"You Lost Me" by Sleigh Bells
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 5:42 PM I am obsessed with music. Probably to the point of neurosis. I listen to it all day long. I once joked with a friend, that I would probably be okay with being stranded on a desert island as long as I had Spotify and a way to french press coffee in the morning. In short, music is how I ground myself. I need it to work, to think, to dance, to play, to feel okay. Usually this is a safe, light process--until it crosses over into the things I care about most--namely, my experiences in working in suicide prevention.
Sleigh Bells released a new album, titled "Reign of Terror". The track posted here is about two teens who took their lives by suicide in 1985. According to band, this is a true story (although I have not been successful in finding actual evidence of this.) I don't really doubt the validity of the story, but rather the sincerity behind drawing attention to it.
I would love to begin a conversation about how others feel about this song. When I first heard it, I felt confused. Is its existence good or bad? Is it an exploitation of a real story of pain? A romanticization of suicide? Or is it a positive step in raising awareness and talking about suicide? What do you think?
"You Lost Me"
Behind the circle k,
where our bodies lay,
we took our lives away,
we wanted it this way.
Face down in the dirt,
in your mini-skirt,
teeth touch the tracks,
yeah I got your back.
I don't want you to see me this way,
What a way to die (in 1985)
Down in the ground we can sing from the grave,
take a breath, take a breath
I would never lie to you,
But I'm gonna have to tell the truth.
Ah-ahh, you lost me.
Teenage metal heads,
in your denim vests,
cause you're holding hands,
through your favorite bands,
all your favorite bands.
Your not the only ones
down beneath the sun who never had any fun,
you walk around town with your heads way down.
Reader Comments (1)
In the summer of 1990, the band was involved in a civil action that alleged they were responsible for the self-inflicted gunshot wounds in 1985 of 20-year old James Vance and 18-year old Raymond Belknap in Reno, Nevada, USA.
I think the parts about the Circle K, the miniskirt and the railroad tracks were embellishments, unrelated to the deceased boys.