Is there a word or right to say
Even in this old fashioned way?
Go make your move, girl
I'm not coming home

Would things have changed if I could've stayed?
Would you have loved me either way?
Dressed to the blues
Day to day with my collar up

Decision sits, so make it quick
A breath inhaled from an air so sick
I cursed the day that I learned
Of the web you spun
You had your hold till bleeding

Hey, hey, if it was up to me
I would've figured you out
Way before the year clocked out
Oh, I hope you're waiting

Hey, hey, if it was up to me
I would've never walked out
So until the sun burns out
Oh, I hope you're waiting

We have lived as a child would care
With this vial to drink I dare
Only to cry all alone with your taste on tongue
Oh, where have you been if it hurts to be forgiving?
Bye

Should we try this again with hope?
Or is it lost, give up the ghost
And should I die all alone as I knew I would
Then burn in hell, young sinner

Hey, hey, if it was up to me
I would've figured you out
Way before the year clocked out
Oh, I hope you're waiting
Oh, I hope you're waiting

Listen well, will you marry me?
Not now, boy
Are you well in the suffering?
You've been the most gracious of hosts
You may be invited, girl, but you're not coming in

Listen well, will you marry me?
Not now, boy
Are you well in the suffering?
You've been the most gracious of hosts
I may be invited, girl, but I'm not coming in

Hey, hey, if it was up to me, you had your hold
I would've figured you out
Way before the year clocked out
Oh, I hope you're waiting

Hey, hey, if it was up to me, give up the ghost
I would've never walked out
So until the sun burns out
Oh, I hope you're waiting

Listen well, will you marry me?
Not now, boy
Are you well in the suffering?
You've been the most gracious of hosts
You may be invited, girl, but you're not coming in

Listen well, will you marry me?
Not now, boy
Are you well in the suffering?
You've been the most gracious of hosts
I may be invited, girl, but I'm not coming in

Listen well, will you marry me?
Not now, boy
Are you well in the suffering?
You've been the most gracious of hosts
You may be invited, girl, but you're not coming in

Listen well, will you marry me?
Not now, boy
Are you well in the suffering?
You've been the most gracious of hosts
I may be invited, girl, but I'm not coming in
And you're not coming in



Lyrics submitted by allhailsparta

Track duration: 03:44

"The Suffering" as written by Stuart Phillips

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


The Suffering song meanings
Add your thoughts

98 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment:Dude. I love this comic series more than anything in the entire world, but I think you guys are getting a little bit too much into it. This entire album was written after Claudio and Chondra broke up a while back. It all happened because there was so much moving around and all that junk on Claudio's side (If you listen to Wake Up, he talks about his leaving and coming back and leaving again). He wrote this all when he was still pissed off and sad. Yeah, they got back together (Thank the Fence. They're too perfect for each other), but that's what's going on in this album. He just incorporated it into his series. It just happens to work out that Erica Court = Chondra. And obviously Claudio is the writer who is going crazy over this failed romance.

    tl;dr? Claudio's a person who wrote an entire album over a seemingly failed romance. Because it's not always about comics (unfortunately).
    Flag angieatthezooon December 08, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:This is my idea of the meaning, could be wrong, but... IDK

    Maybe it's time for you t move on cause I'm not coming back,
    but I think if I had stayed would it have worked
    It's up to you to make the choice

    If it were up to me I wouldn't have left
    But I hope you still love me

    Would we have been happy together in our love story
    If we try again will we be happy or will the love die

    Listen, I love you
    Are you really okay without me?
    I'm glad we talked about this
    but my walls are still up
    Flag LadyUnpluggedon July 04, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I'm going to take a stab at this one. I haven't listened to the album consecutively in a while, and I know the Apollo albums have a specific storyline, but I don't really know it. I'll interpret what this song means to me.

    "Is there a word or right to say
    Even in this old fashioned way?
    Go make your move, girl
    I'm not coming home"

    The first stanza kind of sets the stage for me. I see it as a man who has strong feelings for a girl. Traditionally, he doesn't care about girls' feelings, but he sees this as different. He wants to woo her. He makes his point clear and waits for her.

    "Would things have changed if I could've stayed?
    Would you have loved me either way?
    Dressed to the blues.
    Day to day with my collar up."

    Something has changed in their relationship, possibly because of fear of complacency. Would things have changed if he didn't express himself fully? I see it as rejection, so his days become darker, hours at work become painful times to reflect.

    "Decision sits so make it quick
    A breath inhaled from an air so sick
    I cursed the day I had learned
    Of the web you spun...
    You had your hold till bleeding"

    Time is short. Time goes by too quickly. Hesitation can ruin. He now knows what her intentions were, and they aren't what he wanted. She didn't want him, or at least not how he wanted.

    "Hey, Hey!
    If it was up to me
    I would've figured you out
    Way before the year clocked out
    Oh, I hope you're waiting"

    He had delusions, thinking there was a connection or spark that wasn't there. He wish he could have been in reality, but he was trapped in what he constructed to be his world. He desperately wants her to feel the same way, but she really doesn't.

