What does Hurricane mean?

30 Seconds To Mars: Hurricane Meaning

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Album cover for Hurricane album cover

Hurricane Lyrics

No matter how many times that you told me you wanted to leave
No matter how many breaths that you took, you still couldn't breathe
No matter how many nights that you lie wide awake to the sound of the poison rain
Where did you go? Where did you...

  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    May 10th 2011 !⃝

    its about confronting ones self, and making you question your own opinions and ideals for the better. It is also asking you do you really believe there is another being that gives you choices to make. In the end, it says that you are your own person and you are responsible for your own mistakes and choices and you need to live up to it because eventually, the 'hurricane' of hurt, hatred, remorse, guilt and love will follow you all of your life and send you to a dark place[underground]in order for you to try and escape it momentarily.

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Nov 6th 2010 !⃝

    "Hurricane" is a single from 30 Seconds To Mars's album "This Is War".
    There is much controversy regarding this song, as many believe that the lyrics can be interpreted as "anti-God"; that is, denouncing God's existence or attempting to place Him in a bad light. I do not think the lyrics are meant to be interpreted this way, as the context of the lyrics (and the words chosen in it) are a far cry from what those people think.
    I'll analyse and explain each part of the lyrics step-by-step.

    "No matter how many times that you told me you wanted to leave"
    This is most probably referring to an ex-lover or spouse who, under circumstances not given in the lyrics, wanted to leave.

    "No matter how many breaths that you took you still couldn't breathe"
    Still referring to the ex-lover or spouse, this lyric means that no matter what this ex-lover tried to repair her life or fix her problems, she simply was unable to. (The "breaths", therefore, are figurative.)

    "No matter how many nights that you lay wide awake to the sound of the poison rain"
    The ex-lover was unable to find peaceful rest or sleep because she was most probably haunted by her problems and stress. It's noteworthy to know that "rain" is often used as a personification of depression or anxiety, and it being described as "poison" emphasises that; this may mean, then, that this "rain" isn't really literal; rather, it symbolises the depressing or anxious torrent of problems this ex-lover was faced with. (Alternatively, it could be literal rain falling, and it's being described as "poison" reflecting the ex-lover's depressingly negative views)

    "Where did you go? Where did you go? Where did you go? "
    This is now the singer talking, pondering over where exactly his ex-lover fled to in order to escape from her problems.

    "Heart beat, a heart beat, I need a... Heart beat, a heart beat... "
    The heart is often used to symbolise emotion (particularly that of love) and feelings. The singer wants to feel a figurative "heartbeat" to know that his love and feelings still do exist, which would mean she's still in his life, and not gone.

    "Tell me would you kill to save a life?
    Tell me would you kill to prove you're right?"
    This is now the singer asking his ex-lover to explain herself. The "life" that is talking about being saved is actually her own; he wants to know if she would put others at risk in order to save herself or, as the second line says, prove that she was right (probably about whatever caused her problems, or right about something else that the singer denied that may have been the cause of her depression)

    "Crash, crash, burn let it all burn
    This hurricane is chasing us all underground. "
    Because of the fact that his ex-lover left him, both are now in a state of emotional (and most probably physical) turmoil; neither knows what to do, and so their relationship (and also probably their lives) are now falling apart, but neither know how to fix it, so they "let it all burn". The "hurricane" is figurative; a hurricane is a natural disaster capable of extreme destructive power. This "hurricane" is the destructive power of the problems they are facing. So, basically, the hurricane, which is the focus of this song, is their relationship, and all the problems involved with it.

    "No matter how many deaths that I die, I will never forget
    No matter how many lives I live, I will never regret"
    Because this means so much to him, and the pain is so great, the singer knows that he will never forget it, now matter "how many deaths he dies" -- this is just hyperbole to emphasise how much this is to him, and how much it's affecting him. The "regret", however, is the regret of not doing anything to mend their relationship; because she left him (probably in an attempt to escape her problems), he views it as her fault, and so it's not him who will regret it.

    "There's a fire inside this heart and a riot about to explode into flames"
    While fire can refer to passion, this fire is similar to the hurricane; it's a destructive force, just like fire is capable of destroying things in real life. This destructive force in his "heart" (which symbolises his feelings, as stated earlier) means he's becoming emotionally unstable, and so a "riot" is about to "explode into flames" -- he feels as if he's about to crack under the pressure.

    "Where is your God? Where is your God? Where is your God?"
    This is perhaps the most controversial part of the lyrics. Many assume that the singer is questioning the existence of God. However, it's probable that, because of all the stress he's facing, he has lost faith, and so now, hoping that his ex-lover hasn't lost her faith, he wants her to make God intervene and fix their problems before they fall apart completely.

