Decompose
The Honor System Lyrics
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Stumbling silhouette just broke the ashtray
Try to remember why you're in my room
The cocaine never lets you sleep
It only supplements the drinking
Did a chemical reaction transform you to this?
I don't know what I'd do
Down on your knees saying your prayers
The whites in your eyes
Turned to yellow
You're decomposing
Tobacco stained teeth hide behind cracking lips
Makes smiling hard without bleeding
It's spinning out of control
This condition far worse than critical
Pinch myself awake but this is no dream
Wither and die in front of me
There's been a big mistake 'cause that shit you drank
Was no love potion
You're trying hard but getting nothing
I won't play a part in this game of you self-destruction
Step outside you're getting nothing
The Honor System's song 'Decompose' is a poignant and powerful portrayal of addiction and the devastating effects it has on individuals. The opening lines, "I awake to shades of grey, stumbling silhouette just broke the ashtray," paint a picture of a chaotic and turbulent scene. The singer finds themselves in the presence of someone who is addicted to cocaine and drinking heavily. The cocaine is preventing the individual from sleeping, which leads to a pattern of self-destruction. The line, "Did a chemical reaction transform you to this?" indicates the singer's confusion and despair at witnessing someone they care about deteriorating in front of them.
The chorus, "The whites in your eyes turned to yellow, you're decomposing," highlights the physical toll addiction takes on the body. The person's teeth are tobacco-stained, and their lips are cracked, making it difficult for them to smile without bleeding. The line, "wither and die in front of me," is a haunting and heartbreaking observation of the reality of addiction.
The final verse is a culmination of the singer's desperation and refusal to enable the person's self-destructive behavior any longer. They refuse to play a part in the game of addiction and urge the person to step outside and get nothing. These lyrics capture the complexities of addiction and the pain it causes for both the individuals and the people close to them.
Line by Line Meaning
I awake to shades of grey
I wake up feeling indifferent, without much emotion or color in my life.
Stumbling silhouette just broke the ashtray
Someone stumbled into my room and accidentally broke my ashtray, possibly due to being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Try to remember why you're in my room
I can't recall why this person is in my room, possibly due to my own intoxication or memory loss.
The cocaine never lets you sleep
Someone is using cocaine to stay awake and continue their destructive behavior.
It only supplements the drinking
Cocaine is only making the drinking worse by keeping them awake and increasing their level of intoxication.
Did a chemical reaction transform you to this?
I wonder if this person's behavior is due to a chemical reaction or if it's just who they are as a person.
I don't know what I'd do
I'm unsure of how I would react if I were to see this person outside of my nightmares.
If I ever saw you outside of my nightmares
This person's behavior is so disturbing and destructive that I only ever see them in my nightmares.
Down on your knees saying your prayers
This person's behavior has led them to a point where they're praying for some kind of salvation.
The whites in your eyes
The person's eyes, which should be white, have turned yellow due to their behavior and substance abuse.
Turned to yellow
The person's eyes have become discolored due to their drug use and poor health.
You're decomposing
This person's body and mind are deteriorating due to their self-destructive behavior.
Tobacco stained teeth hide behind cracking lips
The person's poor health and substance abuse have caused their teeth and lips to become damaged and discolored.
Makes smiling hard without bleeding
Smiling is painful and difficult for this person due to the damage to their teeth and lips.
It's spinning out of control
This person's behavior is spiraling out of control, and they're unable to stop it on their own.
This condition far worse than critical
The person's condition is beyond critical and is rapidly deteriorating.
Pinch myself awake but this is no dream
I can't believe what I'm seeing, but unfortunately it's the horrible reality of this person's situation.
Wither and die in front of me
I'm watching this person slowly deteriorate and die in front of me.
There's been a big mistake 'cause that shit you drank
The person consumed a dangerous substance that has had severe negative consequences on their health.
Was no love potion
The substance consumed was not a love potion as the person may have thought, but instead something very harmful.
You're trying hard but getting nothing
This person is putting in effort to change their behavior, but unfortunately it's not leading to any positive outcomes.
I won't play a part in this game of self-destruction
I refuse to enable or take part in this person's self-destructive behavior.
Step outside you're getting nothing
If this person doesn't change their behavior and get their life on track, they won't receive any support or help from me.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
WoeBoeT
Thanks for putting this online :D On of the best punk albums ever recorded
UncalledForGiraffe
Wow. This song is awesome. Never heard of these guys before. From what I've heard they're great. Wish I could find more of their stuff, seems like no one knows about them. People always say that "This is the most underrated band of all time." on music videos. I truly think this is the one that's the most underrated.
LetterToVoltaire
Best song on the album
UncalledForGiraffe
So I hear. Rise Against is how I found them. My favorite band :D
shaneSAYSchoke
I'm 25 now... I downloaded this when I was about 13? Off of Napster or AudioGalaxy or one of those sites... back in the music sharing golden age. I've done an excellent job of backing up and maintaining my music collection since and somehow still have this album. Some of the members of this band went on to form Rise Against.
FuelledByHamish
“Tim McIlrath sang the songs on their demo and on the debut album Single File (the one this song was on).” No. Tim only ever had one song of his own – “Single File” (the song, not the album) – and only ever sang backing vocals on the other two songs from the demo and on a second early demo of “Fool’s Gold” that was released on the compilation Oil: A Chicago Punk Rock Compilation. He absolutely does not feature at all on Single File the album or on any release except those two.
FuelledByHamish
Some? Try just one. Tim left and later joined with the remains of 88 Fingers Louie to start Rise Against. Dan, Rob, and Nolan stayed in The Honor System – the first two until the band’s indefinite hiatus, the last until after their second release, 100% Synthetic (an EP).
shaneSAYSchoke
I added the info to the description for you.
High Brow Comedy
Didn't Dan Hanaway sing on this, as well as most of the other Honor System songs?
Julia Plous
@Chin Lizzy Sorry, I left those boxes of CD’s in the alley a few years ago.