In Spring of 2010 Unwoman released her fourth full-length self-produced album, Casualties. Its pressing was funded by fans on kickstarter, and its release coincided with a huge bump in her popularity due to several enthusiastic tweets from Amanda Palmer. In September 2011 she released Uncovered Volume 1, an album of dramatic reinterpretations of popular songs written betwen 1980 and 1995, also funded by fans via kickstarter.
Unwoman performs solo, with drummer Felix Macnee as Heavy Sugar Duo, and as a guest in other bands, throughout the US. Unwoman has performed solo at WorldCon (Reno, NV 2011), Steamcon I, II, and III (Seattle), Victoria Steam Exposition (Victoria, BC), Bats Day in the Fun Park (Anaheim, CA), Can't Stop the Serenity (Phoenix, AZ), Nova Albion (SF Bay Area), Fanime (San Jose, CA), and Teslacon (Madison, WI).
Destroy Everything You Touch
Unwoman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Destroy me this way
Anything that may desert you
So it cannot hurt you
You only have to look behind you
At who's undermined you
Destroy everything you touch today
Everything you touch you don't feel
Do not know what you steal
Shakes your hand
Takes your gun
Wants you out of the sun
What you touch you don't feel
Do not know what you steal
Destroy everything you touch today
Please destroy me this way
Destroy everything you touch today
Destroy me this way
Anything that may delay you
Might just save you
You only have to look behind you
At who's underlined you
Destroy everything you touch today
Destroy me this way
Everything you touch you don't feel
Do not know what you steal
Shakes your hand
Takes your gun
Wants you out of the sun
What you touch you don't feel
Do not know what you steal
Destroy everything you touch today
Please destroy me this way
Everything you touch you don't feel
Do not know what you steal
Shakes your hand
Takes your gun
Wants you out of the sun
What you touch you don't feel
Do not know what you steal
Destroy everything you touch today
Please destroy me this way
The lyrics of Unwoman's song "Destroy Everything You Touch" convey a message of self-destruction, specifically through the actions of those who seek to avoid pain by destroying anything or anyone that might hurt them. The first stanza suggests that the singer desires for the person they are addressing to destroy everything they touch, including the singer themselves, so that they cannot be hurt by them. The second stanza continues this theme, indicating that whoever the person is who is doing the destroying, they are not aware of the harm they are causing, which is emphasized by the repetition of "what you touch you don't feel." The third stanza acknowledges the possibility that destroying things may actually have some beneficial effects, as delaying certain things may ultimately save them. However, the chorus returns to the plea for destruction, and the repetition of "please destroy me this way" at the end of the song highlights the desperation and hopelessness of the singer's situation.
The tone of the song is melancholic and introspective, with a slow and deliberate pace that emphasizes the weight of the lyrics. The use of repetition in the chorus and throughout the song reinforces the sense of despair and futility, as the singer appears to be trapped in a cycle of destructive behavior that they cannot escape.
Overall, "Destroy Everything You Touch" is a powerful and emotive song that explores the complicated and often painful emotions associated with self-destruction.
Line by Line Meaning
Destroy everything you touch today
I want you to destroy anything that you come in contact with today.
Destroy me this way
I want you to destroy me in the same manner as you destroy everything else.
Anything that may desert you
Any object or person that may abandon or leave you.
So it cannot hurt you
To prevent anything that could potentially hurt you in the future.
You only have to look behind you
Just turn around and look at those who have betrayed you in the past.
At who's undermined you
The people who have weakened or sabotaged you in the past.
Everything you touch you don't feel
You have become numb to the things you interact with, and you cannot appreciate or understand them.
Do not know what you steal
You do not realize or care about the things you take from others without their consent.
Shakes your hand
The people you interact with in a friendly manner.
Takes your gun
Those who are trying to disarm you, to take away your power and control.
Wants you out of the sun
Those who want to diminish your presence, to prevent you from having any influence or power.
Anything that may delay you
Anything that could slow you down or hold you back from reaching your goals.
Might just save you
Delaying your actions could ultimately protect you from danger or harm.
What you touch you don't feel
You are desensitized to the things you come in contact with, and you do not fully comprehend the impact of your actions.
Please destroy me this way
I am asking you to treat me just like everything else you've destroyed.
Writer(s): Ladytron
Contributed by John N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.