The Iron
The Swellers Lyrics


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Which one is the loser?
Which one is the faker?
Drown again, it's part of the act so don't hold me back.
I'm sick, and I'm tired of throwing the anchor down,
But it'll keep us all on track.

We either do this now, or we don't.
We need to do this right now, or we won't.
You came a long way with crutches to save yourself.

I know, it's part of the act.
Bullshit, try again.
Once you earn some credit you'll spend it, too.
No big surprise again.
We either do this now, or we don't.




We need to do this right now, or we won't.
No time left for anyone.

Overall Meaning

In The Swellers's song "The Iron," the lyrics seem to be a commentary on the competitive world of the music industry, where it's hard to tell who is the winner and who is the loser. The opening lines, "Which one is the loser? Which one is the faker?" suggest that everyone is putting on a front, and that the pressure to perform is so great that it's inevitable that some people will fail. The lines "Drown again, it's part of the act so don't hold me back" seem to be a reference to the idea of sinking or swimming, and the feeling that failure is something that must be endured in order to succeed.


As the song continues, the lyrics become more introspective, with lines like "I'm sick, and I'm tired of throwing the anchor down, but it'll keep us all on track." This seems to suggest a feeling of being stuck in a situation that is both oppressive and necessary. The lines "We either do this now, or we don't. We need to do this right now, or we won't" suggest that there is a sense of urgency to succeed, and that procrastination or hesitation will only lead to failure. The final line, "No time left for anyone," seems to suggest a feeling of desperation and a desire to succeed at any cost.


Line by Line Meaning

Which one is the loser?
Who between us has failed?


Which one is the faker?
Who is lying or pretending to be someone they're not?


Drown again, it's part of the act so don't hold me back.
I am intentionally making myself suffer, so don't try to stop me.


I'm sick, and I'm tired of throwing the anchor down, But it'll keep us all on track.
I am tired of slowing us down, but I know it's necessary for our success.


We either do this now, or we don't.
We have to make a decision, either to move forward or not.


We need to do this right now, or we won't.
If we don't act quickly, we won't achieve our goals.


You came a long way with crutches to save yourself.
You have overcome many obstacles to get where you are now.


I know, it's part of the act.
I am aware that my behavior is intentional and for show.


Bullshit, try again.
What you have said is not true, try telling me the truth.


Once you earn some credit you'll spend it, too.
Once you have achieved something, you will use it to your advantage.


No big surprise again.
This is not unexpected.


No time left for anyone.
We have run out of time for anyone else to make a decision, we must act now.




Contributed by Claire T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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