Linkin Park: Papercut Meaning

Song Released: 2001

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Papercut Lyrics

Why does it feel like night to day?
Something in here's not right today.
Why am I so uptight today?
Paranoia's all I got left
I don't know what stressed me first
Or how the pressure was fed
But I know just what it feels like
To have a...

1. 1TOP RATED

   anonymous

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   Nov 3rd 2010, 16:38 report

   
   

   [Written by N.A.H]
   
   Why does it feel like night today?
   Something in here's not right today.
   Why am I so uptight today?
   Paranoia's all I got left
   I don't know what stressed me first
   Or how the pressure was fed
   But I know just what it feels like
   To have a voice in the back of my head
   Like a face that I hold inside
   A face that awakes when I close my eyes
   A face watches every time I lie
   A face that laughs every time I fall
   (And watches everything)
   So I know that when it's time to sink or swim
   That the face inside is hearing me
   Right beneath my skin
   
   [This person notices that something about him is dark and realizes that he's angry about something that was building up inside of him. He thinks that its his other self like an opposite that's talking to him and making him paranoid, but its his true face or the true him that he doesn't know or show in public. It sees everything he does and others and it reveals his true feelings or opinions about them.]
   
   It's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back
   It's like a whirlwind inside of my head
   It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
   It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin
   
   [Basically he can't take it and he's afraid of what his inner face might say next. He's coming to the realization that the voice is his true self and he fears it.]
   
   I know I've got a face in me
   Points out all my mistakes to me
   You've got a face on the inside too and
   Your paranoia's probably worse
   I don't know what set me off first
   But I know what I can't stand
   Everybody acts like the fact of the matter is
   I can't add up to what you can but
   Everybody has a face that they hold inside
   A face that awakes when I close my eyes
   A face watches every time they lie
   A face that laughs every time they fall
   (And watches everything)
   So you know that when it's time to sink or swim
   That the face inside is watching you too
   Right inside your skin
   
   [The speaker knows the face inside of himself is his true self and is beginning to accept what he is. He also begins to see that everyone else has a true face that they don't show and their parania might be worse than his own. The speakers says that he doesn't know what ticked him off first but hates the fact that everyone thinks that he can't be as good as someone else(thats probably why he was upset in the first verse). He knows that they all have their own true faces that reveal their own true opinions about themselves and others.]
   
   [x2]
   It's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back
   It's like a whirlwind inside of my head
   It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
   It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin
   
   The face inside is right beneath your skin [x3]
   
   The sun goes down
   I feel the light betray me
   The sun goes down
   I feel the light betray me
   
   The sun
   I feel the light betray me
   The sun
   I feel the light betray me
   
   [The rest of the song is just the chorus, but this addition to the chorus is important because the speaker feels that now that he knows that his true self seems to be evil or have a dark nature that he feels betrayed by the good image of who he thought he was. The light of the sun that he thought was there was never there it was just the darkness of night all along. Ty for reading because I'm a big linkin park fan. My initials: N.A.H]
   
   It's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back
   It's like a whirlwind inside of my head
   It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
   It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin
   
   It's like I'm paranoid lookin' over my back
   It's like a whirlwind inside of my head
   It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
   It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
   It's like I can't stop what I'm hearing within
   It's like the face inside is right beneath my skin

   
   
   
   

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   anonymous

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   Apr 23rd 2010, 12:41 report

   
   

   The paranoia isn't real. It's society. No matter what this guy does, he's being watched and his mistakes are pointed out. "The sun" that "goes down" in the bridge are his frieds and when they leave, he can't feel their presence, so the "paranoia" gets worse for him. And what the second verse says is that he's not the only problemed person in the world. We all worry about it and when anyone steps out of line, they're put down for it.

   
   
   
   

3. 3TOP RATED

   petertan2

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   May 2nd 2009, 10:59 report

   
   

   "Paper cut" refers to the physical sting from a paper cut. However, metaphorically, this describes the feeling of paranoia. The theme is based upon fear. Again, ambiguity seems to suggest a feeling from hallucinations and 'high' sensations. This idea of hallucinating lends itself to Chester's history of drug abuse.

   
   
   
   

4.  

   anonymous

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   May 24th 2012, 05:48 report

   
   

   This is quite easy to understand.
   
   The first verse explains that the person in question can feel that something isn't right but they don't know what it is and the metaphor for the thing that isn't right with is expressed as "the face inside".
   
