Kerosene

The song 'Kerosene' by Crystal Castles is a haunting exploration of disillusionment and the desire for purification in a corrupted world. The opening lines, 'Light of God dimming weak / Nothing's wrong go back to sleep,' suggest a loss of faith or hope, as if the divine light that once guided humanity is now fading. This could be interpreted as a commentary on society's complacency and the tendency to ignore deeper issues.

The chorus, 'I can clean impurity / Wash away with kerosene,' uses the metaphor of kerosene as a cleansing agent, which is paradoxical since kerosene is a flammable substance often associated with destruction. This duality could represent the idea of destroying something to start anew or the harsh measures sometimes deemed necessary to eradicate corruption or impurity. The line 'Thank you for defiling me' might be sarcastic, addressing how personal violations can lead to a loss of innocence and the need for cleansing.

Crystal Castles, known for their electronic music that often delves into dark themes, uses a mix of aggressive and soothing tones in 'Kerosene' to convey a sense of conflict and healing. The lyrics 'I'll protect you from / All the things I've seen / And I'll clean your wounds / Rinse them with saline / Kerosene' suggest a protective instinct, perhaps from someone who has experienced the harshness of the world and wishes to shield others from it. The song oscillates between the desire to purify and the recognition of the inevitable exposure to life's darker aspects.