Holy Image of Lies
Sum 41 Lyrics


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I don't believe, I think I'm falling asleep
Is this beginning or ending? Am I stuck in a dream?
I don't wanna know what I think, I suppose
Out of the light into this timely demise
And there's a cross on the hill, the holy image of lies
I've opened my mind, but this dream is still real

You don't need to worry, I'm just fine
I've just lost my mind

Tell me it's over 'cause I don't feel a thing at all
No conscience, not no more, senses all have disappeared
Am I at all alive tonight? Paranoid, am I to run?
Am I at all alive tonight? Crash and fall suicide with me

Look in my eyes, tell me I'm alright
I don't know if I'm still alive
If this is goodbye, forever's just a lie,
But big enough to make you wanna try

In just one life how can we
Live enough to rest in peace
In just one life (just one life)
How can we live enough to rest in peace now

Oh oh oh oh

Here as I stand, hand in hand, and one hand on my heart




As I depart, it's not so hard, what a day to become a man
You have your scars but I never thought that you would give me none

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Sum 41's "Holy Image of Lies" seem to revolve around a sense of confusion, disillusionment, and uncertainty. The opening lines suggest that the singer is unsure of whether they are in the beginning or end of something, whether they are awake or asleep. They also express a reluctance to confront their own thoughts, to delve into the truth that might be uncomfortable or unpleasant. The reference to a "timely demise" indicates a sense of fatalism, a belief that the end is coming and there is no avoiding it.


The central image of the song is a cross on a hill, which the singer calls the "holy image of lies". This phrase underscores their sense of disillusionment with faith and religion, and suggests that the singer may have lost faith in a higher power or in the idea that there is an ultimate truth or meaning to life. Throughout the song, they express a sense of detachment and numbness, as if they are disconnected from their own emotions and senses. The repeated questioning of whether they are "alive tonight" creates a sense of existential angst and uncertainty.


Despite this sense of confusion, the song ends on a note of hopefulness, with the suggestion that even in the face of uncertainty and despair, it is worth trying to find meaning and purpose in life. The final lines about having "just one life" and needing to "live enough to rest in peace" suggest that the singer is grappling with the idea of mortality and the need to make the most of the time they have.


Line by Line Meaning

I don't believe, I think I'm falling asleep
I am unsure if what I am experiencing is real or not, and it is causing me to feel tired and disconnected.


Is this beginning or ending? Am I stuck in a dream?
I cannot discern if what I am going through is the start of something new or the conclusion of something else. The situation is difficult to process, like a confusing dream.


I don't wanna know what I think, I suppose
My thoughts and feelings are unclear and uncertain. I am not sure what to do about them.


Out of the light into this timely demise
I have moved out of a bright, positive space and into something that feels like destruction or collapse. This shift is happening quickly.


And there's a cross on the hill, the holy image of lies
Religious symbols like a cross are supposed to represent truth and purity, but in this case, it seems that these symbols are misrepresenting the truth or hiding something darker.


I've opened my mind, but this dream is still real
Even though I have tried to think more openly and critically about my situation, it still feels like something I cannot escape or control.


You don't need to worry, I'm just fine I've just lost my mind
I am telling others that I am okay, but in reality, I feel like I have gone crazy or become mentally unstable.


Tell me it's over 'cause I don't feel a thing at all
I am hoping that my difficult situation has come to an end, but at the same time, I feel numb and unable to process any emotions.


No conscience, not no more, senses all have disappeared
I feel like I have lost my ability to tell right from wrong or make moral judgments. My ability to perceive the world around me feels dulled or gone.


Am I at all alive tonight? Paranoid, am I to run?
I am questioning whether I even feel alive anymore, and whether I should take extreme actions to escape my situation. I am feeling incredibly fearful and on-edge.


Am I at all alive tonight? Crash and fall suicide with me
I am feeling so overwhelmed that I feel like I could die, and I am wondering if anyone else feels the same way. I am suggesting that we could 'fall together' through a dangerous or self-destructive action.


Look in my eyes, tell me I'm alright I don't know if I'm still alive
I am seeking reassurance from others that everything is okay or that I am still 'here,' but I am not even sure if I myself am really alive or present anymore.


If this is goodbye, forever's just a lie, But big enough to make you wanna try
If it turns out that I am about to exit this world, then the idea of 'forever' (an afterlife, perhaps) seems like a fabrication. However, this notion is still powerful and meaningful enough to make people want to continue living and striving anyway.


In just one life how can we Live enough to rest in peace In just one life (just one life) How can we live enough to rest in peace now
I am questioning how it is possible to live a fulfilling and peaceful life in such a short timespan. I am wondering if it is even possible to find rest or contentment in this world.


Here as I stand, hand in hand, and one hand on my heart As I depart, it's not so hard, what a day to become a man You have your scars but I never thought that you would give me none
As I prepare to leave or part with someone, I am recognizing the journey that we have been on and the challenges that we have faced. While I have come out with my own set of scars or wounds, I never expected the other person to hurt me in this way.




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Deryck Jason Whibley

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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