Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: emo
Song Meaning of “Murder” by New Years Day
The hard rock song “Murder” by New Years Day paints a powerful picture of a toxic relationship. Frontwoman Ash Costello sings in a angst-filled tone as the lyrics paint a vivid narrative of a relationship in which two people are stuck in a dangerous entanglement. The lyrics describe a crumbling relationship in which each person is playing a dangerous game of power.
The first verse paints a picture of two people in a state of lingering animosity, as Costello sings, “Murder in the air/ So I’ll assassinate your heart/ If you’re not mine/ I can’t keep us breathing.” In this volatile atmosphere, the act of murder is no longer an abstract concept, but rather than metaphor Costello uses to describe the state of their relationship. The chorus speaks to the struggles of the protagonists, ”Love kills/ So I’ll just hold the blade/ If you wanna die in my arms/ Take this love, take this life.” Here Costello is a picture of the dangerous choice of submission one must make in order to survive.
The second verse accentuates the intensity of their relationship as Costello continues questioning, “What’s the price for crossing these lines/ There is no safety inside/ This ain’t livin’/ And we sure ain’t loving.” Her words portray the heightened stakes of the twisted game they’re playing, and the lack of safety on both sides. The song ends with the heavy words “Murder in the air/ No one will survive/ I’ll take you out/ And then I’ll take you down.” suggesting an inevitable fate of destruction for the two lovers.
The song “Murder” by New Years Day provides a graphic depiction of a mutual cycle of destruction between two individuals in a dangerous and doomed relationship. Costello’s dark and emotionally charged anthem serves as an ode to the powerful effects of turbulent relationships and the uncertain paths one must take in order to come back to life.