Stabbing Westward is an American industrial rock and alternative rock band … Read Full Bio ↴Stabbing Westward is an American industrial rock and alternative rock band composed of Christopher Hall, Walter Flakus, Stuart Zechman, Jim Sellers and David Suycott. They formed in 1985 in Chicago, Illinois and began recording in the 1990s. Their major label debut was Ungod. Sales were sluggish but Stabbing Westward built a solid fanbase by relentless touring. In 1996, their Wither, Blister, Burn & Peel became a moderate success aided by the singles Shame and What Do I Have To Do.

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.

So Far Away
Stabbing Westward Lyrics

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Each night I feel the distance that has grown between us
Open up as lonely as the space between the stars
I wish that I could find a way
To smash my fist right through these walls
Of ugliness and emptiness
And gently touch your face

But every time that I touch you

You feel so far away
And every time that you need me
I feel so far away

As you lie silently beside me choking back your tears
I wonder if you recognize
That silence now defines us
Desperately I try to fight this overwhelming sense
That I may never find
The strength to change
How hopeless we've become

But every time that I touch you
You feel so far away
And every time that you need me
I feel so far away
Can I feel so far away?
(Feel so far away
I feel so far, far away)

We need to find a way to break this silence
that's between us
So I scream your name
I scream your name

But every time that I touch you
You feel so far away
And every time that you need me
You feel so far away
And every time that you reach out
You feel me pull away

And every time that I touch you, I touch you, I touch you
You feel so far away

Overall Meaning

"So Far Away" by Stabbing Westward is a poignant and emotional portrayal of a relationship that has grown distant and isolating. The lyrics convey a sense of loneliness, desperation, and a longing for reconnection. The singer expresses the desire to break through the walls that have been erected between him and his partner, to be close to them again, but every time he tries, it backfires, and they end up feeling further apart. The song's lyrics are full of vivid imagery, describing the distance between the two as being as vast as the space between stars.

In the first verse, the singer acknowledges the distance that has grown between him and his partner. He feels the gap that separates them and wishes he could eliminate it. He longs to break through the walls of "ugliness and emptiness" and touch the face of his loved one. However, every time he tries to bridge the distance, it feels like he fails, and his partner only feels further away. The singer then admits that he's not the only one feeling this way. His partner lies silently beside him, holding back tears, and he wonders if she too recognizes that silence now defines their relationship.

The chorus repeats the song's central message: that despite their proximity, the two characters can't seem to connect. They're each stuck in their own emotional universe, unable to reach out and touch the other. The bridge of the song breaks through to the heart of the issue. The singer admits that "silence defines us," and he's struggling with the "overwhelming sense" that they may never find their way back to each other. The song ends with a plea for action, a cry to "break this silence that's between us" and an appeal for closeness instead of distance.

Line by Line Meaning

Each night I feel the distance that has grown between us
I feel the emotional distance between us growing every night

Open up as lonely as the space between the stars
I feel as alone as the vastness of space

I wish that I could find a way
I want to find a solution

To smash my fist right through these walls
To break down the barriers between us

Of ugliness and emptiness
The negative feelings in our relationship

And gently touch your face
To show my affection towards you

But every time that I touch you
When I try to connect with you

You feel so far away
You seem emotionally distant

And every time that you need me
When you seek my help

I feel so far away
I feel unable to help you

As you lie silently beside me choking back your tears
You cry silently next to me

I wonder if you recognize
I question if you realize

That silence now defines us
Our lack of communication is now our defining trait

Desperately I try to fight this overwhelming sense
I struggle against this feeling of dread or despair

That I may never find
That I may be unable to discover

The strength to change
The ability to improve our relationship

How hopeless we've become
Our relationship feels beyond help

We need to find a way to break this silence
We must find a way to communicate

that's between us
The silence that has driven us apart

So I scream your name
I call out to you

And every time that you reach out
When you try to connect with me

You feel me pull away
You sense me withdrawing emotionally

And every time that I touch you, I touch you, I touch you
Each time I attempt to connect with you

You feel so far away
You still seem emotionally distant

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: James Eric Sellers, Walter Flakus, Andy Kubiszewski, Christopher Hall

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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