Reflections
The River Lyrics


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Face the cultivation of barren minds
A waste of preservation that begins this worlds decline
I scorch the earth
To find what's underneath
The skin of gods and men
But I won't pretend
Death is free
Wanting to be
A god amongst men
I wanted to be skinned alive

Desperate hands for tasting death
I can't believe what we're coming to
I can't believe what we're coming to
Ruin
Ruin
Ruin

Follow the trail of bones
To ashes of war
No one sits on the throne of a god anymore
We peel and burn until we see the end
The face of god will show no emotion
When we take off his head
Try to breathe
When his life is taken from me
Peel back the skin of your god
And take a look what's underneath

Finding solace in the cold hard ground
Can you make me realize
Can you make me realize
Ruin
Ruin
Ruin

A beautiful afterlife now die
For something worth it now die
For every waste of life now die
I cut and peel and bleed out all of your lies
Don't trust the severed nature
Of those bastard cries
They'd do anything thing to preserve the hollow shell before his eyes

Peel back the skin of your god
And take a look at what's underneath




A hollow shell of hopes and dreams
Just like you and me

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to The River's song "Reflections" delve into themes of disillusionment, destruction, and the search for truth and meaning. The opening verse expresses frustration with the stagnation and ignorance of society, symbolized by barren minds. The singer feels compelled to eradicate the surface and delve deeper, scorching the earth to uncover the true nature of gods and men. However, they also acknowledge that death brings freedom and the aspiration to become a god among men, even desiring to be metaphorically skinned alive in their quest for enlightenment.


The chorus speaks of a descent into ruin, where the trail of bones leads to the ashes of war. The once mighty gods have lost their throne, and the relentless peeling and burning bring forth the end. The face of god, seen without emotion, is decapitated, symbolizing the stripping away of illusions and exposing the truth beneath. The singer struggles to breathe as their own life is taken away by this revelation. The bridge contemplates finding solace in the cold hard ground, perhaps suggesting that destruction and chaos may offer a different kind of truth.


The final verse emphasizes the futile pursuit of a beautiful afterlife, urging the listener to die for something truly worthwhile and not waste life. The singer continues to cut, peel, and bleed out the lies that surround them, showing a distrust for the empty promises and manipulations of others. The closing lines call for the audience to peel back the skin of their own gods, implying that beneath the external façade, everyone is merely a hollow shell, much like the gods they seek to understand.


Overall, "Reflections" is a lyrically intense and introspective song that explores the disillusionment and destruction inherent in the search for truth and meaning.


Line by Line Meaning

Face the cultivation of barren minds
Confront the futile efforts to nurture minds that lack creativity and growth


A waste of preservation that begins this worlds decline
The futile attempt to conserve and protect something that ultimately leads to the downfall of the world


I scorch the earth
I destroy everything and leave nothing behind


To find what's underneath
In search of the hidden truth or essence


The skin of gods and men
The superficial facade or appearance of both divine beings and humans


But I won't pretend
I refuse to deceive myself or others


Death is free
Mortality is inevitable and cannot be escaped


Wanting to be
Desiring to become


A god amongst men
To possess god-like power and authority in the realm of humans


I wanted to be skinned alive
I yearned for a transformative experience that would expose my true self


Desperate hands for tasting death
Hands filled with desperation reaching out to experience mortality


I can't believe what we're coming to
Expressing disbelief and disappointment regarding the current state of affairs


Ruin
Destruction and devastation


Follow the trail of bones
Trace the path of destruction and casualties


To ashes of war
The remnants and consequences of armed conflict


No one sits on the throne of a god anymore
No one holds the dominant or authoritative position like a god


We peel and burn until we see the end
We strip away and destroy until the ultimate outcome becomes clear


The face of god will show no emotion
The divine presence remains indifferent and unaffected


When we take off his head
When we remove the symbolic source of power and control


Try to breathe
Attempt to survive or find relief in a difficult situation


When his life is taken from me
When the source of authority or inspiration is lost


Peel back the skin of your god
Expose the true nature or essence of your perceived deity


And take a look what's underneath
Investigate and examine what lies beneath the surface


Finding solace in the cold hard ground
Discovering comfort or peace in the harsh and unforgiving reality


Can you make me realize
Can you help me understand or comprehend


Ruin
Destruction and devastation


A beautiful afterlife now die
An enchanting existence beyond death, now perish


For something worth it now die
Sacrifice for a cause or purpose that holds value


For every waste of life now die
For each futile existence, now meet your end


I cut and peel and bleed out all of your lies
I expose the falsehoods by dissecting and revealing the truth


Don't trust the severed nature
Beware of the detached and fragmented essence


Of those bastard cries
Of the deceitful and illegitimate expressions


They'd do anything thing to preserve the hollow shell before his eyes
They would go to great lengths to protect the empty facade that is seen


Peel back the skin of your god
Unveil the true nature or essence of your perceived deity


And take a look at what's underneath
Examine and explore what lies beneath the surface


A hollow shell of hopes and dreams
An empty and unfulfilled embodiment of aspirations and desires


Just like you and me
Similar to us in experiencing disappointments and unattained goals




Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Lucas Bowers

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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