The Rocks

5 Seconds of Summer

Lyrics

[Intro] Woah (Woah)
[Verse] Keep waking up at 3 a.m I face regrets and plan revenge You said that life's one hell of a ride So why, why, why, why's it passing me by? I feel a rush of emptiness I shut my heart up like a fist (Woah) I said, "I'm on one hell of a dive" My eye-eye-eyes keep dimming the light
[Pre-Chorus] Don't you get sick of it? Livin' in isolation Cut off Cut off like an island nation
[Chorus] I can tell you're lost, I can see you're reelin' Drownin' in a flood of a thousand feelings I'll tell you I'm lost, in the world unknown Throw myself onto the rocks To make you feel less alone, less alone, less alone
Woah
[Verse] Can't kick my way up out of the ditch Can't kill my mind, it's at it again Like no one ever felt like this A lie, lie, lie, lie, lie, but it sticks It hurts to look outside of myself I search the world for somebody else (Woah) 'Cause I can't take, take this feelin' alone It's like, like, like, like, like nobody knows
[Pre-Chorus] Don't you get sick of it? Livin' in isolation Cut off Cut off like an island nation
[Chorus] I can tell you're lost, I can see you're reelin' Drownin' in a flood of a thousand feelings I'll tell you I'm lost, in the world unknown Throw myself onto the rocks To make you feel less alone, less alone
[Bridge] Waves can't kill, they crash (Hey, hey, hey, hey) Watch me as I disappear Waves wash over us But you and I are still here
[Chorus] I can tell you're lost (Ooh), I can see you're reelin' (Ooh) Drownin' in a flood of a thousand feelings I'll tell you I'm lost, in the world unknown Throw myself onto the rocks To make you feel less alone, less alone, less alone
[Outro] Woah, woah Throw myself onto the rocks To make you feel less alone, less alone, less alone Woah, woah Throw myself onto the rocks To make you feel less alone, less alone, less alone

About the Song

"The Rocks" is a powerful, emotionally charged track by 5 Seconds of Summer from their EP EVERYONE'S A STAR!. The song leans heavily into the band's alternative rock influences, creating a dense, atmospheric soundscape. Co-written with Jason Evigan, it explores themes of despair, isolation, and the paradoxical comfort found in hitting rock bottom together.

The production is layered and intense, with crashing cymbals and distorted guitars that mimic the "waves" mentioned in the lyrics, creating a sonic representation of being overwhelmed.

Meaning

Lyrically, "The Rocks" uses nautical and geological metaphors to describe a mental state. It speaks to the feeling of being stranded and cut off from the world, "like an island nation."

  • Isolation: The pre-chorus vividly describes the feeling of disconnection ("Cut off like an island nation"), suggesting that despite being surrounded by life, the narrator feels completely alone.
  • Self-Sacrifice: The chorus line "Throw myself onto the rocks to make you feel less alone" is a dramatic gesture of solidarity. It implies that the narrator is willing to endure pain just to show their partner (or the listener) that they aren't the only one suffering.
  • Resilience: The bridge offers a glimmer of hope: "Waves wash over us, but you and I are still here." It acknowledges that while life's challenges (waves) are unrelenting, survival is possible through connection.