Meaning of "True Contrite" by Knuckle Puck

The lyrics of "True Contrite" delve into themes of honesty, self-deception, and the consequences of living in denial. The opening lines, "You learn a lot about honesty from the dried out leaves of the fallen trees in your life," set the stage for a narrative that critiques the narrator's experiences with someone who has been deceitful and manipulative. The mention of "forgiving pathetic excuses for long term abuse" implies that the narrator has endured mistreatment, yet struggled to justify it with the idea of a higher power, like God. This suggests a conflicting internal struggle between forgiveness and recognizing the harm inflicted.

The phrase "living reminder of buried weight you never shed in the first place" underscores the idea that the person in question is carrying unresolved issues and burdens, refusing to confront them or move on. This unaddressed baggage contributes to their state of denial and self-decay. The repetition of the line "disguise your memory with pictures on the walls" hints at the individual's attempt to hide or suppress their past mistakes and flaws. They seek validation and acceptance by replacing the narrator's flaws with idealized images, but it is clear that they never truly saw or tried to understand the narrator.

The contrasting imagery of dreaming in color but seeing in black and white reflects the dissonance between the way the individual perceives themselves and how they actually behave. It speaks to their lack of authenticity and their tendency to live a life of falsehoods. The lyric "between the covers, we sleep on beds of lies" further emphasizes the theme of falsehood and deception within relationships or interactions.

The final lines, "someday your true contrite will find you," suggest that there will come a time when the person will have to face the consequences of their actions. "True contrite" refers to genuine remorse or regret, indicating that their deceptions and manipulations will catch up to them. The song carries a tone of frustration and a sense of warning, allowing the narrator to finally express their disappointment and the realization that forgiveness does not absolve the person of their wrongdoing.