Black Honey (Live @ Sirius XM)

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of someone relentlessly pursuing a desired outcome, symbolized by "honey on my table," despite inflicting self-harm and causing collateral damage. The narrator repeatedly swings their hand into a "swarm of bees" and "rips and smashes through the hornet's nest," actions that clearly lead to being stung. This persistent self-sabotage is driven by a sense of entitlement, "Do you understand I deserve the best?" coupled with a defiant "I'll do what I want, I'll do what I please." This cycle of destructive pursuit is mirrored in the second verse with the "pin through a butterfly," an act of curiosity that results in its destruction and subsequent burning. The repeated phrase "I never get it right" underscores the futility of these efforts, yet the narrator remains committed to repeating the harmful actions "till I've got what I need." The core tension lies between this unyielding desire and the consistent, painful failure to achieve it through these methods. The most striking craft element is the stark, almost childlike imagery of self-inflicted pain for a perceived reward. The contrast between the sweet "honey" and the violent "swarm of bees" or "hornet's nest" is jarring. Later, the narrator's actions escalate, "cutting that branch off the cherry tree," leading to the consequences spreading to "friends and my family," highlighting how personal destructive choices can have far-reaching, unintended impacts. Ultimately, the lyrics resonate because they capture a raw, almost desperate insistence on getting what one believes they deserve, even when the path chosen is demonstrably self-destructive and harmful to others. The narrator's inability to understand "why they're stinging me" despite their own aggressive actions reveals a profound disconnect between cause and effect, making the repeated pursuit of "honey" feel both tragic and infuriatingly stubborn.