ThouShaltNot have built strong fanbases through their national tours and their work with acts such as The Dresden Dolls, VNV Nation, Alphaville and David J (of Bauhaus). Their club hits "Cardinal Directions," "Without Faith," "Last Comfort," and "Inside of You, In Spite of You," have been played at nearly every dark alternative and goth venue in America, while their more organic "True Love" and "When Everyone Forgets" have appeared to acclaim on high profile compilations that exceed the limits of genre.
ThouShaltNot's music, throughout its thoughtful subject matter, is hook-laden and complex in its emotional and intellectual architecture. With their latest releases, Land Dispute and the New World EP, ThouShaltNot is poised to change the way you think and feel about music.
The band consists of: Alex Reed (vocals, keyboards, guitars, programming, samples), Aaron Fuleki (percussion, programming, samples, guitars, backing vocals) and Jeremy David (guitars, backing vocals, piano, keyboards, programming).
The Sting
ThouShaltNot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dream of silvanite again
Dark and bitter and I consider
My need to scatter and beat and batter
Within
Final thought from here on out
Sleep in silence cry out loud
Say with smile it's not your style
Your mouth
When you ran away alone
Burn your britches and burn your home
Sour taste is pulling hard
And a three board layer is all you've known
When you ran away alone
Sell the world take out a loan
And if the train goes off the track
Burn down everything you own
For me
Little game of give and give
Dream of how you wanna live
Freeze and harden your secret garden
Lift the fetter now you had better
Forgive
Little by little attention caught
Sleep like it's a passing thought
Sting and cripple an ocean's ripple
Of boiling water is all his daughter
Sought
Your voice everytime
Making water from the finest wine
The lyrics of ThouShaltNot's song The Sting seem to be exploring themes of bitterness, regret, and possibly self-destructive tendencies. The repeated references to a "sting" suggest something that is painful and difficult to bear, and it seems to be related to the idea of running away from one's problems rather than facing them head-on. The idea of dreaming of "silvanite" (which is a type of mineral that was used in ancient times for decorative purposes) suggests a desire for something beautiful and unattainable, perhaps as a substitute for dealing with unpleasant realities. The last line of the song, "Making water from the finest wine," might be interpreted as a kind of miraculous transformation or redemption, turning something that is bitter into something sweet and life-giving.
The verses of the song contain several images that seem to illustrate the themes of the lyrics. The second verse, for example, describes burning one's home and belongings as a way of escaping from the past, while the final verse talks about the power of forgiveness to release the chains that bind us. Throughout the song, there is a sense of struggle and uncertainty, as if the singer is caught between conflicting desires and impulses.
Overall, the lyrics of The Sting seem to be about the difficulty of facing one's problems and the possibility of transformation through hardship and pain.
Line by Line Meaning
Final word of now and then
Reflecting on past decisions and choices
Dream of silvanite again
Longing for a simpler and happier time
Dark and bitter and I consider
Feeling pessimistic and contemplating negative actions
My need to scatter and beat and batter
Desiring to lash out and cause destruction
Within
Internally, inside oneself
Final thought from here on out
Making a decision for the future
Sleep in silence cry out loud
Feeling conflicted and unsure about expressing emotions
Say with smile it's not your style
Putting on a facade to hide true feelings
Run to your father the sting that bothers
Seeking comfort and safety from one's father
Your mouth
The source of the pain or discomfort
When you ran away alone
Leaving behind a familiar and safe environment
Burn your britches and burn your home
Destroying everything that was once owned or loved
Sour taste is pulling hard
Feeling regret and bitterness about the past
And a three board layer is all you've known
Having only experienced a limited and confined life
Sell the world take out a loan
Trying to escape from reality and start anew, at any cost
And if the train goes off the track
Dealing with unexpected and catastrophic events
Burn down everything you own
Feeling a complete loss of control and giving in to destruction
For me
Making a sacrifice or taking drastic actions for someone else
Little game of give and give
Playing a back-and-forth game with oneself or others
Dream of how you wanna live
Aspiring for a better and happier life
Freeze and harden your secret garden
Protecting one's innermost secrets and emotions
Lift the fetter now you had better
Realizing the need to break free from something or someone
Forgive
Letting go of negative feelings and finding peace
Little by little attention caught
Slowly becoming aware of something
Sleep like it's a passing thought
Feeling like time is fleeting and unsure of the future
Sting and cripple an ocean's ripple
Causing pain and destruction on a massive scale
Of boiling water is all his daughter sought
A negative outcome was desired by someone close
Your voice everytime
The sound of the person's voice is always present
Making water from the finest wine
The person has the power to turn something good into something bad
Contributed by Claire A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.