Regret
This Wonderful Nothing Lyrics
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If that were the case I'd be a first rate genius
I should be learning, growing, changing in myself
But now what you see is an empty, screwed-up shell
All my promises turned to lies
Tainting my memories of you
I can never heal your tearful eyes
How can I have thought it's funny how
These things have worked out
When I've left this burning trail of pain
And all I want to do to save myself
Is tear me apart in a heedless, bloody sacrifice.
The words that fall out of my mouth
Are so out of tune with all I feel
My mind is left in disarray
The wounds I've torn will never heal
They say we're supposed to learn from our mistakes
If that were the case I'd be a first rate genius
The lyrics of Regret by This Wonderful Nothing delve into the disappointment and self-blame that follow a relationship gone wrong. The opening lines suggest that the singer is aware of the concept of learning from one's mistakes, but despite this knowledge, they feel like an empty, screwed-up shell incapable of growth or change. The next verse explains the feelings of guilt that come from making promises that couldn't be kept and realizing that those lies are now forever intertwined with the memories of the person they hurt. The haunting image of their tearful eyes lingers with the singer and causes them remorse.
The chorus of the song emphasizes the singer's regret and self-loathing. They can't believe that they found any humor in how things have turned out because all they've left behind is pain. The closing lines of the chorus are very powerful as the singer confesses their desire to self-destruct in a bloody sacrifice in order to save themselves. The final verse speaks to the confusion and inner turmoil that the singer is grappling with. Their words don't match their feelings and their mind is in disarray. They're aware that they've inflicted wounds that will never truly heal.
Overall the lyrics of Regret by This Wonderful Nothing are impactful in their honesty and vulnerability. They speak to the universal experience of making mistakes in relationships and the pain that comes with it. The song has a quiet, haunting quality that emphasizes the feelings of sadness and regret.
Line by Line Meaning
They say we're supposed to learn from our mistakes
It's widely known that we should learn from our mistakes
If that were the case I'd be a first rate genius
Implying that the singer has made so many mistakes that they should be a genius by now
I should be learning, growing, changing in myself
The singer knows they should be developing from their mistakes
But now what you see is an empty, screwed-up shell
Instead, they feel like a hollowed-out, messed-up version of themselves
All my promises turned to lies
The artist has broken all their promises
Tainting my memories of you
Their mistakes have affected their memories of someone else
I can never heal your tearful eyes
The singer knows they can't make up for the pain they caused someone else
They haunt me through the night
Their regret keeps them up at night
How can I have thought it's funny how
The artist is confused about their previous perspective
These things have worked out
Implying that nothing has actually worked out
When I've left this burning trail of pain
The singer recognizes the negative impact they've had on others
And all I want to do to save myself
The artist wants to make things right for themselves
Is tear me apart in a heedless, bloody sacrifice.
But deep down they know it would be a painful, self-destructive process
The words that fall out of my mouth
The singer recognizes their words don't align with their feelings
Are so out of tune with all I feel
Their words feel fake and empty
My mind is left in disarray
Their mind is chaotic due to their regrets
The wounds I've torn will never heal
The artist knows they can never fully repair the harm they've caused
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Phlip Walker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind