Sanctified
The Veronicas Lyrics
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In over your head this time
I'll take you down to the river
Baby just you and I
(Baby just you and I)
I'll push you down a little deeper
Under that full moon sky
Just one breath from the other side
(breath from the other side)
Take me down to the river (I'll take you down to the river)
In over my head this time
Take me down to the river (I'll take you down to the river)
You're making me lose my mind
Take me down to the river (Take me down to the river)
Where the dirty get sanctified
Sanctified
I'll watch you sink in
I'll know that there's nobody else
Sanctified
Oh, I'll watch you sink in
I'll know that there's nobody else
Sanctified
Where did you come from?
Sanctified
The Veronicas's song Sanctified paints a picture of being pushed to the limit, pushed to the edge, and finding solace in a river. It's clear from the lyrics that the singer is taking someone they care about to a river to help them find closure, faithfulness or comfort. The lines "Follow me to the river, in over your head this time" suggest that the individual the singer is trying to help may be in desperate circumstances. The singer promises to "take you down to the river" and push the individual "down a little deeper," giving the impression that the singer is taking control of the situation and making the individual confront their fears head-on. They promise that in time, with effort and commitment, they will get "just one breath from the other side" (the other side presumably being a place of calm, resolution or acceptance).
The song taps into the theme of redemption, referring to the river as a place where the "dirty get sanctified." The singer is aware of the burden the individual is carrying, and the lines "you're making me lose my mind" indicate that it's not easy to help. However, they also suggest that, despite the difficulties, they are committed to seeing the process through. The repetition of "sanctified, I'll watch you sink in, I'll know that there's nobody else" brings home the idea that the singer is the only person the individual can rely on to help them get through this.
Line by Line Meaning
Follow me to the river
Come with me to the place of life, where the water flows and the currents run deep
In over your head this time
You may not be ready, but it's too late to turn back now
I'll take you down to the river
I'll show you the way, I'll be your guide through the darkness and the unknown
Baby just you and I (Baby just you and I)
It's just you and me, no one else matters in this moment
I'll push you down a little deeper
I'll challenge you, I'll push you to your limits to see what you're made of
Under that full moon sky
In the light of the moon, where the truth is revealed and our emotions are heightened
I'll get you a little closer
I'll bring you closer to the edge, to the brink of something new and exciting
Just one breath from the other side (breath from the other side)
One step away from crossing the line, from experiencing something you've never felt before
Take me down to the river (I'll take you down to the river)
Lead me to the place where I can be reborn, where I can leave my old self behind
You're making me lose my mind
You're driving me crazy, in the best way possible
Where the dirty get sanctified
The place where the broken and the lost find redemption, where their sins are washed away
Sanctified
Made pure, made new, made whole
I'll watch you sink in
I'll be there with you, every step of the way, as you give in to the current
I'll know that there's nobody else
In this moment, it's just me and you, lost in the current of the river
Where did you come from?
I never expected to find someone like you, someone who could take me to the edge
Contributed by Bailey D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.