The Body Is A Blade

Japanese Breakfast's song 'The Body Is A Blade' delves into the complex interplay between emotional pain and the process of healing. The lyrics suggest a struggle with inner turmoil and the effort to channel positivity despite the darkness. The opening lines, 'Try not to get so righteous / About what’s fair for everyone,' hint at the futility of seeking fairness in a world that often feels unjust. Instead, the focus shifts to finding remnants of goodness within oneself and using them as a source of strength.

The metaphor of the body as a blade is central to the song's theme. It represents the idea that our physical selves are tools that help us navigate through life's challenges, cutting a path from one day to the next. The repeated advice to 'slowly withdraw / From the darkest impulses of your heart' underscores the importance of self-control and the gradual process of healing. The blade metaphor also suggests that while the body can be a source of pain, it is also a means of survival and progress.

The song also touches on themes of loss and moving on. The lines 'Calling it off, our hoax of trying / What’s this place if you’re not here?' reflect a sense of emptiness and the difficulty of letting go. The imagery of emptying a house and staging it for sale symbolizes the process of saying goodbye to the past and preparing for a new chapter. Despite the pain and mourning, the song emphasizes the resilience of the human spirit, as evidenced by the line 'Knuckled under pain, you mourn but your blood is flowing.' This suggests that even in the depths of sorrow, life continues, and there is always a path forward.