Bleed Like Me

"Bleed Like Me" was a single released from Garbage's fourth album Bleed Like Me in the summer of 2005 in United States. It was released as joint-second single from the album; around the same time the United Kingdom received a parallel release for "Sex Is Not The Enemy" and "Run Baby Run" was released in the Europe and Australia. Hoping to build on the Billboard Hot 100 success of previous single, "Why Do You Love Me", the album's title track failed to make an impact in the States; it stalled in the top 30 of the Modern Rock Tracks chart. In early autumn of the same year, remixes of "Bleed Like Me" reached the top 10 on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. "Bleed Like Me" was written in 2004 at Smart Studios in Madison, Wisconsin. Inspired by the movie "Thirteen", singer Shirley Manson overcame writer's block and wrote the lyrics to the track; one of the first songs the band wrote after reforming from a temporary three-month split in October 2003. Name checking a number of her childhood friends; as well as J.T. LeRoy in the lyrics, Shirley recalled, "It’s about a search for empathy. We can forget so easily that people are the same regardless of their sexuality, religion, colour or moral values. Regardless of the differences between people – their colour, creed, sexuality or how they behave and express themselves – essentially we are exactly the same. It’s about how when you are dealing with other people you have to remember that they are all carrying with them their own baggage." Manson also referenced Gloria Gaynor's empowerment anthem "I Will Survive" (The first time a Garbage song directly referenced another musical composition).

[Verse 1] Avalanche is sullen and too thin She starves herself to rid herself of sin And the kick is so divine when she sees bones beneath her skin And she says: [Chorus] Hey baby, can you bleed like me? C'mon baby, can you bleed like me? [Verse 2] Chris is all dressed up and acting coy Painted like a brand new Christmas toy He's trying to figure out if he's a girl or he's a boy And he says: [Chorus] Hey baby, can you bleed like me? Oh, c'mon baby, can you bleed like me? [Instrumental break] [Verse 3] Doodle takes dad's scissors to her skin And when she does relief comes setting in While she hides the scars she's making underneath her pretty clothes She sings: [Chorus] Hey baby, can you bleed like me? C'mon baby, can you bleed like me? [Verse 4] Therapy is Speedie's brand new drug Dancing with the devil's past has never been too fun It's better off than trying to take a bullet from a gun And she cries: [Chorus] Hey baby, can you bleed like me? Oh, c'mon baby, can you bleed like me? [Instrumental break] [Verse 5] J.T. gets all fucked up in some karaoke bar After two drinks he's a loser, after three drinks he's a star Getting all nostalgic as he sings "I Will Survive" [Chorus] Hey baby, can you bleed like me? Oh, c'mon baby, can you bleed like me? Hey baby, can you bleed like me? Oh, c'mon baby, can you bleed like me? [Breakdown] You should see my scars You should see my scars You should see my scars You should see my scars Try to comprehend that which you'll never comprehend Try to comprehend that which you'll never comprehend Just try to comprehend that which you'll never comprehend Try to comprehend that which you'll never comprehend [Outro] (You should see my scars) La la la La la la (You should see my scars) La la la La la la