Sea Horse

I think this is a very beautiful song. I liked "meudwen"'s take on the song, but I have some things to contribute. Just to clear up any misconceptions, Buddhists do believe that it is possible for humans to be reincarnated as animals, however the goal of life is to reach nirvana.

I think the speaker of the song is happy experiencing the joy and comfort of his life, and would be happy to be reincarnated as a lesser creature with less complex thoughts, so that he could enjoy life without the psychological sorrows that come with human attachment. I think he fears being born as a human again because he has come so far spiritually. He has found peace and a sense of understanding, but to be born again would risk his happiness. Just because he has found happiness in this life doesn't mean he will find happiness in another human lifetime.

The last few lines refer to his love. He says "I want to know why and where and when, and then I want to see you..." If he were to be born in another life, he would need to rediscover his universe. Then, he remembers his love and doesn't want reincarnation for her, he wants her to reach nirvana. He wants to see her at one with the essence of life and love and all that is mystical in the universe. ( I say "her" just for the sake of writing, there is no evidence in the song whether he loves the other person as a lover or a friend, nor does it define a gender.)

That is what I took from it. Also, I agree with the ideas of a possible seahorse/life giver equation mentioned above. I do have one thing to say that may be controversial; just because the musician was high, does NOT mean the song has any less thought or work or meaning than a song by a "sober" musician. I do agree that some "drug music" is simply for auditory aesthetics, but even that has quite a lot of work and creativity behind it. Also, one should take into consider the form and function of the human anatomy and the way it relates to cognitive thinking. An artist on LSD is as likely to find a universal truth as a monk.

Ah, I've been wondering if I was hearing that part right - the little green men that is. Wonder what it's about. That bit's not in the lyrics in the album cover either. It makes me think of Green Man beer, but it's unlikely to mean that! Maybe he was just high :)

I love this song! I tend to hear it in terms of reincarnation, though possibly just in a poetic sense. I've no idea what he believes, but there's certainly something real and important that's expressed in the sentiment of hoping to come back as an animal that's associated with, I guess, calm, simplicity, that sort of thing.

A friend told me that Kurt Cobain wished he could be a seahorse, because it's the only species where the male gets to carry the young. I guess he (KC) felt that was a deep and precious experience that, as a man, he missed out on.

There's an interesting progression of thought in the song. He begins at this place of total contentment, acceptance of his life and self and desires, rejection of possessions.

Then it's as though he seizes upon this blissful state of being and wishes it could go on. Escapism really - which is slightly contradictory to his feeling that he's done with ever wanting anything.

Then by the third section he's kinda lost that peace of mind, and the fear and frustrations of being human flood in again. I love the way the music builds and changes to reflect this progression.

Then there's those wonderful final lines, which are just so beautiful, and which I hear as some kind of restless longing for the eternal and transcendent. For all the pain that self-awareness brings for us humans, there's also this deep beauty that can shine forth in our relationships with each other, our capacity for love - that perhaps seahorses miss out on! I hear the last 2 lines as a wish that this precious connectedness could be immortalised; it feels transcendent, and like the essence of sheer beauty, and it seems fitting that it should be projected onto the heavens.

Hm, I can't explain it better than it's expressed in the song so that'll have to do :)

Final bars of music = back to the start, peace of mind restored.

In short, the song is about the beauty and the pain of being human. Perhaps over-analysis for a song that was probably written under the influence, but that's how it affects me :)

by sarahyael on 12-09-2007 @ 05:30:22 PM i want to see little green men...

Yes! I want to see the little green men Who'll sleep with me now and then Little green men sleep with me now and then

amazing song, amazing album. i guess this about wanting to be a seahorse coz theres less to do, just chill man.

beautiful song and i love the lyrics

SO BEAUTIFUL. just saw him in concert a couple days ago. i can finally see the way it's always been... makes me tear up. :]

"So I leave my possesions to the wind And I'm done with ever wanting anything Well I can die satisfied No desires do I hide Not today, not today Nor for the next one thousand lives"

"Well I'm scared of ever being born again If it's in this form again Well I wanna know how why where and when and then"

*Sounds a lot like Buddhism to me. Maybe he wants to be reincarnated as a seahorse?

any elements of Buddhism*

i want to see little green men...

i want to see little green men...