Lean told NPR that “Agony” was his interpretation of Alice In Wonderland and Beauty And The Beast.
The last refrain is featuring a Icelandic children’s choir, recorded at the same time as the Stranger short film was recorded.
“Agony” is the most minimalistic song off the Stranger album: Lean is blunt and honest with his experience with psychosis and how this has affected his relationship.
Agony
Yung Lean Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm chasing witches in the street
I'm the last page in your book
Can't write a song, only do hooks
Watching horses in the fields
The dragon rests in agony
When I'm afraid, I lose my mind
It's fine, it happens all the time
It's fine, it happens all the time
Isolation caved in
I adore you
The sound of your skin
So many lies that I've found
Blood, Heaven, I stick to the ground
So many times I realized
What I seek for is right in front of my eyes
I'm alone in a hole in the ground
A theater of dogs is still around
My furniture has come alive
I'm dancing with a candlestick tonight
Flying kites, raven outside my window
Smiles with fright
Isolation caved in
I adore you
The sound of your skin
Isolation caved in
I adore you
The sound of your skin
Isolation caved in
I adore you
The sound of your skin
In the first verse of Yung Lean's song "Agony," he describes a sense of aimlessness, perhaps exacerbated by drug use, as he chases witches in the street and watches horses in fields. He admits he can only write hooks, not full songs, suggesting a lack of creative energy or direction. He then references a dragon who is in agony, perhaps metaphorically symbolizing Yung Lean's own internal pain. He admits to losing his mind when afraid but reassures himself that it "happens all the time." This sense of inward turmoil and confusion continues into the second verse, where he speaks of isolation and lies, but also admits that what he seeks may already be in front of his eyes. He mentions being alone in a hole in the ground and dancing with a candlestick, suggesting a distorted sense of reality. He concludes with a poignant repetition of the line "isolation caved in, I adore you, the sound of your skin," seeking solace in physical touch or emotional connection.
Overall, "Agony" seems to depict a journey through mental turmoil, led by drugs, isolation, and a lack of creative direction, but ultimately leading to a yearning for connection and a sense of self-awareness.
* "Agony" was released in 2016 on Yung Lean's album "Warlord," which he produced while recovering from a car accident that left him with a broken collarbone and shattered ribs.
* The song's original title was "Higashi2001," which was the name of a Japanese skateboarding video that sampled a song used in the "Agony" beat.
* Its beat was produced by Yung Sherman, one of Yung Lean's frequent collaborators in the Swedish Sad Boys collective.
* The song's music video features Yung Lean wearing a cowboy hat and performing various rituals and dances in a desert landscape.
* In an interview, Yung Lean described the song as being about feeling like a "a little kid" and not knowing what was happening, but also having an "unexplainable sense of satisfaction."
* The opening lines of the song, "Take a pill and go to sleep," were reportedly inspired by a fan's tweet that suggested those words would make a good song lyric.
* The song was praised by critics for its introspective and vulnerable lyrics, as well as its minimal production that complements Yung Lean's languid flow.
* In concert, "Agony" is often one of the highlights of Yung Lean's setlist, with fans rapping along and swaying to the song's hypnotic beat.
* Music critics have noted similarities between "Agony" and the work of artists like Lil Peep and Juice WRLD, who have also explored themes of mental health struggles and drug use in their music.
* The chords for the song are Dm - Bb - F - C, played in a repeating pattern throughout most of the track.
Chords: Dm - Bb - F - C
Line by Line Meaning
Take a pill and go to sleep
I rely on medication to escape my troubles and fall asleep
I'm chasing witches in the street
My imagination runs wild, leading me to chase after things that aren't real
I'm the last page in your book
I feel like an afterthought or a forgotten part of someone else's story
Can't write a song, only do hooks
I lack the creativity to write a complete song, so I only come up with catchy choruses
Watching horses in the fields
I find solace and peace in the simple things in life, like watching horses graze in a field
The dragon rests in agony
Even the most powerful and ferocious beings can experience pain and suffering
When I'm afraid, I lose my mind
Fear can have a paralyzing effect on me and cloud my judgment
It's fine, it happens all the time
I've accepted that this is just a part of who I am and how I react to things
Isolation caved in
Being alone and cut off from the world has taken its toll on my mental health
I adore you
In the midst of my struggles, I find love and affection to be a comforting presence
The sound of your skin
Even the smallest details of someone I care about, like the sound of their skin, can bring me peace
So many lies that I've found
I've been hurt by so many people being dishonest with me
Blood, Heaven, I stick to the ground
I feel rooted and grounded, despite the chaos and violence around me
So many times I realized
I've had moments of clarity and self-awareness amidst my struggles
What I seek for is right in front of my eyes
Sometimes I overlook the things I truly need or want because they seem too obvious or simple
I'm alone in a hole in the ground
I feel completely isolated and trapped in my own darkness
A theater of dogs is still around
Even in the bleakest of situations, there can still be hope and companionship
My furniture has come alive
My imagination has taken over, causing objects to seem like they have a life of their own
