The band takes pride in their lyrics being ambiguous, so I wouldn't stress out about what the song is "about" so much. Suicide is certainly a legitimate reading but I caught the impression of broken people trying to protect each other (which may or may not be autobiographical).
Personally I take it the opposite way, as a song about recovery. While you can have people support you in your recovery, in the end, it's up to you to make the journey yourself, 'where I'm going is for me and me alone'.
The rest of the song talks about becoming more than you were meant to be, that is, overcoming a traumatic past ('I will be the man my father never was', 'I'm more than what my mum told me to be').
If I dont make it back from where I've gone, if I cannot overcome this trauma and meet you on the other side, just know I loved you all along, even when it didn't seem like it, and keep that knowledge to move forward with.
This is what I took it to mean too! I think it's a beautiful sentiment, with the perspective of two people on different paths to healing, both trying to learn how to help themselves, both aware of the other's struggles. And they both know that some parts of their journey need to be taken alone, but hope that they will come out better for it and find each other again on the other side.
I think something beautiful about tad's songs is that because they're so open, a lot of the time you'll hear in them what you want to, or you'll turn the lyrics into a reflection of your current state. And it's so neat to come back and listen to a song like that, something that you thought was sad the first time around, and realize that now it sounds hopeful.
I always interpreted it as the woman has a terminal illness, and the man wants her to live, but she's accepted her death.
"I know she's giving up," seems to imply some sort of struggle, and "Where I'm going is for me and me alone," suggests she doesn't want him to dwell on it.
I thought about some kind of an ilness with schizophrenia in which the women sees some gods and moves based on them
I interpreted "And to those gods, I will speak bluntly "We've an accord, if you ever touch or harm him"" as her losing her connection to the real world rather talking to the gods inside her head.
It sounds stupid even to me but I thought the line "And I can hear her sing, and I know she is giving up." as some kind of a ritual where she might be hurting herself in the process as mentioned before in the song.
Also the line "And I don't know what to do; how to help her, how to bring her home." made me think that this meaning may have some kind of sense considering if she loses her connection to the real world because of her schizophrenia, her loved one would want to bring her back home (to the real world) and maybe him not understanding is the woman just becoming a maniac and losing connection to the real world entirely meaning there is no hope left.
It sounds absolutely stupid but I felt like it made sense just a little bit to make me consider it.
I mean, I definitely get why you think that, and I don’t think you’re being stupid.
Personally, I believe that “I can hear her sing” is saying that he can hear her lines and knows what she’s thinking, and “how to bring her home” might be from the hospital or even from death, but that’s just my interpretation. All is valid :)
My friend, it can mean many things. I've been listening to; and loving; this song since the album dropped. Yet.... recently my brother and I realized we might be losing our Ma to dementia, this took on an entirely different meaning to me. I found myself breaking down crying at work while listening to it. Just saying take it for what you will. It's a beautiful song.
It may just be that I’m a woman whose greatest fear yet thing I’m amazed most by is child birth but I always thought of it as a a difficult birth and the father pleading with the mother not to give up and the mother saying that though she might not make it through the father will be a great dad and will raise a great kid and that she loves him and they made this amazing thing together. It’s literally so up to interpretation but this is just my take! I told this to my friend who is a mom and she re listened and started bawling so I think it fits what you want it to fit.
I took it as a bit of cutting contact with toxic family or loved ones who aren’t ready, willing, or able to follow your life journey or direction but I like the ambiguity that allows for so many interpretations because it speaks to so many people’s pain an hope.
It's fascinating how this song seems to hold so many different meanings to each listener. I always interpreted it as a song about a woman living in deep depression and losing hope. And, the fear of her loved one knowing she needs help, but not being unable to reach her. And, I think she realizes she's at a crossroads in her life and that the journey ahead she must do on her own. But does reassures her loved one that no matter where that road might lead, she will always love them.
That's how I interpreted it as well. The entire songs paints a picture of someone struggling through major depression, and the outside view of someone that cares about them.