    "Hey, Hey!
    If it was up to me
    I would've never walked out
    So until the sun burns out
    Oh, I hope you're waiting"

    He's still for there for her, but he can't help his feelings of angst. It's not anger. It's sadness.

    "Would we have lived as a child would care?
    With this vial to drink I dare
    (Oh where have you been, oh where have you been)
    Only to cry all alone with your taste on tongue
    (Oh where have you been if it hurts to be forgiving? Bye)"

    Would they have continued their innocent relationship? I feel like the rest of this stanza takes a "Romeo and Juliet" style of suffering, referencing the drinking of poison, and that she herself also indulges in this poison. I can see the poison as a metaphor for the poisonous relationship that the too share. It needs to end.

    "Should we try this again with hope? (Bye, bye)
    Or is it lost, give up the ghost
    And should I die all alone as I knew I would...
    Then burn in hell young sinner"

    My personal favorite part of the song. Should they go along like nothing's wrong? No, things have changed, they have to forget the past. If he can't find happiness, then he will indulge in his self-fulfilling prophecy of being a loner. "Then burn in hell young sinner," is saying a lot of things in my mind. The change in the voices could either put in an emphasis on the man's message to the woman, or could even be the man speaking to himself subconsciously. I don't think its meant to be taken literally with a religious undertone. Either, "I am entitled to my own suffering since I brought this on myself (man to self)," or "Go fuck yourself (man to woman)."

    "Listen well... will you marry me?
    Not now, Boy
    Are you well in the Suffering?
    You've been the most gracious of hosts
    You may be invited, girl, but you're not coming in"

    This is where the song crescendos for me. The song goes back to his proposition to her, and her denial. He is torn apart emotionally, so of course he tends to imagine her feeling the same way, but she doesn't. She has plenty of people in her life to forget about this insignificant guy. He says she is always welcoming to him, but he resists the temptation to go back to how things were. Even though he truly wants her in his life, he pushes her away.



    Again, I could be completely off of what the band was trying to say with its lyrics, but I'm not worried about that. The beauty of songs with lots of metaphors (or what could be interpreted as metaphors) is that they leave plenty of room for different interpretations. Isn't that what its all about, how the music makes YOU feel?
    Flag georgejordanon March 23, 2011   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning:As Claudio S. explains, this is a climax for Writer’s instability. He dwells on his past with Erica so frequently, with such intensity, that it is all he can think about. At this point in the album and the graphic novel, he has already resolved to enter the story, do what needs to be done, and move on. Still, though, he thinks about his proposal (or desire to propose) to Erica. It is consuming his entire life.
    Flag mujiwaraon December 27, 2009   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion:i love this song =]
    video is awesome too...=]
    Flag purple09on November 17, 2009   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:Forgive me if I'm wrong/mistaken, but I'm sure this song has a connection to Homer's Oddysey from Classical Greek literature. It's all about hosts and looking after the guests. There's a Queen called Penelope, who's husband has been away for a very long time; she tricks the suitors that are in her house, by saying she would re-marry once she has finished weaving this huge tapestry. I think this relates to the 'web' that is being spun. When he says "I hope you're waiting" is like her husband's way of saying wait for me, I'll be back soon.
    It's just an interpretation, but it would be nice to think that there's a connection.


    Flag smashazon April 23, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this is one of the first songs i heard from coheed and cambria this album was my first i cant explain how magical i felt when i listened to it for the first time
    Flag Mr.Siron October 21, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song to me means it's time to get up for work, as it's set as my alarm on my stereo
    Flag martyndav33on September 24, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Claudio Sanchez: “Its an extension of ‘Wake Up’. It’s a Queen-esque song, more like a play. Its the climax of the Writer losing it.”

    As Claudio S. explains, this is a climax for Writer’s instability. He dwells on his past with Erica so frequently, with such intensity, that it is all he can think about. At this point in the album and the graphic novel, he has already resolved to enter the story, do what needs to be done, and move on. Still, though, he thinks about his proposal (or desire to propose) to Erica. It is consuming his entire life.
    -CobaltandCalcium.com
    Flag josheppardfan831on June 26, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i get the impression that this song was supposed to follow Welcome Home, after telling Erica he hated her and in the suffering he wants her back.

    Another thing too in

    Now listen well, will you marry me?
    Not now, boy.
    Are you well in the suffering?
    You’ve been, the most gracious of hosts,
    You may be invited girl, but you’re not coming in.

    Listen well, will you marry me?
    Now listen well, will you marry me?
    Not now, boy.
    Are you well in the suffering?
    You’ve been, the most gracious of hosts,
    I may be invited girl, but I’m not coming in.

    i hear:

    Now listen well, will you marry me?
    Not now, boy.
    Are you well in the suffering?
    You’ve been, the most gracious of hosts,
    You may be fan girl, but you’re not coming in.

    Listen well, will you marry me?
    Now listen well, will you marry me?
    Not now, boy.
    Are you well in the suffering?
    You’ve been, the most gracious of hosts,
    I may be a fan girl, but I’m not coming in.
    Flag Ten_Speed08on April 09, 2008   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain