Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: emo
Song Meaning of “Lungs Like Gallows” by Senses Fail
“Lungs Like Gallows” by Senses Fail is a powerful song that speaks to the struggles and struggles of a wanderer searching for meaning in an ever-changing world. The song begins in a desperate search for love and joy, yet the protagonist is met with the oppressive weight of this broken world. The bitterness of this knowledge is heard in the opening line “I’m like a ghost in the dark that nobody knows.” Though the protagonist is surrounded by idle noises of modern life, all that is truly heard in their mind is a void produced by dissatisfaction and emptiness. In a way, pain equals the same measure of acceptance in this world – tragedy is the only thing that can be exempted from the numbing static of mundane life.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of wanting something more, something that can be only found within one’s own heart and soul. However, the protagonist is unable to escape the unbearable yoke of their emotional hollowness, no matter how hard they may try. The verses depict a life of hollow pleasure and “low-self-esteem like breathing out fire”, a pitiful notion that the person can’t find lasting satisfaction in anything around them. Even those who offer love do so with ulterior motives.
The chorus, “Your love left me lungs like gallows”, cuts straight to the core of the matter – the individual can feel the pressure of the chains of disillusionment on their chest, metaphorically lessening their breath and strangling their heart. The sadness in the lyrics speaks to an ever-growing void of loneliness and isolation that feels impossible to fill. The deliverance the protagonist seeks for is only found in a prolonged transcendence of the heart. The lyrics end with a feeling of desperately trying to find solace in a broken world that will never be enough.
“Lungs Like Gallows” concludes with a powerful sentiment of hope, despite the oppressive hopelessness that it speaks to. Even amongst the darkness, the protagonist searches for a spark of light – for a way to break free and emerge from all the pain. Ultimately, the song speaks of a life longing to be reunited with a long lost love, while acknowledging that it will only be found through utilizing their inner strength and courage.