Really Hard

Song Meaning

These lyrics immediately plunge into the struggle of maintaining authenticity amidst perceived danger. "To be loving when the knives are out" sets a stark, defensive tone. The speaker finds it "so hard to remain open," a central tension that permeates the entire piece. The verses paint a picture of an existence defined by performance and reaction rather than genuine expression. Phrases like "I'm just some robot, wind up the clockwork jerk" and "I'm just some reflex" convey a profound sense of automatism. This mechanical existence is driven by the need to impress, a "nature of my work" that later expands to "our work," suggesting a shared human condition of living for external validation. The chorus, repeated with a subtle but crucial shift, highlights the internal dilemma of vulnerability. Initially, "If it's true, it can't be spoken" suggests a painful paradox where honesty is self-defeating. However, the second chorus offers a different strategy: "If you bend, you won't get broken." This contrast underscores the constant negotiation between self-preservation through silence and the potential for resilience through flexibility, making the difficulty of remaining open feel even more complex. Yet, a desperate yearning for change breaks through in the final verse. The speaker urges to "Wake up from this dreaming state" and lets out "A long scream out, it's not too late." The powerful repetition, "I am dying to begin / I am dying to begin again," injects a raw, almost paradoxical hope into the pervasive struggle. It's a plea for rebirth, a desperate desire to shed the robotic facade and truly start living, despite knowing just how "Really hard" it will be.