Be My Escape

Up early this morning because it's Election Day and wanted to vote early, I have a little time to write.

I've been thinking about this Relient K song a lot lately, and just wanted to comment on the sheer cleverness of these lyrics:

And I’ve been housing all this doubt and insecurity
And I’ve been locked inside that house
All the while You hold the key
And I’ve been dying to get out
And that might be the death of me

There's a literary term for what the writers are doing with their words here, but basically it's a play on words, and it makes a point. He was "housing" all that doubt within himself, but by doing so, the doubt was "housing" him, and he was imprisoned by it.

There's a similar play on the dying/death term, which is equivocal; "it might be the death of me" could either indicate the fear of whatever lies beyond the familiar fears (better the devil you know), or it could indicate that some kind of metaphysical death must take place for him to escape the fears. Maybe both! I'm leaning toward the second because of the line, "I know to live you must give your life away."

Anyways, cool song.

"Be My Escape" is on Relient K's 2004 Capitol Records release, Mmmhmm.