Analyzing Skillet's Song 'The Last Night'
The song “The Last Night” by Skillet has lyrics that speak to many of us at some point, some more than others. There are two speakers/singers in this song you tell the story of someone who seems lost and hopeless and of another someone who is trying to help this person. Many themes throughout the song: hopelessness/loneliness, love/compassion, safety. In the end, we never know what choice is made, if the speaker allows help to come, but there is an overwhelming sense that things are turning towards the better. From the very beginning, the male singer paints us a picture of the female singer. She has come to him with “scars on her wrist”, implying that she at least cuts herself and perhaps has tried to kill herself. We also see that this
is not the first time. What is crucial here is that the female singer does nothing to dissuade us, simply saying goodbye and she’s fine. The last words of the first verse are important in that she lets us in, when she says that everything is a lie. The second verse says much of the same things, although not to this extent. The male singer tells us that her parents place blame on her for everything and the female singer tells us she is sick of her parents not really knowing her, but just saying this is a phase and things will be okay and she’s fine. Again, the female singer tells us this is a lie. Finally, towards the end of the song, we are told that night’s become very long when things are going wrong. This seems to sum up what is going on with our female singer. All of these things show us examples of the theme of hopelessness and loneliness that is very apparent in the female singer. She is certainly hopeless, not looking for or feeling there is help and willing to inflict pain on herself. However, from the male singer we see our other themes of love, compassion and safety. From the outset of the song, the male singer has one agenda and that is to help save the girl who seems to be lost. He continually tells her that this is the last night she will spend alone, that there will be no more long, unbearable nights. He says that his is everything she needs and will be everywhere she needs him to be. I feel as though there is nothing behind this but compassion and love. He seems genuine in his words, “If you give me your hand, I will help you hold.” The last thing that is important here is the context of the entire song. If I simply looked at the lyrics, what I said already would be adequate. There is a girl who seems as though nothing is going her way, everything is her fault, and she has probably cut herself numerous times because that is the only way she can feel pain. However, I know that this is a Christian band. Thus, the girl stays the same, but the boy might not be a boy anymore, he has become Jesus and is willing to save this girl if she only commits to him. The job of saving this girl, for the boy would/could be difficult, although certainly not impossible. For God, this is His purpose and that is why we get the continually reassurance that everything will be okay. The title of this song is pretty self-evident. The lyrics revolve around this girl and this perhaps being her last night (with the boy or on Earth), but her savior steps in, be it just the boy or God. We also see that “the last night” implies that after tonight, there will be no more nights like this anymore.
is not the first time. What is crucial here is that the female singer does nothing to dissuade us, simply saying goodbye and she’s fine. The last words of the first verse are important in that she lets us in, when she says that everything is a lie. The second verse says much of the same things, although not to this extent. The male singer tells us that her parents place blame on her for everything and the female singer tells us she is sick of her parents not really knowing her, but just saying this is a phase and things will be okay and she’s fine. Again, the female singer tells us this is a lie. Finally, towards the end of the song, we are told that night’s become very long when things are going wrong. This seems to sum up what is going on with our female singer. All of these things show us examples of the theme of hopelessness and loneliness that is very apparent in the female singer. She is certainly hopeless, not looking for or feeling there is help and willing to inflict pain on herself. However, from the male singer we see our other themes of love, compassion and safety. From the outset of the song, the male singer has one agenda and that is to help save the girl who seems to be lost. He continually tells her that this is the last night she will spend alone, that there will be no more long, unbearable nights. He says that his is everything she needs and will be everywhere she needs him to be. I feel as though there is nothing behind this but compassion and love. He seems genuine in his words, “If you give me your hand, I will help you hold.” The last thing that is important here is the context of the entire song. If I simply looked at the lyrics, what I said already would be adequate. There is a girl who seems as though nothing is going her way, everything is her fault, and she has probably cut herself numerous times because that is the only way she can feel pain. However, I know that this is a Christian band. Thus, the girl stays the same, but the boy might not be a boy anymore, he has become Jesus and is willing to save this girl if she only commits to him. The job of saving this girl, for the boy would/could be difficult, although certainly not impossible. For God, this is His purpose and that is why we get the continually reassurance that everything will be okay. The title of this song is pretty self-evident. The lyrics revolve around this girl and this perhaps being her last night (with the boy or on Earth), but her savior steps in, be it just the boy or God. We also see that “the last night” implies that after tonight, there will be no more nights like this anymore.