Stay Human
Stay Human
Stay Human is the opening track on the debut album Cute Apocalypse by the American alt-punk band Myrtle Monsters. Released in 2025, the song sets the thematic tone for the album, offering a raw, defiant protest anthem that calls for emotional authenticity and resistance in a digitized, conformist world.
Background and Meaning
Written by lead vocalist Myrtle Blackwell, Stay Human originated as a spoken-word piece performed during live protest events and underground art shows. The final studio version retains that urgency, blending punk instrumentation with poetic, emotionally charged lyrics.
The song critiques the emotional detachment of modern society, referencing algorithmic culture, curated identities, and the pressure to mask vulnerability. The chorus acts as a repeated plea to “stay human” in the face of erasure and assimilation.
Composition
Stay Human blends gritty alt-rock guitar riffs, driving drums, and subtle digital textures. The arrangement moves from tense, stripped-down verses to explosive, anthemic choruses featuring gang-style backing vocals.
Lead vocals are delivered by Myrtle Blackwell in a mix of melodic phrasing, shouted declarations, and whispered lines, designed to reflect inner emotional conflict.
Lyrics
The following lyrics reflect the full studio version of "Stay Human" as performed on the album
They told me to smile for the algorithm
But my teeth are sharp and my blood’s still real
I’m glitching out in a world of prisms
Where nothing hurts and nothing heals
I saw my shadow blink first
Sold it for filters and perks
Now I’m crawling out of this cursed machine
Just to scream—
Stay human
Even when it breaks you
Stay human
Even when they fake you
Don’t numb it
Don’t run it
Don’t let them remake you
Stay—
Human
Stay human
They pixelate my panic attacks
Put my grief in a dopamine trap
Everyone’s selling holy reactions
But I want my silence back
I saw my hope on mute
Buried in clickbait loops
But I’d rather bleed in color than
Conform in grayscale truth
Stay human
Even when it shames you
Stay human
Even when they name you
Don’t cave in
Don’t trade skin
Don’t let them erase you
Stay—
Human
Stay human
And if you break
Break loud
Break honest
Break now
You're not a glitch
You’re the ghost in the code
Still burning
Still breathing
Still home
Stay human
Even when you’re shaking
Stay human
Even when it’s breaking
Don’t fake it
Don’t forsake it
Don’t give up the aching
Stay—
Human
Stay—
Human
Don’t glitch out!
Critical Reception
Stay Human has been widely cited by independent critics as a standout track on the album. It has been praised for its urgent tone, cathartic delivery, and lyrical relevance in an era of hyperconnected isolation.
DIY punk publications and online zines described the track as “a middle finger to apathy,” and “the kind of song you scream in your car when you’ve had enough.”
Live Performances
Stay Human is frequently used to open the band’s live sets and is considered a crowd favorite for its chantable chorus and emotionally charged energy. Fans have been known to shout the final line—“Don’t glitch out… stay human”—along with Myrtle during performances.
Personnel
- Myrtle Blackwell – lead vocals, lyrics
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- [Producer, engineer, or mixer if applicable]