult journey that requires patience and determination. The singer acknowledges that if there were no rewards to reap or loving embraces to support them, they would have given up by now. But despite the challenges they face, they remain committed to healing and moving forward, even if they sometimes feel like they can't go on.


Line by Line Meaning

A groan of tedium escapes me
I can't hide my boredom and frustration


Startling the fearful
Others who are scared can hear my groan


Is this a test? It has to be
Life must be challenging me


Otherwise I can't go on
Or else I won't find motivation


Draining patience, drain vitality
Being patient is tiring, and it exhausts me


This paranoid, paralyzed vampire act's a little old
My constant worry and indecision is getting tiresome


But I'm still right here
Despite my exhaustion, I'm still trying


Giving blood, keeping faith
I'm still doing my best, and keeping hope alive


Wait it out
I need to be patient and persistent


Gonna wait it out
I'll keep waiting and pushing through


Be patient (wait it out)
I need to have faith and stay strong


If there were no rewards to reap
If there's no payoff for my efforts


No loving embrace to see me through
No support to keep me going


This tedious path I've chosen here
This difficult journey that I picked for myself


I certainly would've walked away by now
I would've given up a long time ago


And I still may, I still may
I'm still uncertain if I can make it


I must keep reminding myself of this
I need to keep pushing myself and not give up


And I
Despite my doubts, I'll keep going




Contributed by Mateo L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

shotinoir

The psychedelic feel is everything!

Leyla On

great tune!

BeautyzGeek

Pretty dope !!!

Arkadiusz Kopraczyński

👍🎧😉🎧👍

More Versions