Week 161 // Firestarter

by Mount Everest

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about

This week’s song isn’t really about arson. Despite the fact that arson as a metaphor never gives way to a clear annunciation of purpose in this song, I’m really writing about self-destructive behavior, which is something that I know a fair bit more about than arson. One of the things that I’ve learned over the years, is that self-destructive behavior is really just destructive behavior. It isn’t possible to undermine, sabotage, or harm yourself in anyway without doing the same thing to other people. The two go hand in hand. I’ve had it out for myself a few times in my life, and it has always resulted in other people getting caught up in it. You might think that you’re just hurting yourself, but you’re really setting fire to everything around you, and sooner or later you’ll have to face the people you’ve burned.

lyrics

You burn it to the ground
You do it ‘cause it’s easy
You do it ‘cause you don’t care
To find another way

It floats into the air
They watch because they like to
They watch because they can’t bear
The thought to look away

And somewhere in the night
And scratching at the morning
Tending to the ember
To light another day

And grows inside of you

And you wonder why
All the lights went out
With all the fires burning
Throwing shadow monsters
As you move about
What delight you take
In taking down the house

And out into the street
To look on your creation
To marvel at the moment
Your will can here undo

And standing in the cold
All soot and contemplation
You search for consolation
It never comes to you

And you wonder why
All the lights went out
And all your neighbors
Pointing fingers at you
Cursing as they scream and shout
And still you celebrate
You dance across the town

And on your clothes
The smell of kerosine
Some little part of you knows they’ll get you
Wonder what it means?
You wonder: will it hurt to face them?
Guess you’ll see...