Meaning of "Send the Pain Below" by Chevelle

The lyrics of "Send the Pain Below" explore the complicated relationship between pain and emotional satisfaction. The speaker has a masochistic tendency, finding pleasure in feeling hurt. They specifically request that the pain be sent below, indicating a desire for the emotional pain to be buried or hidden away. This suggests a willingness to endure pain and perhaps even a desire to relish in it.

The lyrics also touch on the dynamics of a toxic relationship. The speaker mentions someone who used to want them to fail and would laugh as they were pushed away. However, this person would later regret their actions and cry, pleading for the speaker to come back. This highlights the manipulative and unstable nature of the relationship, with the other person constantly fluctuating between pushing the speaker away and desperately wanting them to stay.

The repeated comparison of the pain to suffocating adds depth to the emotional experience being portrayed. Suffocating is a visceral and claustrophobic sensation, which parallels the intensity of emotional pain. This comparison suggests that the pain the speaker desires and experiences is all-consuming, perhaps even overwhelming at times.

The line "I can't feel my chest" further emphasizes the weight and intensity of the pain. It suggests a sensation of being emotionally crushed or suffocated, as if the pain is so intense that it numbs the speaker's physical sensations. This feeling of being closed in and the desire for more pain might indicate a craving for control or a need for the pain to distract from other emotional struggles.

Overall, the lyrics of "Send the Pain Below" explore the complex relationship between pain, emotional satisfaction, and the dynamics of a toxic relationship. It delves into the psychology of seeking pain as a form of release or control, and the tumultuous back-and-forth of a dysfunctional connection.