Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: emo
Song Meaning of “Bite to Break Skin” by Senses Fail
Bite to Break Skin by Senses Fail is a powerful song that speaks to the struggles of forming relationships and maintaining them during difficult times. The song revolves around the idea of needing to “bite” to form connections, but being scared of using those same “teeth” to hurt someone you care about. While the song is about a romantic relationship, the lyrics touch upon the idea of needing human connections and how fear can stand in the way making stronger bonds.
The intro to the song introduces the idea of being scared to form relationships. The singer says, “Love is just a game when you can’t make an honest move”. He references the idea of playing a game of chess, where each side is trying to outsmart each other and often times the game is so focused on winning that genuine emotion is neglected. In a relationship, this reinforces the fear of commitment as emotions can be dismissed as “just a game”.
The chorus ”Bite to break skin, so I can hold on” is filled with desperation and wanting, so much so that physical pain is essentially accepted and embraced as a way to build stronger bonds that would last. Instead of “trying not to hurt” someone who is already hurting, being able to use pain as a way to make a relationship stronger is an interesting idea as it could be seen both positively (forming stronger bonds) and negatively (harmful relationships).
The bridge of the song showcases the fear of tension and potential harm as the singer sings, “We tear each other down, I’m so scared to the core, all I know how to do is hurt more”. This line speaks to the idea of being so afraid of being hurt that only way to use that pain is to hurt those around us. Each time the tension in the relationship rises it just increases the fear and creates a loop of harmful habits and additional pain.
This song is an exploration of the struggles and conflict of a relationship, and the singer is trying to figure out the best way to communicate and keep the relationship going without resorting to destructive habits. While it’s hard to know if the singer has found a solution by the end of the song, the overall message of Bite to Break Skin is that relationships can be hard but still worth it even when there’s fear.