I'm dancing with a candlestick tonight
I'm finding joy and escape in something as simple as dancing alone with a candlestick
Flying kites, raven outside my window
There are moments of beauty and simplicity in life, even in the midst of pain and fear
Smiles with fright
Even when I'm scared or anxious, I can still find happiness and joy in small moments
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Carl-Mikael Berlander, Jonatan Leandoer Hastad
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@etiennerabiller7995
Take a pill and go to sleep
I'm chasing witches in the street
I'm the last page in your book
Can't write a song, only do hooks
Watching horses in the fields
The dragon rests in agony
When I'm afraid I lose my mind
It's fine, it happens all the time
When I'm afraid I lose my mind
It's fine, it happens all the time
Isolation caved in
I adore you, the sound of your skin
So many lies that I found
Blood, Heaven, I stick to the ground
So many times I realized
What I seek for is right in front of my eyes
I'm alone in a hole in the ground
A theater of dogs is still around
My furniture has come alive
I'm dancing with a candlestick tonight
Flying kites reaping outside my window
Smiles with fright
Isolation caved in
I adore you, the sound of your skin
Isolation caved in
I adore you, the sound of your skin
Isolation caved in
I adore you, the sound of your skin
@ProdSpectra
When he said
Take a pill and go to sleep
I'm chasing witches in the street
I'm the last page in your book
Can't write a song, only do hooks
Watching horses in the fields
The dragon rests in agony
When I'm afraid, I lose my mind
It's fine, it happens all the time
When I'm afraid, I lose my mind
It's fine, it happens all the time
Isolation caved in
I adore you
The sound of your skin
So many lies that I've found
Blood, Heaven, I stick to the ground
So many times I realized
What I seek for is right in front of my eyes
I'm alone in a hole in the ground
A theater of dogs is still around
My furniture has come alive
I'm dancing with a candlestick tonight
Flying kites, raven outside my window
Smiles with fright
Isolation caved in
I adore you
The sound of your skin
Isolation caved in
I adore you
The sound of your skin
Isolation caved in
I adore you
The sound of your skin
I felt that
@anuragsaha2632
Verse 1]
Take a pill and go to sleep
I'm chasing witches in the street
I'm the last page in your book
Can't write a song, only do hooks
Watching horses in the fields
The dragon rests in agony
When I'm afraid I lose my mind
It's fine, it happens all the time
When I'm afraid I lose my mind
It's fine, it happens all the time
[Refrain]
Isolation caved in
I adore you, the sound of your skin
[Verse 2]
So many lies that I found
Blood, Heaven, night stick to the ground
So many times I realized
Wanna seek forest right infront of my eyes
I'm alone in a hole in the ground
A theater of ducks is still around
My furniture has come alive
I'm dancing with a candlestick tonight
Flying kites reaping outside my window
Smiles with fries
[Refrain]
Isolation caved in
I adore you, the sound of your skin [x3]
@rarefiction4690
take a pill and go to sleep,
im chasing witches in the street,
im the last page in ur book,
cant write a song only do hooks,
watching horses in the fields,
the dragon rests in agony,
when im afraid i lose my mind,
its fine it happens all the time,
when im afraid i lose my mind,
its fine it happens all the time,
isolation caved in,
i adore u, the sound of ur skin
so many lies that i found,
lord, heaven, i stick to the ground,
so many times i realise,
what i seek for is right in front of my eyes,
im alone in a hole in the ground,
a theatre of dogs is still around,
my furniture has come alive,
im dancing with a candlestick tonight,
flying kites reaping outside my window,
smiles with fright
isolation caved in,
i adore u the sound of ur skin,
isolation caved in,
i adore u the sound of ur skin,
isolation caved in,
i adore u the sound of ur skin
@deathknigt3000
This sounds like heaven, but it hurts like hell.
@VadimkaMr
i was thinking about few months how i feel about this song............. but now i see your comment , and it's exacly how it feels ....... i hope you do well ...
@quin642
How are you doinf both guys
@aluryne
I See you everywhere man.
@deathknigt3000
@@aluryne I’m always around :)
@PeepGamePopoff
🎯🎯🎯
@katiepfeiffer6605
I did some 'research' so I sound less stupid... So this song is about reflecting on what happened when he was in Miami in 2015. "I'm chasing witches in the street" is referring to him looking for drug lords' 'potions', "watching horses in the field" is Yung Lean recalling himself staying with his father at his rural house in Sweden after he got out of the hospital, "The dragons rest in agony" is referring to the amount of drugs he took in Miami, "when I'm afraid I lose my mind" is him referring to how he would stay up late in Miami and he was writing a book on his phone called "heaven" which he was recalling nightmares from his childhood and/or how he checked his snapchat after he got a nosebleed and his girlfriend just so happen to have one aswell and feelings started to pour over him and he started to tear apart the condo he was staying in, "Isolation caved it, I adore you, the sound of your skin" is referring to how Yung felt at that time in his life since he was suffering from manic episodes and felt utterly alone, he is expressing his need for human touch, "My furniture has come alive" is referring to him tearing apart his condo, "I'm dancing with a candlestick tonight" is referring to his isolation.
@wxrlord
it’s amazing to know that yung lean made through Miami. I don’t know anyone that would be able to go through what yung lean did, feeling isolated and paranoid.
@ceramikxxx5882
Mind blown
@nitewalker11
"my furniture has come alive" and "im dancing with a candlestick tonight" are also beauty and the beast references, with leandoer being the beast