Mistake

## "Mistake"Song by Allie HughesSong by ALX

"**Mistake**" (originally titled "**Should I**") is an unreleased song by Allie X which was originally featured as a track on her unreleased album, *The Hard Way*. It was later rerecorded for the ALX project in 2011.

## Background

"Mistake" was originally written sometime in 2010 by X and Ron Sexsmith for inclusion on *The Hard Way*. It was finished in 2011 for inclusion on the album, but the original finalised version was ultimately never released.

Following the album's cancelation, the song was reworked for X's ALX project in 2011. An early mix of the ALX version, labelled as the "Overdubs" mix leaked online in 2015.

## Lyrics

* ALX version
* "Mix 1" 2010 demo

**[Intro]**

Follow the bright circle past the great wall

Beyond the mountains that burn

**[Verse 1]**

Packed up things from your house and put them away

I knew that I was going to go away

From these things but I knew

We lifted up the mattress off the fire escape

We left the truck door open so you could escape through the fire

Through the fire

**[Chorus]**

Am I making a mistake? Swimming the wrong way?

Am I?

Am I making a mistake? Should I hit the breaks?

Should I?

**[Verse 2]**

When you left that day you didn't hug me goodbye

And I called out your name so I could tell you "Goodbye"

When you left, goodbye

You kissed me on the forehead and said I was strange

I looked at you and nodded and said "Okay, I am strange"

"I am strange"

**[Chorus]**

Am I making a mistake? Swimming the wrong way?

Am I?

Am I making a mistake? Should I hit the breaks?

Should I?

You tell me that I am strange, that I need to change

Do I?

So I am making change, there's no other way in my mind

**[Refrain]**

Through the fire (Am I making a mistake?)

Through the fire (Am I swimming the wrong way?)

Through the fire (Am I making a mistake?)

(Am I going the wrong way?)

**[Bridge]**

Am I making a mistake, going the wrong way?

(I can go but I cannot change my ways)

Am I making a mistake? Should I hit the breaks?

**[Refrain]**

Through the fire, through the fire

Through the fire, through the fire (Am I making a mistake?)

Through the fire (Am I going the wrong way?)

Through the fire (Am I making a mistake?)

(Am I going the wrong way?)

**[Outro]**

Am I making a mistake? Am I making a mistake?

Am I making a mistake? Am I making a mistake?

Am I making a mistake?

**[Verse 1]**

Packed up things from your house and put them away

I knew that I was going to go away

From these things but I knew

Lifted up the mattress off the fire escape

We left the truck door open so you could escape through the fire

Through the fire

**[Chorus]**

Am I makin' a mistake? Swimmin' the wrong way?

Am I?

Am I makin' a mistake? Should I hit the breaks?

Should I?

**[Verse 2]**

When you left that day you didn't hug me goodbye

And I called out your name so I could tell you "Goodbye"

When you left, goodbye

Kissed me on the forehead and said I was strange

I looked at you and nodded and said "Okay, I am strange"

"I am strange"

**[Chorus]**

Am I makin' a mistake? Swimmin' the wrong way?

Am I?

Am I makin' a mistake? Should I hit the breaks?

Should I?

You tell me that I am strange, that I need to change

Do I?

So I am making change, there's no other way

This is the only way

**[Bridge]**

Am I makin' a mistake? Swimmin' the wrong way?

Am I making a mistake? Should I hit the breaks?

(Am I makin' a mistake?)

**[Outro]**

Am I makin' a mistake? Goin' the wrong way?

(I can go but I cannot change my ways)

Am I makin' a mistake? Should I hit the breaks?

(I can go but I cannot change my ways)

Through the fire, through the fire

Through the fire

Am I makin' a mistake? Am I makin' a mistake?

Am I makin' a mistake? Am I makin' a mistake?

## Official versions

* ALX final mix — Unknown
	+ Snippet — 0:20
* ALX overdubs mix — 3:49
* "Mix 1" 2010 demo — 3:52

## Trivia

* The song was featured on X's December 2012 demo reel.
	+ It was also later included on her 2013 SoundCloud demo reel.

## References

1. ↑ Google Docs - DEMO REEL CREDITS (December 30, 2012) / Retrieved July 5, 2021
2. ↑ dbree.org - Allie X - Demo Reel (May 22, 2020) / Retrieved July 5, 2021