Time to pass you to the test. Hanging on my lover's breath.
Always coming second best. Pictures of my lover's chest.
Get through this night, there are no second chances.
This time I might.
To ask the sea for answers.
Always falling to the floor, softer than it was before.
Dog boy, media whore, it's who the hell you take me for.

Give up this fight, there are no second chances.
This time I might.
To ask the sea for answers.
These bonds are shackle free, wrapped in lust and lunacy.
Tiny touch of jealousy, these bonds are shackle free.

Get through this night, there are no second chances.
This time I might.
To ask the sea for answers.
These bonds are shackle free
These bonds are shackle free
These bonds are shackle free
These bonds are shackle free

Get through this, there are no second chances.
This time. To ask the sea for answers.



Lyrics submitted by Ice

"Ask for Answers" as written by Brian Molko, Stefan Olsdal, Steven Hewitt

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Ask For Answers song meanings
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  • 0
    My Interpretation:For me this song tells a story of a man who finally gets the courage to make a first step and express his feelings to a person who he fell for.
    It is so hard to put your defences down, to uncover you true self for her to see and act as if there were no tomorrow, as there were “no second chances”. But nevertheless he does that and passes her to a test. He kisses her- or if you wish- he hangs on his lover’s breath (beautiful metaphor, isn’t it?). It is truly a test, because he is still uncertain whether his expectations would meet reality, or will she reject him. But the magical moment lasts and later that night their clothes fall to the floor as the reality starts to get softer and softer.
    This is a truly moving description of sex and love. First you have to “give up this fight” and expose yourself to a possibility of being hurt, you have to stop controlling yourself and only then the real intimacy can happen.
    …Wow, this is hard to believe, but this song made me realize that I don’t have to hold such hatred to a girl who hurt me once so deeply. Because despite how it have ended there were some very precious moments as well. Love requires us to bond to one another, but when you put shackles to your lover you hurt both of you. Sometimes you have to give up a fight and just let her go.
    Wonderful song!
    Flag Frankl2readon February 02, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Beautiful fucking song. I'd call Scared of Girls my favorite Placebo, but this is definitely a close second. It's one of their most emotional songs. I think it can apply perfectly to anyone who will let it, but I swear this song was written for me. It's every insecurity I've ever felt, and yet it calms me when I listen to it. I can say with a straight face that this song saved my life.
    Flag SitarHeroon April 09, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I interpret the song that Brian does love the person he is singing about. The person has wronged him time and time again. Finally Brian has decided that there will be no more second chances, the bond of love does not mean he has to be shackled to them, he can walk away and ask the sea for answers (get drunk).
    Flag trippykyzon March 23, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:what does "shackle free" means?"these bonds are shackle free"....
    Flag ijustwannabeafreakon May 31, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:...and on that note, the whole song sounds like it could be about a drunken one-night stand.
    Flag xfdalt0non January 15, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Ask the sea for answers = drink away your problems
    Flag xfdalt0non January 15, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think this is about falling in love and you're lover just completely not accepting you in the important ways.

    I think the first line "time to pass you to the test" is actually being said by the lover and the narrator/Brian is hanging on that person's words. I also think "always coming second best" is from the lover's point of view as well. Although "pictures of my lover's chest" could refer to the media getting pictures of private moments between Brian and his lover--I feel like it's more reflective than that. I think he's looking at a picture, one of his lover, and thinking of that person's heart and feeling that longing that is prevalent throughout the song. The person thinks that he doesn't care and really the lover doesn't know that the narrator is hanging on his/her's every word.

    Getting through the night and there are no second chances could refer to being on the road touring or simply being away from your lover and realizing this is what you have to do with your life. It's hard because you want to be with that person, but you can't.

    "This time I might" and "asking the sea for answers" seems most definitely about drowning yourself or snapping. He's done this before but maybe he really, really loves this person. More than he's loved anyone and he just doesn't want to see it all fall apart.

    Falling to the floor could mean either a break up or loosing the trust and respect of your lover. And I think the softer part refers to the fact he's just been to this place before, and it sucks, but he's learned to deal.

    "Dog boy, media whore--it's who the hell you take me for" is obviously referring to an argument. I've certainly said "Who the hell do you take me for?" when someone is simply misreading me and since he uses that here I'm guessing it could actually refer to a specific instance of argument. This links up to the lines before because he's been misread before and every time someone sees the face he puts on for his music instead of him--it hurts. He wants to be seen by his lover.

    "Give up this fight, there are no second chances" could be message from the narrator to the lover. He's saying lets give up these arguments because we will only happen once. It could also refer to the fact that life is so fleeting you don't know when you're going to die. He's saying--lets let is go and give it the best we've got because tomorrow this might all be gone.

    "These bonds are shackle free" might be the narrators way of saying we have a bond but you can go if you want to. The fact that the bonds are wrapped in lust and lunacy and some jealousy just refers to the connection between the two people. They love and lust after each other and they can both be a little jealous sometimes--but that's their bond. They can't make each other staff--but they are bonded anyway.

    It's kind of like that point in a relationship when the person becomes family and there is this intense bond but one can still stay and go as he pleases, if that's what he really wants.


    Flag ladylibertineon October 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Well, it is quite hard for me to find out what exactly the song's about, but I love it. The guitar playing is absolutely amazing, Mr Molko's voice sounds magnificent and again, our boys have made a great piece of music.
    Flag teenagewifeon May 17, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I'm gonna have to say that my interpretation was wildly different to everyone else!

    These lyrics, especially the first 4 lines, give an image of a husband sitting in a clinical hospital corridor as his pregnant wife is in a ward. He is thinking about his wife and that this is it, there is no going back after this baby is born. He is hoping he will make it through this difficult night.
    Flag bigbrynon June 21, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:so this one to me is about a relationship gone bad, fading as silver turns to blue, if you will. he's sort of desperate about this lover of his, and so he hangs into every tiny detail, even his breath. it's probably a male too, since he says 'chest' and not 'breast'.
    but it seems he's the only one who actually cares about the relationship, he's not being taken seriously by his lover, and coming second best.
    so he's desperate, and a night without his lover is something to het through with, like, he can't stand the wait and the loneliness anymore. and he asks the sea for answers because he's so desperate he thinks no-one else would understand. but you know, there's a beachy sound to it, so he's probably thinking things over slowly and continuously, like the moves of a wave.

    he's always falling to the floor because he depends deeply on this relationship, and is deperate thinking it's gonna end. and floor feels softer now, since he's fallen so many times. the dog boy, media whore thing.. well, we all now what brian looked like at the time, and wasn't being taken seriouly, not by his lover, neither by the press.

    he wants to give up on their fights, because he feels his chances are over, as the relationship's soon gonna be.

    their bonds are shackle-free, and that's sort of like a hope to him, and so he keeps telling himself that. and their bonds are wrapped in lust and lunacy because the person only wants.. well, sex.
    Flag jubarbosaon August 29, 2007   Link

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