Cavetown - Sharpener Meaning

Sharpener Lyrics

Sharpener's callin' me again
Tryin' to turn it into some
Thing I can draw into my skin
Make it a picture that I'll love
Insert something that I wish
I could get in the bath and scrub right off
Why am I ashamed to look the way I do?
All...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Oct 7th 2021 !⃝

   yeah the song is about selfharm. but "broke the sharpener in two" reminds me more of when you break the sharpener to get to the blade to sh instead of recovery.

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Aug 25th 2021 !⃝

   The sharpener in this context is about sh
   
   The whole song has a generally pretty clear meaning but some lyrics i wanna go into detail about (as a person who has gone through similar).
   
   "Sometimes seems like Im still young, looking at the boy across the sink. Thinking "What the hell have you just done?" " - Speaking from experience, after sh I sorta feel like 'why am i insane' 'why do i do this' 'why am i doing this' and i have never heard a song that really displayed these feelings.
   
   That was just what i wanted to express with this
   

3. 3TOP RATED

   #3 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Mar 16th 2021 !⃝

   I believe that this song covers self-harm/ unhealthy coping mechanisms. The thing that makes me think this is that "sharpener" is the name of the song and the thing that is "calling him" in the first line, and as a person who has struggled with this before, a sharpener is one of many things you can use to cut. The third line, "thing i can draw into my skin" and the post-chorus, "all because an escape to me was just a sharpener to you" both point toward this conclusion as well. Towards the end of the song, Cavetown seems to nod at recovery, "broke my sharpener in two". This song is a great escape for me when things seem to turn grey.
4. anonymous

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   Jan 10th !⃝

   This song is definitely about sh and possibly recovering? The lyrics “looking at the mirror thinking what the h3ll have you just done?” May indicate him feeling crazy or guilty for hurting himself. And from what I interpreted this as is him getting over it such as lyrics like “just wanted some company” makes it seem like he’s regretting what he did to himself “broke the sharpener in two” seems like him quitting sh and healing. Just my thoughts let me know yours!
5. anonymous

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   Sep 11th 2023 !⃝

   My interpretation is it’s about self harm I mean it’s kinda obvious lyrics that basically give it away are “an escape to me is just a sharpener to you…” “looking at the boy across the sink thinking what the hell have you just done..” “broke the sharpener in two” “cause honey ya know you can’t help it”
6. iris_

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   Aug 28th 2023 !⃝

   hello im iris,and i love this song so what i thing the meaning is is self harm but at the end when it says snap into two in is meaning there going on the trail to recovery!
7. anonymous

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   Jun 17th 2023 !⃝

   The song is talking about sh, the lyric “Sharpener's callin' me again“ refers to the urge to sh/ relapse into an unhealthy coping mechanism. The song also talks about how they want a picture they can draw into their skin but also scrub away which I think represents how they just want the scars to go away. It also says “Why am I ashamed to look the way I do?
   All 'cause an escape to me was just a sharpener to you” which I think is explaining how they feel like people don’t understand what sh actually is. But the line I most resonate with is “Sometimes seems like I'm still young
   lookin' at the boy across the sink
   Thinking, What the hell have you just done?” Because I started at a young age, and the first time I did it I didn’t know what it was but as soon as I learned I felt so bad because I was scared my parents would feel bad if they found out making me feel worse thus creating a cycle of sh
8. anonymous

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   Jun 5th 2023 !⃝

   I think this song is talking about self harm. The first verse says ‘sharpeners callin me again’ meaning he feels the urge to sh. The verse ‘thing I can draw into my skin’ also is similar to the first verse. ‘Something that I wish I could get in the bath and scrub right off’ I think means he wishes his scars could easily heal or come off. ‘Why am I ashamed to look the way I do’ meaning he’s uncomfortable showing them in public and ashamed or maybe shames himself for thinking that he’s the reason he does sh. ‘All cuz an escape to me was just a sharpener to u’ which maybe means that he sees a sharpener as a escape from his emotional feelings/breakdowns and others see a sharpener as a normal tool to sharpen pencils. ‘Big old pill’ meaning antidepressants. ‘Thinking what the hell have u just done’ maybe Robbie went too far when doing sh one time and cut very badly. ‘You say why am I like this’ (meaning people don’t understand why he does sh or thinks Robbie is over dramatic for doing sh. ‘Guess u know ur not tryna fix this’ maybe his parents or someone seems like they care by getting Robbie a therapist or putting him on meds but doesn’t actually care about what’s going on with Robbie. ‘U say why am I selfish’ (Robbie gets told he’s selfish often).
9. anonymous

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   May 27th 2023 !⃝

   I believe this song points toward self harm, but instead of recovering in the end, he breaks the sharpener in two, taking the blade from the sharpener instead of breaking the blade in two.
10. agave

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    May 7th 2023 !⃝

    this song is about self harm and unhealthy coping mechanisms, and feeling extremely guilty for it. also trying to recover, but having a relapse.
11. Sages

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    Apr 10th 2022 !⃝

    This song is about cutting yourself. The blade in a sharpener is an escape for you, but others don't know so it's just a 'sharpener' to them. The last part about feeling selfish is the people in your life telling you to stop. You can't, so that makes you feel selfish.
12. anonymous

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    Aug 3rd 2021 !⃝

    I belive this song is About self harm/Unhealthy ways of coping When it says "looking at the boy across in the mirror" what the hell did you do" Makes me think of when you have that brief moment you freak out relaizing what happened
    
    And the end where it syas broke the sharpener in two could point to recovery and Destory it So it won't happen again