    "Do you really want?
    Do you really want me?
    Do you really want me dead?
    Or alive to torture for my sins?"
    Possibly overcome with grief and anger, the singer now questions their love for each other. Because he might have been the cause of her problems, he wants to know if she would kill him in order to solve her problems ("do you really want me dead"), alive so he can suffer from the guilt of knowing he caused them ("alive to torture for my sins"), or if she still wants him in her life ("do you really want me").

    "You say you wrong, you wrong, I'm right, I'm right, you're wrong, we fight "
    This means that there was an aggressive confrontation between the singer and his ex-lover before she left, where the two argued. (This may have given him even more reason to want to know if she "wanted him dead")

    "Ok, I'm running from the light, running from the day to night "
    This is an ambiguous part, but it's most probably referring to how, in his confusion and grief, he has forsaken what is right and has "run" into what is wrong (this would also explain why he has lost faith in God)

    "Oh, the quiet silence defines our misery
    The riot inside keeps trying to visit me "
    The quiet silence is the apathy or silence left behind in their relationship -- having left each other, they lost all communication and sympathy, and so there is a complete "silence" between them", and this defines their misery by reminding them of what they lost. The "riot inside" is probably the grief, guilt or anger that he keeps feeling.

    "No matter how we try, it's too much history
    Too many bad notes playing in our symphony"
    No matter how they try and mend their relationship, nothing works, as there are too many problems between them now ("bad notes" referring to the problems, and the "symphony" referring to their relationship)


    "So let it breathe, let it fly, let it go
    Let it fall, let it crash, burn slow"
    So, now, having lost all hope of fixing their relationship, they decide to let go of each other, and let it fall apart.

    "And then you call upon God"
    This, once again, emphasises the singer's desire for God to intervene and fix their problems. (Interestingly, this also refutes claims that this is an anti-God song, otherwise the singer wouldn't be looking to God to solve problems)

    ----
    So, basically, this isn't about God; rather, it's about a couple who, after facing extremely stressful or trying problems, separate, and then their lives begin to fall apart.
    Hope this clarified things.

  3. Ppaintman
    click a star to vote
    Mar 6th 2022 !⃝

    I dont have an interpretation , just a question. Although I really do enjoy reading everyones interp of a song i have to ask, is there a place to look at that tell the actual meaning to song lyrics from the person that actually wrote the song?

  4. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 23rd 2013 !⃝

    I think this song is about humanity that is destroying,and also about an ex-lover.the part in music video which 3 peaple(i think fro diffrent religion) are throwing their holy book in the fire that means don't care what God has said.thanks
    NEGAR

  5. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Nov 28th 2012 !⃝

    I'm probably misinterpreting the song especially after I saw the lengthy videoclip of it, though pictures seeded some ideas in my mind as to what message the song is going to convey. Generally speaking, I believe that this song is a dipiction of humanity and his rotting morality which is illuminated through sex, religion, war as in the scene of tombs which implies Soldiers who have died in a war which was justified to achieve peace( would you kill to save...) while it leaves millions of people in misery in the end.

  6. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Jul 4th 2012 !⃝

    it talks about how someone is when they give themselves to lust in the first verse it talks about getting addicted to your lust and trying to stop and quit but you can't so you end up hurting people (probably bdsm..if you combine the song with the video)to please oneself(tell me would you kill to save a life) this hurricane's chasing us all underground it prove''s that it is lust since in dante's inferno the 2nd circle of hell is for lust where people are trapped in an endless hurricane and collide into rocks and each other...then he regrets it starts growing a concience about it (do you really want me dead or alive to torture for my sins...)
    but he is too addicted to his own lust that he stops regreting (no matter how many deaths that i'd die i will never forget no matter how many lives that i live i will never regret..) and he loses his faith in his god(where is your god?)
    the in the verse where he says the prominses we made were not enough...we had to let it go he tries to stop promises but he couldn't he tried prayin for forgiveness but it was like a drug :a temporary relief he video taped his porn to make the most of it but few watched(the secrets that we sold were never known) he eventually loses his partner (the love we had wehad to let it go) then it starts all over again by hurting people for his lust(tell me would you kill to save a life) so this hurricane never ended..
    ps: i'm not very good at this so this is what i thought it meant..

  7. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Mar 24th 2012 !⃝

    Hurricane Interpretation Part 1

    I think “Hurricane” is a song about the pain caused by a love that has to die, because it is wrong. “Hurricane” is a word used to express the intensity of the feelings and the turmoil of a lost love …

    No matter how many times that you told me you wanted to leave
    No matter how many breaths that you took you still couldn't breathe
    No matter how many nights that you'd lie wide awake to the sound of the poison rain

    Although it seems as if referring to another person, I think Jared really reaches feelings inside of him by wanting to leave, not being able to breath and lying awake listening to the sound of the poison rain. “Poison rain” I think symbolises hatred, but also I think that he is expressing feelings of fear by “wanted to leave” and death anxiety by “couldn’t breath”. Fear is insinuated by death anxiety.

