I don't belong here I never saw this on the path I walk The blood-stained walls, the lines of chalk on the floor It's getting so hard I never saw the backlash when the tide began to rise I can't remember The way it was when everything felt right My mouth held shut and eyes sealed tight with control So I remember on the inside I found a dark, infernal place I don't want to face anymore Somehow, I won't stop feeding the pain My heart's just the same as before So now I'm stuck here Between the guilty and the insincere The words I spoke have left me here all alone I should have known this I never saw the backlash when the tide began to rise I wish it all gone I could've burned it when I had that choice And now I'd die to kill this noise in my head So I remember on the inside I found a dark, infernal place I don't want to face anymore Somehow, I won't stop feeding the pain My heart's just the same as before So I remember on the inside If this is all the love my spirit can give Just take it back tonight There is not a reason more to live



Lyrics submitted by WakeToLife

Track duration: 05:35

"The Tide Began to Rise" as written by Ryan Clark Don Clark

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

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The Tide Began To Rise song meanings
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  • 0
    My Interpretation:To me this song is about a Christian who falls and gives into temptation. Afterwards he cannot believe what he has done and has now "found a dark infernal place" inside of himself that he/she doesn't "want to face anymore." At the end he has reached his peak and no longer being able to deal with his failure contemplates taking his own life. Throughout this God (or a close friend) begs him to just take everything back and start again.
    I can really relate to this song as I have found and still have to face my own "dark infernal place." There are no better words or a better song to describe the cold, empty feeling of acknowledging the darkness and betrayal that lies within yourself.
    This is my take on the song
    Flag JesusFreakMikeon January 13, 2013   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation:Foreword: Long comment, but please take your time, it was very powerful for me.


    I'm speechless. This song feels like it's written about my present situation.

    Verse 1
    tells about a normal person, whose life seems to be on track. All's well. But suddenly he figures out that he has messed up badly in every aspect of life. Now his path feels blood-stained, it's something he's never been into before (I don't belong here, I never saw this on the path). He didn't see it coming. He didn't see the backlash when the tide began to rise.

    Chorus
    tells about a dark, infernal place. For me, it's something concerning secrets and regrets and stuff I feel I've failed in. Things I'd want to change. Maybe getting disappointed by other people. Also I had my first panic attack ever today (yes, I'm male, 18yrs). For someone else that infernal place could be anything, but something he somehow can't get over with (I won't stop feeding the pain etc).

    Verse 2
    is much like verse 1, he seems lost in his new situation (stuck between the guilty and the insincere), drowning in the tide. He feels so much guilt (I should have know this), he should've fixed it on the backlash (but he didn't see it). He's desperate to do anything to get out (I'd die to kill this noise in my head).

    Part 3
    made me cry. It escalates all my feelings. If this is all the love my spirit can give - Why cant I do any better, maybe show some love and forgiveness? Maybe get rid of the hatred, guilt, bitterness and self-pity. I HAVE failed. We all have. It just might take a long way to find out how lost you've been. Even I being a christian from my birth realized I've gone too far on my own. Now I bow down to God and give up everything. I can't do it on my own.
    If this is all the love my spirit can give... JUST TAKE IT BACK TONIGHT, THERE IS NOT A REASON MORE TO LIVE ... Can't do it on my own. God must take my spirit and guide it. And he will. If I ask for it.

