So this has been.my favorite song of OTEP's since it came out in 2004, and I always thought it was a song about a child's narrative of suffering in an abusive Christian home. But now that I am revisiting the lyrics, I am seeing something totally new.
This song could be gospel of John but from the perspective of Jesus.
Jesus was NOT having a good time up to and during the crucifixion. Everyone in the known world at the time looked to him with fear, admiration or disgust and he was constantly being asked questions. He spoke in "verses, prophesies and curses". He had made an enemy of the state, and believed the world was increasingly wicked and fallen from grace, or that he was in the "mouth of madness".
The spine of atlas is the structure that allows the titan to hold the world up. Jesus challenged the state and in doing so became a celebrated resistance figure. It also made him public enemy #1.
All of this happened simply because he was doing his thing, not because of any agenda he had or strategy.
And then he gets scourged (storm of thorns)
There are some plot holes here but I think it's an interesting interpretation.
You won't break me down
I'm not afraid to try and feel something that's real
I'm not ashamed, you won't break me down
The last two years of my life are so filled with regret
Try to fool myself, but I'll never forget
The time I've lost, the pain I've found
But when it's time to fight, you need to stand your ground
Smoke in my lungs
There's a fire in my heart (fire in my heart)
And when it's all said and done
You won't break me
You won't break me down
I'm not afraid to try and feel something that's real
I'm not ashamed, you won't break me
When all hope is gone, I'm stronger than I've been before
I'm not afraid, you won't break me down (yeah)
All the drugs and the fame don't matter at all
So I swim in the bottle that makes me feel small
To drown out my demons, I still hear them call
On and on and on, my backs against the wall
I'm just being honest
I'm trying my best (I'm trying my best)
And when it's all said and done
You won't break me
You won't break me down
I'm not afraid to try and feel something that's real
I'm not ashamed, you won't break me
When all hope is gone, I'm stronger than I've been before
I'm not afraid, you won't break me down
Down
The smoke in my lungs
There's a fire in my heart
And when it's all said and done
You won't break me, you won't break me down
Yeah
You won't break me down
You won't break me down
I'm not afraid to try and feel something that's real
I'm not ashamed, you won't break me
When all hope is gone, I'm stronger than I've been before
I'm not afraid, you won't break me down
Yeah
I'm not afraid to try and feel something that's real
I'm not ashamed, you won't break me down
The last two years of my life are so filled with regret
Try to fool myself, but I'll never forget
The time I've lost, the pain I've found
But when it's time to fight, you need to stand your ground
Smoke in my lungs
There's a fire in my heart (fire in my heart)
And when it's all said and done
You won't break me
You won't break me down
I'm not afraid to try and feel something that's real
I'm not ashamed, you won't break me
When all hope is gone, I'm stronger than I've been before
I'm not afraid, you won't break me down (yeah)
All the drugs and the fame don't matter at all
So I swim in the bottle that makes me feel small
To drown out my demons, I still hear them call
On and on and on, my backs against the wall
I'm just being honest
I'm trying my best (I'm trying my best)
And when it's all said and done
You won't break me
You won't break me down
I'm not afraid to try and feel something that's real
I'm not ashamed, you won't break me
When all hope is gone, I'm stronger than I've been before
I'm not afraid, you won't break me down
Down
The smoke in my lungs
There's a fire in my heart
And when it's all said and done
You won't break me, you won't break me down
Yeah
You won't break me down
You won't break me down
I'm not afraid to try and feel something that's real
I'm not ashamed, you won't break me
When all hope is gone, I'm stronger than I've been before
I'm not afraid, you won't break me down
Yeah
Lyrics submitted by EternalTearsOfSorrow
Break Me Down Lyrics as written by Kellin Quinn Bostwick
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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”Break Me Down” is the second single off of Sleeping With Sirens sixth studio album “How it Feels to be Lost.” It is also the seventh song on the record. Vocalist Kellin Quinn has dealt with a lot in his life. These last couple of years have been very hard on him emotionally & physically. He’s telling the things that hurt him (possibly alcohol or drugs) that they cant break him anymore and he’s going to stand up against them and learn from his mistakes.