Iowa
Slipknot Lyrics

Relax, it's over
The singer wants the listener to calm down because a certain experience has ended

You belong to me, I fill your mouth with dirt
The singer has complete control over the listener and can do whatever they please, even if it causes harm

(Hahaha)
The singer finds pleasure in the control and harm they cause

You can never leave
The artist has ensured that the listener will always be under their control and can never leave

I take your second digit with me, love
The artist has severed a part of the listener (possibly a finger) as a way of showing their power and control over them

You are my first
The listener is the singer's first choice and they hold a significant place in their life

I can barely breathe, I find you fascinating
The singer is deeply infatuated with the listener, even to the point of suffocation

You are my favorite
Out of all their possessions or people under their control, the listener is the artist's favorite

Lay you down to sleep
The artist wants the listener to rest and be still, possibly in a permanent sense

It's all that I can do to stop, love
The artist is struggling to control their urge to harm the listener, even though they love them

So blue, so broken, paper doll decays
The listener is fragile, easily broken, and disposable to the singer

I haven't left you yet
The artist has not abandoned the listener because their control and power over them is too strong

So cold, subversive, your eyes are full of bleach
The listener is emotionless and expressionless, possibly due to the singer's control and abuse

Tomorrow, I will go away again, love
The singer will leave the listener temporarily, but will inevitably come back to exert control over them again

Oh god, oh god
The singer is exclaiming in excitement or anticipation

Oh god, oh god, no god
The artist is experiencing conflicting and intense emotions

It makes us all one, tears us apart (shut up)
The artist wants the listener to shut up and stop resisting their control, as they believe it will bring them closer together despite it actually destroying them both

Tears us apart, it tears us apart (shut up)
The singer acknowledges that their control is causing harm but wants the listener to be quiet about it and continue to accept it

Tears us apart (shut up, shut up)
The singer is becoming agitated and impatient with the listener's resistance

It tears us apart
The artist acknowledges the harm caused by their control and abuse, but is unwilling or unable to stop

It cuts us up
The artist's control and abuse is literally and figuratively cutting both themselves and the listener

It cuts us
The artist's control is causing harm to both themselves and the listener

It cuts us, it cuts us
The harm caused by the singer's control is intensifying

It cuts us
The harm caused by the artist's control is ongoing and unending

You can't leave
The singer is repeating their control over the listener and making it clear that they have no choice in the matter

You are mine
The singer's control over the listener is possessive and ownership is implied

You will always be mine
The singer's control over the listener is permanent and will never change

I can tear you apart
The artist can cause physical and emotional harm to the listener at any time

I can recombine you
The artist can manipulate and control the listener's emotions and thoughts at will

All I want is to covet you all
The singer's only desire is to have complete control and ownership over the listener

You belong to me
The singer's control and ownership over the listener is absolute

I will kill you to love you
The artist's love and affection for the listener is so intense that they are willing to cause harm or even kill them

Do you, do you see? Do you see?
The artist is asking the listener to realize the depth of their control and abuse

My love
The artist's love is possessive and harmful

My, my, my love
The singer's love is obsessive and they want complete control over the listener

Just you and I in love
The artist wants to isolate the listener and have them completely to themselves

Just you and through it all
The singer's love will endure through any challenges or obstacles

It's you and I in love
The listener is the only person the singer cares about and they want to be in control of their every move

Just you and I in love
The singer is repeating their desire for isolation with the listener

It's you and I in love
The artist is emphasizing that the listener belongs to them and they will always be in control

It's you and I
The artist and listener are the only ones that matter, and the listener must always obey the artist's control and abuse

Just you and I turned around
The singer wants the listener to be dependent on them and always follow their lead

(My life) just you and I
The singer believes that the listener is the most important thing in their life and they will do anything to maintain control over them

It's you and I turned around
The artist wants the listener to be under their control and ultimately dependent on them

I can smell you all over me
The artist is obsessed with the listener and their scent

I can smell you
The artist is fixated on their control over the listener and the power it gives them

I can smell you all over me
The singer's obsession with the listener and their control over them is all-consuming

I told you
The artist is reminding the listener that they predicted what was going to happen

I fucking told you
The singer is upset that the listener did not listen to their warnings or obey their control

You'll live forever
The singer's control over the listener is so complete that they believe that the listener will never be able to escape or die

You'll live forever, hahaha
The singer finds pleasure in their control and abuse over the listener, even to the point of imagining it will be eternal

You will live forever
The artist's control over the listener will never end, even in death