Lyrics: Robert Baitinger
robert baitinger
Story behind the song
"Cuts When It Lands" is about how words - even those disguised as jokes - can wound deeper than we realize. Inspired by the growing hostility in todays political and social conversations, the song explores how sarcasm, mockery, and anger have replaced understanding and respect. It's a reflection on how easy it is to turn dialogue into damage, and how humor can still hurt when it cuts where it lands.
Lyrics
Cuts When It Lands
[Verse 1]
You told me to be quiet, to be discreet
Or shadows in the night would drag me off the street
Toss me in a van, cut me down at the knee
Like some twisted fairytale from a bad dream
"They'll eat your foot for supper, pick teeth with my bones"
That's the way you wrote it, not my words alone
[Pre-Chorus]
You laughed when you wrote it, said it was just for fun
But the punchline hit harder than a loaded gun
[Chorus]
Why's it sound so mean when you say it?
All that fire in the way you play it
Maybe it's a joke in your head, but it cuts when it lands
Why's it come out sharp when you write it?
Even laughter feels like you fight it
I'm just singing along, but it cuts when it lands
[Break]
[Verse 2]
You called it a meltdown, a neurotic scene
Castigated you for cruelty, that's how it's been
You say you were joking, but your tones unclear
Words slice deeper than they sound when they land right here
I once helped you out, now I feel betrayed
Kindness fades too easy when the insults replay
[Pre-Chorus]
Maybe it's just your style, but it cuts too rough
If you call it humor, well, I've had enough
[Chorus]
Why's it sound so mean when you say it?
All that fire in the way you play it
Maybe it's a joke in your head, but it cuts when it lands
Why's it come out sharp when you write it?
Even laughter feels like you fight it
I'm just singing along, but it cuts when it lands
[Bridge]
I don't want a battle, I don't need a fight
Just a song with a melody that feels right
But the words you throw, they stick like glue
Don't you see what they do?
[Interlude]
[Final Chorus]
Why's it sound so mean when you say it?
All that fire in the way you play it
Maybe it's a joke in your head, but it cuts when it lands
Why's it come out sharp when you write it?
Even laughter feels like you fight it
I'm just singing along, but it cuts when it lands
[Outro]
I'm just singing along, but it cuts when it lands