   The "face inside" that Mike is talking about is the paranoia and the monsters inside your head. They could symbolise insecurities, depression, anxiety, whatever you can relate to.
   
   The lyric "right beneath my skin" means that "the face inside" is a part of you that criticises everything you and makes you paranoid of every mistake, every move you make, etc.
   
   The chorus is quite easy to understand, the whirlwind is the cacophony of thoughts that surges through one's mind when they are confused to a point that paranoia is all that they think of and they watch their every step and move, afraid of what "the face inside" will think - that is, what their critical side will think.
   
   I hope that makes sense.

   
   
   
   

5.  

   anonymous

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   Jul 5th 2011, 21:26 report

   
   

   This song is most likely about a person who has done numerous unsavory things in hi life. Now, whether the "face inside" is society or himself,that's up to you. But regardless, you must admit that the singer is at war with the "face inside". The "face" points out every flawand mistake the person makes,and everytime the person slips up and does what he says he won't (falls), the "face" knows and laughs at his expense.

   
   
   
   

6.  

   Dusty Dills

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   Jun 18th 2011, 11:47 report

   
   

   I think that very few people are patient or aware enough to understand the full meaning of this song. All of your interpretations are awsome and make sense, but for those who have actually felt "it", the intuition that is not us, but is inside of is, (some call it god) others call it, well "it", "it"'s much deeper than that. Many times you can literally hear and feel another person inside you. Smarter, somehow knowing the greater truth that one person just can't see. "It" keeps us in line. Pointing out our flaws, not according to society but according to our own genuine beliefs of what we think is right and wrong. If we truly know ourselves it's easy to see that this other entity has different personality than us, different quirks mannerisms. Those who don't understand call us crazy or schizo, but i know the truth. "It" is in all of us, some just choose to ignore it as not be be "crazy". I think this song is trying to describe this entity the best way Linkin Park knows how. "It's" very hard to explain much easier to know.

   
   
   
   

7.  

   anonymous

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   Mar 18th 2011, 00:18 report

   
   

   The way I see it...
   
   It's you being loyal to yourself, but this loyalty isn't accepted by the personality we have...
   It's like we ourselves look after us...
   Sometimes its just unacceptable,and some times we just want to do the wrong... That's then
   our faith plays the role of another face...
   It only happens when we know what's wrong for us and by us and what's not kjowilder@gmail.com

   
   
   
   

8.  

   HHG

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   Dec 3rd 2009, 03:32 report

   
   

   Ok this is just my interpretation of the song and why I like this song so much. I believe it is about someone who has extreme paranoia that feels as if there is a face right inside him. I think this because I have had extreme cases of paranoia before and I can strongly relate to the lyrics.

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
   
   
   
   

9.  

   anonymous

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   Sep 13th 2009, 15:00 report

   
   

   Ok, mine is diffrent than everyone elses. I think it is about a pure evil person who one day g ets a concsience, it laughs whenever he lies, mocking him its making him feel guilty

   This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
   
   
   
   

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    anonymous

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    Jul 12th 2009, 19:25 report

    
    

    i think this song is about feeling paranoid and always pionting out your mistakes to yourself. this feeling of paranoia is kinda like haveing a face within yourself, or beneth your skin."A face watches every time I lie
    A face that laughs every time I fall
    (And watches everything)" this is like your concence, and you know when you lie or do something bad you feel as if some one is watching you. but this someone is really yourself.

    
    
    
    

11.  

    anonymous

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    Jun 11th 2009, 12:49 report

    
    

    I think it's about cutting your wrists. The cuts right beneath your skin, reminding you of past mistakes...

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
    
    
    
    

12.  

    shadowmagwai

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    Apr 4th 2009, 23:04 report

    
    

    OK to the first comment thank you buddy for repeating the song without giving a deeper mean ok well I believe that this paranoia has been building inside of him forever no and its finally starting to show itself this song also refers to the fact that everyone in society always is trying to be perfect because their paranoia tell them they have to be perfect and look perfect or no one will love them

    
    
    
    

13.  

    anonymous

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    Mar 24th 2009, 03:30 report

    
    

    This song is about a person who is haunted by paranoia and always thinks that there is a 'face inside his skin' watching over him and pointing out his mistakes etc. and this is really givin the guy the creeps. It gives me the creeps!