Use Once & Destroy Lyrics
It's the emptiness that follows you down
It's the ache inside when it all burns out
It's poisonous, it muscles, it aches
It's everything you had when it breaks
[Verse 2]
It's the emptiness that's all you have left
Too terrified of your frozen breath
It's a bitter mouth, it's buttered and knifed
It's the awful truth you fight for your life
[Pre-Chorus]
It might as well, it might as well hurt
It might as well, it might as well
[Chorus]
I went down to rescue you
I went all the way down
Fill your hungry wretched life
Here they come it's closing time
[Verse 3]
It's the bitter root, it's twisted inside
It's the heart you used to have when it died
It's the emptiness, it poisons, it lies
It's everything that you'll never find
It might as well, it might as well hurt
It might as well, it might as well
[Chorus]
I went down for the remains
Sort through all your blurs and stains
Take your rapture, blister burns
Stand in line, it's not your turn
[Bridge]
All dressed in red, always the bride
Off with her head, all dressed in white
Off with her head
[Chorus]
I went down to rescue you
I went all the way down
I went down for the remains
Sort through all your blurs and stains
[Outro]
Ooh, I will follow you
Anytime, anywhere
Ooh, when they come for you
Just say you don't care
About
The title is a reference to the opening lyrics of Kurt’s “Radio Friendly Unit Shifter” (which was a music industry term to describe singles that sold a lot of product, be they vinyl, CD or cassette, hence “units”). The lyrics are “Use just once and destroy”. With this explicit reference to Kurt, it’s possible that the song is about her failed efforts to help Cobain, via lines like “I went down to rescue you/I went all the way down/fill your hungry wretched life”. Of course, such an interpretation won’t jibe with those who hold her responsible for his death, which she also alludes to with “All dressed in red, always the bride/off with her head, all dressed in white”, which is comparing how she is seen by those people “dressed in red” i.e., with his blood on her hands, vs how she sees herself “dressed in white” i.e., innocent yet being mistakenly held accountable i.e., “off with her head”
Also, “Use Once And Destroy” is also a phrase found in the packaging of hypodermic needles sold for managing diabetes (and for using heroin)
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
- 2.Awful
- 3.Hit So Hard
- 4.Malibu
- 6.Dying
- 7.Use Once & Destroy
- 10.Heaven Tonight
- 12.Petals