Cut it out - your self-inflicted pain
Is getting too routine
The crowds are catching on
To the self inflicted song

Well, here we go again
The art of acting weak
Fall in love to fail
To boost your CD sales

(And that CD sells - yeah, what a hit)
You've got to repeat it
You gotta' sink to swim
If at first you don't succeed

You gotta recreate your misery
'Cause we all know art is hard
Young artists have got to starve
Try, and fail, and try again

The comforts of repetition
Keep churning out those hits
'Til it's all the same old shit

Oh, a second verse!
Well, color me fatigued
I'm hiding in hte leaves
In the CD jacket sleeves

Tired of entertaining
Some double-dipped meaning
A soft serve analogy
This drunken angry slur

In thirty-one flavors
You gotta' sink to swim
Immerse yourself in rejection
Regurgitate some sorry tale

About a boy who sells his love affairs
You gotta' fake the pain
You better make it sting
You're goin' break a long

When you get on stage
And they scream your name
"Oh, Cursive is so cool!"

You gotta sink to swim
Impersonate greater persons
'Cause we all know art is hard
When we don't know who we are



Lyrics submitted by ruben, edited by Mellow_Harsher, NBSrock

Track duration: 02:46

"Art Is Hard" as written by Gretta Mindy Cohn, Tim Kasher, Matthew Ryan Maginn, Clint Frederick Schnase, Ted James Stevens

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Art Is Hard song meanings
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62 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:The song really doesnt require a whole lot of interpretation. In the first verse, he makes it fairly obvious that he's mocking artists that write songs about pain that isnt their own, or masochistic emo kids who exaggerate their pain to sell music. And the cd does sell. Cause happy shiny music is fake, right? well so is emotional crap that means nothing. Recreate your misery. Because misery sells. Art is hard because the crowd needs to see you act your pain in order for you to get famous, the short cut is making up your pain and acting well. At least that's my take on it.
    Flag LyricalDuplicityon September 09, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:From what the lyrics say. I believe this song is trying to describe the ups and downs of being a musician and trying to make it big and I how some try way too hard to pretend to be something they are not, just so they can be the next best thing.
    Flag robinfioon August 06, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:just mocking the whole music industry and how people boost themselves up in it..
    Flag elec_trickon July 11, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It's almost like he's mad at the fans for loving the stories of his failed relationships... and saying that when fans want more basically they want more stories about a new girl... Maybe I'm completely wrong but it just makes me feel like he's saying "Go F*** yourselves"
    Flag john122687on April 21, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I don't think the song is a shot at Conor Oberst at all... They are good friends and have been since they were young. I also noticed the Bright Eyes/Modest Mouse/Cursive connection, but I think you forgot Death Cab.
    Flag GlowingAbortionon December 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:there's a lot of little musical nuiances this band has that make me happy. glissandos of the instruments, variety of timbre and that ONE little syncopated cymbal tap that's just oooohhh so great

    this is the truth tho. poetry/lyrics are really hard. when it comes down to it a lot of it is experience and creativity. the experience gives you the ability to recall the strength of certain emotions, and the creativity to help express it to others.

    the problem tho, is that you've created a middle man: you're words. by doing that you've lost that same effect that you perceived. the audience (readers and listeners) will only get a glimpse of that experience.

    exagerration then becomes key: you gotta make that situation seem more extreme to get everyone interested

    "Got to fake, fake, fake the pain
    Got to make, make, make it sting"
    Flag rikijikion September 11, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:mocking those that feed off of amplified feelings of sadness
    cursive is forrreal amazing
    Flag sadrah3on July 09, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Connor of Bright Eyes and Tim of Cursive are actually friends though. In the Bright Eyes song "Nothing Gets Crossed Out" Connor even says "Hey Tim, I heard your album-- and it's better than good." They grew up in the same home town and even played in a band together. I doubt this is a straight out attack on Connor seeing their history together.
    Flag Qjasoon June 18, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Totally ripping on Conor Oberst. Doesn't he own their record label?

    Conor writes all these artistic, tortured lyrics but his life is awesome and he lives like a rock star. Art is hard work!
    Flag myhotelyearon June 10, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"Oh, a second verse/Well color me fatigued"
    tim is so scathing and cynical in this song, it's impossible not to love it
    Flag vulgaron June 10, 2007   Link

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