    Where did you go
    Where did you go
    Where did you go

    Now I think he is really referring to another person, who has rejected him and maybe explains why he is feeling the way he has already described. He is in pain, because he has been abandoned, feeling angry, bitter and fearful and anxious that his life is over.

    Heart beat, a heart beat, I need a... Heart beat, a heart beat...

    He needs a heartbeat, in order to start breathing again. I think we could assume that the other can provide it to him.

    As days go by
    The night's on fire

    As the days go by without the person who left him, his feelings, awaking during the night, are getting him on fire.

    Tell me would you kill to save a life
    Tell me would you kill to prove you're right

    He asks himself, by referring the question to someone in his shoes I think, if he would kill to save himself from the fire inside, on one hand, but also in order to prove that he is right in desiring the other and possibly that the abandonment shouldn’t have taken place.

    Crash crash Burn let it all burn
    This hurricane's chasing us all underground

    Then he wants to crash everything, to burn down everything, including himself, because his feelings are growing into a very destructive hurricane.

    No matter how many deaths that I die I will never forget
    No matter how many lives that I live I will never regret
    There is a fire inside of this heart and a riot about to explode into flames

    He is realising that death will not make him forget, that’s how strong his feelings for the other person are, but also that he will never regret them. By this he means that the desire is still there, it is the fire in his heart, which is about to start a riot.

    Where is your God
    Where is your God
    Where is your God

    And then I think he begs for the mercy of God to spare him from all his pain, insinuating possibly that he is angry because God does not seem to be around.

    Do you really want
    Do you really want me
    Do you really want me dead or alive
    To torture for my sins

    He is asking the object of his desire about what she wants: starting by asking if she desires at all, then if she desires him, letting us/himself think that the desire would be for love, but finally reveals that he feels the desire of the other (to reject him) as a torture for his sins. I think that the sins would be his desire for the other, maybe a forbidden other. “Dead or alive”, I think he means that either way, it’s going to be a torture for him not having the person.

    Do you really want
    Do you really want me
    Do you really want me dead or alive
    To live a lie

    Again here he is asking the other about her desire. He feels that dead or alive, he is going to live a lie, without her and that this is because of her.

    The promises we made were not enough (Never play the game again) The prayers that we had prayed were like a drug (Never gonna help me here) The secrets that we sow we’ll never know (Never sing a song a second time)

    Promises were not enough to keep them together, nor prayers, which only seems to have been just like a medicine for the pain. So, he is not going to love again.

    The love we had The love we had (Never giving in again, never giving in again)

    Finally he speaks about the love the two of them shared once… (he is not going to love again …)

    We had to let it go

    But they had to let go …

    crash, crash, burn, let it all burn, if sorry can't fix the things i so long to cry

    Again he wants to crash everything, to burn down everything, because feeling sorry can’t fix the lost love for which he longs to cry.

    You say you wrong, you wrong, I'm right, I'm right, you're wrong, we fight

    The other person says that their love is wrong, but he thinks that it is right and not wrong and so they fight

    Ok, I'm running from the light, running from the day to night
    Oh, the quiet silence defines our misery
    The riot inside keeps trying to visit me

    And so things get dark for him into the night, in a silence between them, their misery, but even if there’s silence, the riot of feelings is always around at risk to reveal itself.

    No matter how we try, it's too much history
    Too many bad notes playing in our symphony

    I think here the efforts are referring to efforts to be apart, but their history is a lot to forget and move on. On the other hand, they can’t be together either, because together they make a bad symphony.

    So let it breathe, let it fly, let it go
    Let it fall, let it crash, burn slow

    He knows that he has to let go, he wishes I think to make it go away, by falling, crashing, burning slow …

    And then you call upon God
    You call upon God

    Finally he is turning to God, because I think at this point nothing is left for him, but also we might wonder if he is turning to God, because of remorse for having the feelings he had. Anyway, he has said he is not going to love again …

    It would be very interesting to add features for the interpretation of the song from the video and will follow.

    K.V.

  8. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Feb 19th 2012 !⃝

    I've watched the music video and honestly it's probably about how humanity is breaking down. There are some lyrics where it seems the singer is having a relationship, and "Tell me would you kill, to save a life?" seems to me that, yes, he is asking his ex-lover or possibly just questioning humanity because we're so bad-natured people and we do terrible things daily. War, sex, drugs, kidnapping, rape, stealing, cheating, and we lose faith in everything because we get persuaded in so many seductive and negative things and I think Jared Leto is trying to clear it all up for us and practically warn us. Then again he makes every song have multiple meanings, so it's either a terrible and drastic couple or how society is the hurricane and is dragging humanity all underground

  9. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Apr 24th 2011 !⃝

    About breaking the cycle of a dysfunctional relationship. The hurricane is all consuming and carries you along with it.


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