    P.S. I told this from my aspect. Everyone has their own problems (everyone has some), the meaning of this song may be different for you. But this did touch me. A lot.
    Flag Hillomieson May 21, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:If there's an edit button, id love to know where.. anyway i needed to add to:

    Well personally my first images of listening to this incredible song was that of a convicted murderer
    "I don’t belong here
    I never saw this on the path I walk
    The blood-stained walls, the lines of chalk on the floor"

    To me those lyrics are speaking of a murder scene, and

    "I don't belong here, i never saw this on the path i walk"

    The events that happened to him, he never planned in his life, his path to walk on through life, and he believes he shouldn't be there because it seems unfair to him, that he has to waste his life in the slammer, even though he took another persons life away.
    Flag Reevoon September 13, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:Well personally my first images of listening to this incredible song was that of a convicted murderer
    "I don’t belong here
    I never saw this on the path I walk
    The blood-stained walls, the lines of chalk on the floor"

    To me those lyrics are speaking of a murder scene, and

    "So now I’m stuck here
    Between the guilty and the insincere
    The words I spoke have left me here all alone"

    Could refer to a court room / prison. Between the convicted and the 2-faced liar's (Lawyers, and again convicted)

    "I found a dark, infernal place I don’t want to face anymore
    Somehow, I won’t stop feeding the pain
    My heart’s just the same as before"

    The dark infernal place, well to me that's an instant image of "hell" (Im not christian, so what if i listen to christian bands?) and feeding the pain is the fact he keeps thinking over what he did and in turn it is causing more and more pain (well he killed someone, he deserves it)

    "If this is all the love my spirit can give
    Just take it back tonight
    There is not a reason more to live"

    All the "love" he is giving out is actually the pain and suffering he has known to be love, and the line "There is not a reason more to live" is where he has thought through it all, realized what he has done, and may continue to do, and the thought of suicide / death seems to be the right thing to do.

    Again as i said, im not christian so yeah..

    These are my thoughts, cheers to a great song and incredible band.
    Flag Reevoon September 13, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song is beautiful
    Flag followerofchriston July 30, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:“The Tide Began To Rise” is a song I wrote about the changes you make in life. Sometimes, in looking back, you realize that you’re not progressing and changing into the mature, spiritually mature person that you had hoped for. I talk about the times when things seemed more stable and looking back on those days in the hope that you may return to them.

    At the end of the song, I wrote about how depressing it can be sometimes, knowing that we, as humans, are so limited in the love that we can give to God and our loved ones. God gives so abundantly to us, yet we are living for ourselves most of the time. The love that we do give is usually just in the time left over after we serve ourselves. The final desparate plea is that God would just take my spirit home with Him, because I’m tired of the futility of human love.

    "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." - Romans 3:23

    -This is not my own description. This is the definition of the song from a direct quote of DH's lead singer, Ryan Clark. Just figured I'd throw it out there. Amazing song! :)
    Flag Zeetooison August 25, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:So now I’m stuck here
    Between the guilty and the insincere

    At first when I'd listened to this song a few times I had no idea what these two lines meant... but then one day I figured it out cause it was exactly what I was feeling...

    You know when you've sinned over and over again... and it pulls you away from God... you know you're guilty... but you've done it so many times... you don't sincerely feel sorry for what you've done... at least not at that moment. I've felt that so many times before and this line was always so helpful to me. In those moments I wouldn't know how to respond. I knew that sin didn't have to separate us from God because of Christ's sacrifice... but I felt that I couldn't draw close to God because I didn't feel guilty enough about my sin. A really tough spot to be... but in the end... its a wake up call to go back to the only person that matters... Jesus.
    Flag itslittlejohnon August 22, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:maxmouse2008, that line can be read in two ways

    1. they are symbols for when signs that the sins we commit in our lives are so obvious but we still choose to ignore them and continue to sin, despite the warnings

    2. metaphorically, supposing someone has a vision or witnessed a murder scene. blood stained walls and lines of chalk around a person's body. which could be interpreted as body spilled, words said, actions commited that have ruined someones' life and ultimately 'killed' someone in the process
    Flag ForgivenOneon May 01, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"The blood-stained walls, the lines of chalk on the floor"

    whats that exactly mean
    Flag maxmouse2008on March 07, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:First off, one of the best songs on the album and probably the most powerful for me. Also, I agree that Skillet7 pretty much got it. The enitre song just impacts me because it really reminded me of myself.
    Flag Motard77on October 16, 2007   Link

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