The follow-up was Darkest Days. Despite several strong singles including Save Yourself, It failed to sell as well as its predecessor, although it attracted attention in Canada and Australia, and the band was dropped from Columbia Records. They signed to Koch Records, issuing Stabbing Westward, which was a considerably more commercial effort than previous albums, but failed to make any impact on the mainstream charts. Before a fifth LP could be recorded, Stabbing Westward broke up in late 2002.
Since then, lead singer Hall has formed The Dreaming.
In 2019, the band reformed and began to release new (and archival) materials on COP International Productions intending to release a full-length album in 2022.
Dawn
Stabbing Westward Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Decided she can take no more
So let's fuck until we fall asleep
Please don't wake me when you leave
Just kiss me before you go
Kiss me before you go
Kiss me before you go
Funeral but nobody's died
Dressed in black and black inside
In the morning you'll be gone
The stranger that I'll never know
So please kiss me before you go
Kiss me before you go
Kiss me before you go
Promise to kiss me before you go
It's too late now too fall asleep
So just lie here and watch you breathe
In the morning you'll be gone
Like everything I've ever loved
So just kiss me before you go
Kiss me before you go
Kiss me before you go
Promise to kiss me before you go
Before you go
Before you go
Before you go
Kiss me before you go
Kiss me before you go
The lyrics of "Dawn" by Stabbing Westward are intense and emotionally charged, exploring themes of love, loss, and regret. The song opens with the lines "My angel, my reluctant whore / Decided she can take no more," immediately setting the tone for the rest of the track. The singer is clearly conflicted - on the one hand, they see their partner as an angel, but on the other, they feel like their relationship is based on deception and power dynamics. The line "So let's fuck until we fall asleep / Please don't wake me when you leave" suggests a temporary and superficial intimacy - the singer is aware that they're not really connecting with their partner, but they're willing to use sex as a way to numb their pain.
As the song progresses, the singer's sense of loss becomes more pronounced. The lines "Funeral but nobody's died / Dressed in black and black inside" paint a picture of a bleak, desolate landscape - the singer feels like they're already mourning the loss of their relationship, even though their partner is still physically present. The repetition of the lines "Kiss me before you go / Promise to kiss me before you go" underscores the singer's desperation and need for affirmation. They know deep down that their partner is going to leave them, but they're still holding out hope that they might be able to salvage something.
In the final lines of the song, the singer admits defeat: "In the morning you'll be gone / Like everything I've ever loved." The repetition of the line "Kiss me before you go" takes on a deeper meaning - it's not just about physical affection, but a plea for closure and a sense of resolution. Overall, "Dawn" is a powerful and poignant exploration of the complexities of human relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
My angel, my reluctant whore
Addressing a lover who is both dear and symbolic of a darker association with sexuality.
Decided she can take no more
The lover is ending the relationship or perhaps even their life.
So let's fuck until we fall asleep
A desperate attempt to grasp onto the physical intimacy while it still exists.
Please don't wake me when you leave
Avoiding the pain of waking up and realizing the lover is gone.
Just kiss me before you go
A final request for intimacy before the lover leaves.
Kiss me before you go
Repeating the final request as a plea.
Kiss me before you go
Repeating the final request as a plea.
Promise to kiss me before you go
A last attempt to ensure that there will be a final, intimate exchange.
Funeral but nobody's died
A metaphor for the end of a relationship or love affair.
Dressed in black and black inside
Suggesting a deep emotional pain.
In the morning you'll be gone
Acknowledging the inevitability of the lover's departure.
The stranger that I'll never know
Accepting the fact that the lover will become completely inaccessible.
So please kiss me before you go
Repeating the plea for intimate connection before the final departure.
Kiss me before you go
Again, repeating the plea for intimate connection before the final departure.
Kiss me before you go
Again, repeating the plea for intimate connection before the final departure.
Promise to kiss me before you go
One final repeated hope for intimate connection before the final departure.
It's too late now to fall asleep
Acknowledging that sleep is no longer an option after the lover's departure.
So just lie here and watch you breathe
Savoring the final moments of physical proximity and intimacy with the lover.
In the morning you'll be gone
Repeating the inevitability of the lover's departure.
Like everything I've ever loved
Implying that the pain of the lover's departure will be a recurring theme in the artist's life.
So just kiss me before you go
A final plea for intimate connection before the lover's final departure.
Kiss me before you go
Repeating the final plea for intimate connection before the lover's final departure.
Kiss me before you go
Repeating the final plea for intimate connection before the lover's final departure.
Promise to kiss me before you go
A final repeated hope for intimate connection before the lover's final departure.
Before you go
Addressing the lover directly with a final plea for intimate connection.
Before you go
Repeating the final plea for intimate connection before the lover's final departure.
Before you go
Repeating the final plea for intimate connection before the lover's final departure.
Kiss me before you go
One final plea for intimate connection before the lover's final departure.
Kiss me before you go
Repeating the final plea for intimate connection before the lover's final departure.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ANDY KUBISZEWSKI, CHRISTOPHER HALL, JAMES ERIC SELLERS, WALTER FLAKUS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind