tale of the missing man Lyrics – Scrim

Tale of the Missing Man Lyrics by Scrim is a new english song by Scrim, featuring vocals and writing contributions from Lily Kaplan. The track was released on Scrim’s official YouTube channel and is part of the album Via Crucis. It was written by Scott Arceneaux Jr. and Kaplan, with production credits going to Budd Dwyer, Dynox, Lily Kaplan, and KXVI. The song delivers a haunting and emotionally layered listening experience that blends dark storytelling with atmospheric melodies, aligning with Scrim’s signature sound.

The song explores the internal decay and emotional dissociation of a man who has withdrawn from the world—physically present but spiritually absent. “Tale of the Missing Man” is centered around the metaphor of a man who is lost in plain sight, someone grappling with trauma, addiction, or profound mental isolation. Scrim’s introspective verses depict a figure haunted by his past and increasingly disconnected from his present. Through a mix of raw verses, eerie instrumentals, and Kaplan’s ghostly vocals, the track paints a chilling portrait of psychological exile and the longing for connection, even when it seems far out of reach.

tale of the missing man Details

tale of the missing man Lyrics

[Intro: Lily Kaplan & Scrim]
Hold my hand, my love
Take the wheel ’cause I’m falling back
(You did good, $lick)
Ring the telephone
(It’s a Smash)
Say the words ’cause I’m falling back

[Chorus: Scrim & Lily Kaplan]
Last call, this one for the dead man walking
Pictures of what used to be up in his hands often
Left without his gun, so I doubt if he’ll be coming back (Back to you)
Last I heard, he was somewhere riding through the town (Okay)
Talking to himself, on how he wish that he could slow it down (Skrrt)
So here’s another round for the man who ain’t coming back
(Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go)

[Post-Chorus: Scrim]
Don’t waste away your days
A missing man can’t be saved (Okay, okay, okay, okay, yeah)

[Verse: Scrim & Lily Kaplan]
Word is that he afraid of love (Afraid of)
Word is that he feels nothing
An outlaw in a freefall (Woo)
Wishing they call the search off (Woo)
There’s the seat where he used to be (Waa)
Always hard to reach, always by himself
Dangerously antisocial with lies to sell (Himself)
In his mind, oh, no, no no, no, he can’t find no help (Back to you)
It’s a certain type of hell with what’s expected of him
And no one ever cares until he’s missing again (Back to you)
The pain behind his eyes, is just a window for inside (The pain)
You worried that he’s dead but I know he already died

[Pre-Chorus: Lily Kaplan & Scrim]
Hold my hand, my love
Take the wheel ’cause I’m falling back
Dead man walking but the pills keep him talking
(Yeah) Ring the telephone
Say the words ’cause I’m falling back

[Chorus: Scrim & Lily Kaplan]
Last call, this one for the dead man walking
Pictures of what used to be up in his hands often
Left without his gun, so I doubt if he’ll be coming back (Back to you)
Last I heard, he was somewhere riding through the town (Okay)
Talking to himself, on how he wish that he could slow it down (Skrrt)
So here’s another round for the man who ain’t coming back
(Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go, let’s go)

[Post-Chorus: Scrim]
Don’t waste away your days
A missing man can’t be saved (Okay, okay, okay, okay, yeah)

[Outro: Lily Kaplan & Chanté Marie]
You, you, you, back to you
You, you, you back to you
I’ve seen the lights in every city glow
But now I’m torn without, your soul

tale of the missing man Lyrics Meaning

[Intro: Lily Kaplan & Scrim]
The song begins with a sense of vulnerability and surrender. Kaplan’s plea to “take the wheel” symbolizes a loss of control, hinting at emotional collapse or a struggle with inner turmoil. Scrim’s producer tag and voice subtly ground the listener in a dark ambiance, as the line about ringing the telephone introduces themes of distant communication and reaching out in crisis. The repetition of “falling back” underlines emotional regression and sets the tone for the introspective narrative that follows.

[Chorus: Scrim & Lily Kaplan]
The chorus presents the central metaphor of the “dead man walking”—a symbolic representation of someone who is emotionally numb or spiritually lost. Scrim narrates the character’s detachment from reality, clutching onto memories, disconnected from both weapons of defense and people. His mental spiral is captured through imagery of him speaking to himself and yearning to slow down time. The refrain acts as a mournful toast to someone who, while not physically gone, is no longer truly alive in spirit.

[Post-Chorus: Scrim]
This brief but powerful section warns against emotional stagnation. Scrim reminds listeners that someone lost in their own darkness cannot be easily rescued, emphasizing that the “missing man” is beyond saving. It’s a bleak observation on how isolation can become permanent if left unchecked, and how time slips away unnoticed when one disconnects from life.

[Verse: Scrim & Lily Kaplan]
The verse dives deeper into the missing man’s psyche. Scrim reveals the character’s aversion to love, detachment from feelings, and his identity as an outsider—an outlaw not by choice but by emotional design. The vivid depiction of his absence, both literal and emotional, creates a portrait of someone drowning in solitude and internal chaos. The verse touches on themes of social alienation, self-deception, and the invisible suffering that often goes unnoticed. Kaplan’s haunting line, “Back to you,” suggests a longing or reflection from someone still emotionally tied to him, perhaps witnessing his descent.

[Pre-Chorus: Lily Kaplan & Scrim]
The pre-chorus reiterates the earlier emotional collapse, but now ties it to substance use—pills keeping the dead man “talking.” The line bridges the emotional and physical toll of his state, as Kaplan echoes the call for connection through the metaphor of a telephone, reinforcing the sense of urgency and distance. It hints at dependency and the fragility of communication when someone is slipping away mentally.

[Chorus: Scrim & Lily Kaplan]
This repetition of the chorus reinforces the finality of the man’s detachment. His habits and disassociation are no longer temporary—they are defining. Scrim’s delivery retains a tone of regret and resignation, while Kaplan’s background vocals subtly echo the despair, making this round of the chorus feel heavier and more definitive, as if acknowledging that the man is truly lost this time.

[Post-Chorus: Scrim]
The post-chorus reemerges with even more gravity. By repeating that a missing man can’t be saved, Scrim closes the emotional loop, suggesting the futility of trying to bring someone back from the depths when they’ve already given up. The resignation is palpable, finalizing the song’s narrative arc of emotional disappearance.

[Outro: Lily Kaplan & Chanté Marie]
In the outro, the layered vocals of Kaplan and Chanté Marie provide a ghostlike farewell. The repetition of “back to you” may signify either the return of memory or the cycle of loss felt by those left behind. The mention of glowing city lights juxtaposed with the emptiness of a soul adds poetic contrast—external beauty masking internal void. It’s a mournful conclusion that echoes with longing, closure, and sorrow.

tale of the missing man Official Video

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