Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴What if I wanted to break
Laugh it all off in your face
What would you do?
What if I fell to the floor
Couldn't take all this anymore
What would you do, do, do?

Come, break me down

Bury me, bury me
I am finished with you

What if I wanted to fight
Beg for the rest of my life
What would you do?
You say you wanted more
What are you waiting for?
I'm not running from you

Come, break me down
Bury me, bury me
I am finished with you
Look in my eyes
You're killing me, killing me
All I wanted was you

I tried to be someone else
But nothing seemed to change
I know now, this is who I really am inside
I've finally found myself
Fighting for a chance
I know now, this is who I really am

Come, break me down
Bury me, bury me
I am finished with you, you, you
Look in my eyes
You're killing me, killing me
All I wanted was you
Come, break me down
Break me down
Break me down

What if I wanted to break
What if I, what if I, what if I (bury me, bury me)

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of 30 Seconds to Mars's song, "The Kill," express a deep sense of frustration and resentment towards someone who has caused emotional pain to the singer. The opening lines, "What if I wanted to break; laugh it all off in your face," suggest that the singer is deeply hurt but wants to mask it with humor. However, the next lines, "What if I fell to the floor; couldn't take all this anymore," reveal the depth of the singer's emotions and the struggle to keep up appearances.

The chorus, "Come break me down; bury me, bury me; I am finished with you," expresses the singer's desire to be free from the emotional pain caused by this person. The singer is done with holding onto the hurt and wants to move on from the relationship. The lines, "Look in my eyes; you're killing me, killing me; all I wanted was you," reveal the singer's disappointment in the other person, who was supposed to be a source of love and support.

The last verse, "I tried to be someone else, but nothing seemed to change; I know now, this is who I really am inside," suggests that the singer may have tried to change themselves to fit into the other person's expectations. However, they have finally found themselves and are fighting for a chance to be themselves.

Overall, the song is a raw and emotional expression of the pain caused by a failed relationship and the struggle to move on.

Line by Line Meaning

What if I wanted to break
What if I wanted to reveal my true self and let go of any illusions or false personas?

Laugh it all off in your face
Dismiss any criticism or judgement from others with humor or sarcasm.

What would you do?
How would you react and respond to my actions and words?

What if I fell to the floor
What if I become overwhelmed by my emotions and can't handle it anymore?

Couldn't take all this anymore
Reach a breaking point wherein the weight of the situation becomes too much for me to bear.

What would you do, do, do?
What actions would you take to help or hinder me in this situation?

Come, break me down
Take control and confront me head-on.

Bury me, bury me
Metaphorically bury me alive and suffocate me.

I am finished with you
I am tired of pretending and am ready to be honest with myself and others.

What if I wanted to fight
What if I wanted to argue or stand up for myself?

Beg for the rest of my life
Plead for understanding or forgiveness indefinitely.

You say you wanted more
You claim to desire more from me than what I am currently offering.

What are you waiting for?
Why aren't you taking action or doing something about it?

I'm not running from you
I am not avoiding or evading you, but rather confronting you head-on.

Look in my eyes
Pay attention to my emotions and feelings.

You're killing me, killing me
Your actions or words are causing me great emotional pain and distress.

All I wanted was you
My desire for connection and validation has driven me to desperation.

I tried to be someone else
I attempted to conform or change myself to fit societal norms or expectations.

But nothing seemed to change
Despite my efforts, I still felt unfulfilled and unhappy.

I know now, this is who I really am inside
I have reached an epiphany and realized my true identity.

I've finally found myself
I have discovered my true self and am ready to embrace it.

Fighting for a chance
Struggling to prove myself or show my worth.

Come, break me down
Continue to test and challenge me.

Break me down
Take away any false pretenses or illusions and see me for who I truly am.

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: JARED LETO

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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