On Radio 1's New Music Show with Jack Saunders, Welch said of the song:
"I just can’t believe I’m putting it out. It was recorded in one take and it was the first take we did. I wrote it with Mark Bowen from IDLES and he played the guitar and I just kinda sang it straight from the page and this is the take. It’s just one of those things, you’re always asking the label if you can put out a song that’s five minutes long so with this one I was like, ‘They’ll never put this out the way we really want to put this out, seven minutes long,’ but they were like, ‘Yeah, we love it,’ and I was like, ‘Okay…’ […] I guess it was sort of a long poem I had and I never really, with every song I’m like, ‘Well, I’ll never put this out, I’ll never put it out,’ but it was one long poem I wrote about greatness or the cost of it or why do I want it? Who gets to decide what that even is? And then it was also kind of a joke, so it’s like really serious and also really unserious song as well. And it kind of evolves in this train of thought and that’s very much how it was recorded but I guess I wanted it to feel like you were disintegrating into nothing at the end ‘cause it is sort of about the process of creativity being like a sense you sort of destroy yourself for something and then you kind of dig yourself up all over again to do it again and you’re like, 'Why do I keep doing this? What is this thing that I’m reaching for?’ There’s a Martha Graham quote that’s called ‘Divine dissatisfaction’ and I think that sort of sums up the process for me, it’s this sense of this like divine dissatisfaction that just keeps propelling you forward all the time."
I crawled up from under the earth
Broken nails and coughing dirt
Spitting out my songs so you could sing along, oh
And with each bedraggled breath, I knew I came back from the dead
To show you how it's done, to show you what it takes
To conquer and to crucify, to become one of the greats
One of the greats
I kept a scream inside my chest, killed everyone I'd ever kissed
Hung them on the wall like trophies, each name, a stain upon my lips
I told the truth but could never see it through
You see yourself hung on the wall but that song is not about you
I wrote down all my fumbling visions transmitted by a television
Got everything I thought I wanted and cried hungover in a hotel closet
Did I get it right? Do I win the prize?
Do you regret bringing me back to life?
Arms outstretched, back from the dead
Streetlights bursting overhead
Arms outstretched, back from the dead
Streetlights bursting overhead
I did my best, tried to impress, my childhood dream made flesh
And my dresses and my flowering sadness, so like a woman to profit from her madness
I was only beautiful under the lights, only powerful there
Burned down at thirty-six
Why did you dig me up for this?
Arms outstretched, back from the dead
Streetlights bursting overhead
Arms outstretched, back from the dead
Streetlights bursting overhead
You'll bury me again, you'll say it's all pretend
That I could never be great being held up against such male tastes
Because who really gets to be one of the greats, one of the greats?
But I've really done it this time (Ah-ah), this one is all mine
I'll be up there with the man and the ten other women (Ah-ah)
And the hundred greatest records of all time (Ah-ah)
It must be nice to be a man and make boring music just because you can (Ah-ah)
Now don't get me wrong, I'm a fan (Ah-ah)
You're my second favourite front-man (Ah-ah)
And you could have me if you weren't so afraid of me
It's funny how men don't find power very sexy
So this one's for the ladies
Do I drive you crazy?
Did I get it right?
Did I get it right? Do I win the prize?
Do you regret bringing me back to life?
Did I get it right? Do I win the prize?
Do you regret bringing me back to life?
Arms outstretched, back from the dead
Streetlights bursting overhead
Arms outstretched, back from the dead
Streetlights bursting
Too feminine to function
A pile of bodies and a trail of destruction
I will let the light in, I will let some love in
I will be happy, it will be perfect
I will let the light in, I will let some love in
I will be happy, it will be perfect
I will let the light in (Arms outstretched, back from the dead)
Streetlights bursting overhead
Arms outstretched, back from the dead
Streetlights bursting overhead
Arms outstretched, back from the dead
Streetlights bursting overhead
Arms outstretched
Arms outstretched
Streetlights bursting
Overhead
Overhead
Streetlights bursting
Overhead
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