I Know Places

So far this is my favorite song on Lykke Li's new album. Although this obviously wasn't Lykke Li's meaning behind the song when she wrote it, I've listened to this song extensively over the past few days while watching horrible events unfold in Japan. When I listen to this song, I think about family and friends reassuring each other, after being evacuated, that it'll all be okay. That they will find somewhere, and this will all over over soon. I guess I'm still in shock from the things we are seeing and hearing, but it's stuck in my mind.

basically it's a reassuring song, for someone down, to get away from the bad...letting someone know that it'll be ok, that there's a way out to everything

I think this song talks about a place where all your worries are gone and nothing can hurt you. Almost like wishful thinking. Its like shes trying to say times are hard now but one day things will get better, " there is a road there is way". I think the artist may also be talking about drug use or alcohol e.g " the high won't fade here babe". Shes saying that a drug high never lasts but in this place the high lasts. The depth and meaning in her vioce is absolutely outstanding, her vioce alone tells a story.

kaato, I agree with you. I have listened to Li for a few years now and I love her music but this song is just perfect. Recently had a close death in the family and this song makes me think about what I have lost but more importantly, what I had and who I still have. Its beautiful. I would play this at my own funeral.

Although I thought the lyrics were

I know places we can go AWAY Coming home, come unfold babe I know places we can go AWAY Coming home, come unfold babe

Still, I like the real lyrics too... :)

It's a love song. I think she's convincing someone to believe in her, in her love. Someone who's been hurt, hence the slow tempo and somber vibe. This person probably left a serious relationship and turned to drugs to fill the void of happiness left in its place. Maybe this person left the speaker, rather than someone else, and the speaker is trying to get them back.

At any rate, it's clear the speaker believes that their love will restore this person.

"The high won't fade here babe No, the high won't fade here babe"

These lines tell us the speaker is comforting "you," assuring them they won't slip back into that depressing state of comedown. This reveals that "you" is probably using drugs, since the current high is implied to be temporary. This also further indicates an emotional or metaphysical high, since the "high" the speaker intends to impose is singular.

"Where the highs won't bring you down babe No, the highs won't hurt you there babe"

The speaker further comforts the addressee, revealing that "you" may be fearing pain from following the speaker. This solidifies the idea of a past relationship gone bad. The speaker offers a similar high, but distinct in that it will last, since there is no comedown, as previously stated. These lines further the idea of drug use by the addressee, switching to the plural "highs."

"Don't ask me when but ask me why Don't ask me how but ask me where"

"You" can't ask when or how because love can't be explained in these terms. But why and where can. Where is with the speaker, why is because of all the reasons the speaker feels for the subject.

"Coming home, come unfold babe The high won't fade here, babe"

These lines solidify the whole concept. When the subject gets home to the speaker, they are "here." They can go to their place, the highs don't have to fade away or hurt anymore.

This song is so eloquently simple and beautiful. By far my favorite on her new album. A highly complex yet completely understated love song. I love the sensitivity of the speaker to the subject's current emotional state, reflected in both words and, more importantly, the music. You don't typically find love songs with a somber vibe. The contrast is stunning.

I don't think this song is about drugs or alcohol. But i do agree that this song can be interpreted for anyone who has been hurt.

I agree that the song is very beautiful/poweful. Be sure to watch the "live on the moon" version, really breathtaking :) It give me shivers!

My interpretation:

And to stay in the example: a serious relationship that has been broken.

"I know places we can go babe" -- Telling the hurt person to trust the speaker. The speaker is a kind of peaceful person that can give the hurt person certain kind of feelings of calm and security to heal the wounds.

"The high won't fade here babe No the high won't hurt here babe" -- The high, meaning the happiness and joy of being in a relationship

"Don't ask me when but ask me why" -- The real question the hurt person should ask is why the speaker want's to take him/her to "places". As the question not literally describes a place but a feeling. Again, to heal the wounds.

"Don't ask me how but ask me where" -- Again, the question is not literally describing a place so where is as a figure of speech, the hurt persons wounded heart.

"There is a road, there is a way" -- Remember, Always, there is a way for being happy again, to feel secure.

"Coming home, come unfold babe" -- Healing the wounded heart, coming back to being a positive person. Come back to the feeling of being pure happiness.

"So come lay and wait" -- Healing takes time.

"Now won't you lay and wait Wait on me" -- The speaker can/will help the hurt person to heal.

I may know a place she tries to describe here, where highs are endless and never hurt anymore, where you come unfold at the end of this road, laid down... It's called heaven. So, places ? It must be heaven and hell! Anyway, she's such a good "open your mind trying to figure it out" song writer... so few of them...

Seems to me like the desperation of trying to help someone you love who won't help themselves.

This song is really special to me. There is a person, on the other side of the globe, a friend of mine. We have never met in personal, but we chat every day, and the more I know him, the more I love him. We promised each other we'll meet someday, yet, we both know that's almost impossible... But, there is this wonderful song that makes me think positive, I listen to it and think "I can do it, I can see him one day, I can reach him..." So my opinion would be that this song tells us that no matter how far away are the people we love, there is always at least one place on the Earth, and one moment in time when we can be together with them.

I don't think this is about drugs or simply comforting someone who has been hurt. I think this is about a serious relationship that causes a lot of pain for both partners, but they love each other very deeply.

"I know places we can go babe" They're asking where this is going. They don't know how to hold their relationship together, and this is the singer's response.

"The high won't fade here babe" The joy of being together won't fade where they're going.

"Don't ask me when, but ask me why" Don't ask me when we'll make it to this place, ask me why. Neither of them know how they're going to make it work, so she's asking him to have hope instead.

"Don't ask me how but ask me where" Don't ask me how, just pretend it exists. Ask me where. Believe in me, and then we can go there.

"There is a road, there is a way There is a place, there is a place" There is some way to make it better.

"So come lay and wait Now won't you lay and wait Wait on me" Come lay with me for a while longer. Forget everything else and come be peaceful.

"Coming home, come unfold babe" This is home, Unfold. Let it go.