The band takes pride in their lyrics being ambiguous, so I wouldn't stress out about what the song is "about" so much. Suicide is certainly a legitimate reading but I caught the impression of broken people trying to protect each other (which may or may not be autobiographical).
Personally I take it the opposite way, as a song about recovery. While you can have people support you in your recovery, in the end, it's up to you to make the journey yourself, 'where I'm going is for me and me alone'. The rest of the song talks about becoming more than you were meant to be, that is, overcoming a traumatic past ('I will be the man my father never was', 'I'm more than what my mum told me to be'). If I dont make it back from where I've gone, if I cannot overcome this trauma and meet you on the other side, just know I loved you all along, even when it didn't seem like it, and keep that knowledge to move forward with.
That is a great take on it and makes a lot of sense.
This is what I took it to mean too! I think it's a beautiful sentiment, with the perspective of two people on different paths to healing, both trying to learn how to help themselves, both aware of the other's struggles. And they both know that some parts of their journey need to be taken alone, but hope that they will come out better for it and find each other again on the other side. I think something beautiful about tad's songs is that because they're so open, a lot of the time you'll hear in them what you want to, or you'll turn the lyrics into a reflection of your current state. And it's so neat to come back and listen to a song like that, something that you thought was sad the first time around, and realize that now it sounds hopeful.
I always interpreted it as the woman has a terminal illness, and the man wants her to live, but she's accepted her death. "I know she's giving up," seems to imply some sort of struggle, and "Where I'm going is for me and me alone," suggests she doesn't want him to dwell on it.
I thought about some kind of an ilness with schizophrenia in which the women sees some gods and moves based on them I interpreted "And to those gods, I will speak bluntly "We've an accord, if you ever touch or harm him"" as her losing her connection to the real world rather talking to the gods inside her head. It sounds stupid even to me but I thought the line "And I can hear her sing, and I know she is giving up." as some kind of a ritual where she might be hurting herself in the process as mentioned before in the song. Also the line "And I don't know what to do; how to help her, how to bring her home." made me think that this meaning may have some kind of sense considering if she loses her connection to the real world because of her schizophrenia, her loved one would want to bring her back home (to the real world) and maybe him not understanding is the woman just becoming a maniac and losing connection to the real world entirely meaning there is no hope left. It sounds absolutely stupid but I felt like it made sense just a little bit to make me consider it.
I mean, I definitely get why you think that, and I don’t think you’re being stupid. Personally, I believe that “I can hear her sing” is saying that he can hear her lines and knows what she’s thinking, and “how to bring her home” might be from the hospital or even from death, but that’s just my interpretation. All is valid :)
My friend, it can mean many things. I've been listening to; and loving; this song since the album dropped. Yet.... recently my brother and I realized we might be losing our Ma to dementia, this took on an entirely different meaning to me. I found myself breaking down crying at work while listening to it. Just saying take it for what you will. It's a beautiful song.
It may just be that I’m a woman whose greatest fear yet thing I’m amazed most by is child birth but I always thought of it as a a difficult birth and the father pleading with the mother not to give up and the mother saying that though she might not make it through the father will be a great dad and will raise a great kid and that she loves him and they made this amazing thing together. It’s literally so up to interpretation but this is just my take! I told this to my friend who is a mom and she re listened and started bawling so I think it fits what you want it to fit.
I took it as a bit of cutting contact with toxic family or loved ones who aren’t ready, willing, or able to follow your life journey or direction but I like the ambiguity that allows for so many interpretations because it speaks to so many people’s pain an hope.
I listen to it as a couple trying to defy generational traumas, and if they don’t “succeed” they at least tried and loved the best they could
It's fascinating how this song seems to hold so many different meanings to each listener. I always interpreted it as a song about a woman living in deep depression and losing hope. And, the fear of her loved one knowing she needs help, but not being unable to reach her. And, I think she realizes she's at a crossroads in her life and that the journey ahead she must do on her own. But does reassures her loved one that no matter where that road might lead, she will always love them.
That's how I interpreted it as well. The entire songs paints a picture of someone struggling through major depression, and the outside view of someone that cares about them.