Songs about selfharm?

October 10, 2013 11:42 AM

I'm looking for songs which mention/ can be interpreted to mention self-harm, but in which SH isn't their focus. Examples of what I'm looking for inside. They don't have to be any specific genre or mood, it's the lyrics I'm interested. Thanks!

"You kinda remind me of scars on my arms // That I made when I was a kid //With a disassembled disposable razor I stole from my dad,"
Tell Tale Signs - Frank Turner

and

"you can tell // from the scars on my arms // and cracks in my hips // and the dents in my car // and the blisters on my lips // that i'm not the carefullest of girls"
The Dresden Dolls - Girl Anachronism

posted by Braeburn to Media & Arts (24 answers total)

"Hurt" by Nine Inch Nails
posted by misspony at 11:48 AM on October 10, 2013 [2 favorites]

Indigo Girls, "Blood and Fire," might do nicely.
posted by Stacey at 11:53 AM on October 10, 2013

I think the focus of "Cut" by Plumb is on the emotions, but it may be more directly focused than you're interested in.
posted by Margalo Epps at 12:06 PM on October 10, 2013

P.O.S., "Been Afraid"

she the calm type: you see the small scars
creeping down her arms, peeking from them long sleeves,
right?

Neutral Milk Hotel, "Three Peaches"

you seem so bruised and it's beautiful
as it's reflecting off from you as it shines
you're in the bathroom carving holiday designs into yourself
hoping no one will find you but they found you
and they took you and you somehow survived

posted by divined by radio at 12:16 PM on October 10, 2013

"Footsteps" by Pearl Jam
posted by Busmick at 12:17 PM on October 10, 2013

"Go With It Girl" by World/Inferno Friendship Society includes "Oh, girl, I purred as we tore at each other's clothes... look what you've done to your arms, striped like your tights, red and white. Her elbows hit my chest, she said 'I know best, now show me yours' - the cuts? of course, no problem, sure."
posted by entropone at 12:21 PM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]

The Organ, "Nothing I Can Do"

Now, i lie here in my room
And there is nothing i can do
But cut and think about you
posted by sabotagerabbit at 12:22 PM on October 10, 2013

Anti-Flag, "The Bright Lights of America"

Sixteen year old girl
In a hollow carved out place
Just looking for some prettiness
But the cuts in her arm don't paint for her
A very pretty view

posted by General Malaise at 12:23 PM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]

Delicate Cutters by Throwing Muses
posted by matildaben at 12:26 PM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]

"Bleed Like Me" by Garbage:

Doodle takes dad's scissors to her skin
And when she does relief comes setting in
While she hides the scars she's making underneath her pretty clothes
She sings:
Hey baby can you bleed like me?
C'mon baby can you bleed like me?

posted by gmb at 12:33 PM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]

One for the Cutters - The Hold Steady.
posted by dortmunder at 12:35 PM on October 10, 2013

The Cutters of "One for the Cutters" refer to a bike racing team from the movie Breaking Away (the "cutters" in the movie are the children of stonecutters, i.e. working-class/blue-collar rather than educated; they would work in the "quarries" of Bloomington where the song takes place), but I do think it's probably supposed to be a double meaning, as a lot of Hold Steady songs address themes of self-harm/self-destruction.

I was going to recommend "Your Little Hoodrat Friend":

Your little hoodrat friend's been calling me again
And I can't stand all the things that she sticks into her skin
Like sharpened ballpoint pens and steel guitar strings
She says it hurts but it's worth it.
posted by honey wheat at 12:45 PM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]

Fiona Apple: Valentine
You didn't see my valentine
I sent it via pantomime
While you were watching someone else
I stared at you and cut myself
posted by haplesschild at 12:52 PM on October 10, 2013

Mods, can we put a trigger filter on this one?
posted by mrfuga0 at 12:56 PM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]

"4st7lbs" and "Faster" off of "The Holy Bible" by the Manic Street Preachers.
posted by playertobenamedlater at 1:14 PM on October 10, 2013 [1 favorite]

Breathe Me by Sia


Help, I have done it again
I have been here many times before
Hurt myself again today
And, the worst part is there's no-one else to blame
posted by Blitz at 2:06 PM on October 10, 2013

"Unknown Tongue" by Blue Oyster Cult
posted by The otter lady at 3:09 PM on October 10, 2013

Eminem - Stan

Sometimes I even cut myself to see how much it bleeds
It's like adrenaline, the pain is such a sudden rush for me
posted by cali59 at 4:05 PM on October 10, 2013

Loathe by Three Rounds Shy

"I cut my left arm,
I've got scars on my right."

Gravity by A Perfect Circle

"Cup these hands before they
snare another pill,
and drive another nail down another needy hole."
posted by geek anachronism at 4:10 PM on October 10, 2013

War On Drugs by Barenaked Ladies?
posted by tan_coul at 4:51 PM on October 10, 2013

Oh Ana by Mother Mother

I'll be god, I'll be god, I'll be god, I'll be god today
Hold my head under that bath and breathe away
Slit my wrists and watch that blood evaporate
Being this godly can't be good for Ana's safety, Ana hear me
posted by fox problems at 5:54 PM on October 10, 2013

Cold Blue Steel and Sweet Fire by Joni Mitchell


"Come with me
I know the way" she says
"It's down, down, down the dark ladder
Do you want to contact somebody first
Leave someone a letter
You can come now
Or you can come later"
posted by gteffertz at 7:58 PM on October 10, 2013

Another Throwing Muses track, Fall Down:

"I showed this girl my stitches
She said she had some too
She said she thinks she'll start a rock band too"
posted by Sonny Jim at 2:49 PM on October 11, 2013

Alkaline Trio, Cringe: "Even Christ himself would cringe at the sight of your scars"

I was looking through song tags, hence the weirdly late response
posted by NoraReed at 4:53 AM on January 14, 2014