The New Mastersounds are a four-piece funk band based in Leeds, England. Th… Read Full Bio ↴The New Mastersounds are a four-piece funk band based in Leeds, England. The band formed in February 1999. Their first single, One Note Brown, was released on Blow It Hard Records in 2000 and was produced by the critically acclaimed Northern Soul and funk DJ Keb Darge. Since this recording, the band have reached global recognition as a key band in the 'New Funk' scene. In 2006 they had a hit single with 'Your Love is Mine', which features their old friend from Leeds Corinne Bailey Rae on vocals.

Better Off Dead
The New Mastersounds Lyrics

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Tell me why don't you kill me
And put a gun against my head?
I'm better off dead
I'm better off dead

I want it over by now
Why don't you kill me with your love?
I'm better off dead

I'm better off dead

There's no time to regret
I'm laying naked on my bed
I'm better off dead
I'm better

To feel you
When you hold me
When you touch me
You said that you forgive me
'Cause you never hold me
'Cause you never touch me
You said that you forgive me

I want it over by now
Why don't you kill me with your love?
I'm better off dead
I'm better off dead

I've been fooling myself
I can't explain why I'm still here
I'm better off dead
I'm better

To feel you
When you hold me
When you touch me
You said that you forgive me
'Cause you never hold me
'Cause you never touch me
You said that you forgive
You always told me I'm the one to blame
But you never told me what's hiding behind these walls
An empty shell of faith desire and lust
So show me what you've got

To feel you
When you hold me
When you touch me
You said that you forgive me
'Cause you never hold me
'Cause you never touch me
You said that you forgive
You always told me I'm the one to blame
But you never told me what's hiding behind these walls

An empty shell of faith desire and lust
So show me what you've got

Overall Meaning

The song Better Off Dead by The New Mastersounds is a song that explores the theme of toxic relationships. The lyrics speak to the pain and confusion that can occur in a relationship that is unhealthy and damaging. The opening lines of the song, "Tell me why don't you kill me and put a gun against my head?" are metaphorical, expressing the intense emotional pain the singer is experiencing. The lyrics go on to suggest that the singer feels that death would be a relief from the emotional pain.

The chorus of the song, "I want it over by now, why don't you kill me with your love?" expresses the singer's desire for the relationship to end, but also the fear of letting go. The contradictory emotions of love and pain are apparent in the lyrics as the singer longs to feel the love of their partner but also feels angry and hurt. The lines "I've been fooling myself, I can't explain why I'm still here" suggest that the singer knows that the relationship is harmful, but they are unable to leave.

The lyrics also touch on the theme of forgiveness. The lines "You said that you forgive me, 'cause you never hold me, 'cause you never touch me, you said that you forgive me" express the idea that forgiveness does not necessarily lead to healing in a relationship. While forgiveness is offered, the relationship remains damaged and unfulfilling. The song concludes with a plea for honesty and openness in the relationship - "So show me what you've got" - but acknowledges that there may be nothing worth saving.

Line by Line Meaning

Tell me why don't you kill me And put a gun against my head?
I want to end my life, so why don't you do it for me?

I'm better off dead I'm better off dead
I believe that my life is not worth living and it would be better if I were dead.

I want it over by now Why don't you kill me with your love?
I want my misery to end, so why don't you end it with your love?

There's no time to regret I'm laying naked on my bed I'm better off dead I'm better
I have no regrets, and I'm lying in bed, feeling that death would be better than living like this.

To feel you When you hold me When you touch me You said that you forgive me 'Cause you never hold me 'Cause you never touch me You said that you forgive me
I want to feel loved and forgiven, but I feel neglected and alone.

I've been fooling myself I can't explain why I'm still here I'm better off dead I'm better
I've been lying to myself, and I don't know why I'm still alive. I believe that death would be better than living like this.

You always told me I'm the one to blame But you never told me what's hiding behind these walls An empty shell of faith desire and lust So show me what you've got
You always blame me for our problems, but you never tell me what's really wrong. I feel empty and unfulfilled, so prove to me that there's something worth living for.

Writer(s): Peter Shand, Eddie Roberts, Simon Allen, Robert Birch Copyright: Big World Publishing, Middleway Music Publishing

Contributed by Nicholas O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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