| Andrew Bird – Give It Away Lyrics | 9 years ago |
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This song is about a conversation between the singer and someone else. It seems to either jealousy itself or the personification of jealousy in someone close (family member, friend, partner/boyfriend/girlfriend/wife/husband) and about the attitude one has about sharing (things and affection) outside of their family/friend circle. Though not explicit, the song might also be about the idea of polyamory. The conversation goes back and forth - stanza by stanza. Firstly, the singer is admonished for "giving [something] away" and that he shouldn't because he should "keep it in our family". The premise is that there isn't enough love/affection to go around for everyone we should keep it for only those close to us. The singer responds by saying he understand where this feeling comes from, saying that it's hard to feel like you don't have enough affection/things, just "pockets full of sand". And when you feel that way you create a situation where to find a tiny plot of land which you (or perhaps jealousy) rule supreme, (plot of land = your house or alternatively friendship/relationship). Then you start "plowing" a "tiny patch of land" that has little prospects of bountiful returns. The question is repeated, and he answers in a different way. How much should one pay for attention/friendship/love? Is my love a "commodity" that is scarce? He's trying to show the absurdity of the idea that there isn't enough affection to go around. The person responds by asking... well, these strangers might not appreciate it? He says, that depends on each person and his/her "depth and density" and while it varies, I don't lose anything from it. What about inflation (the idea that the more of something exists, the less it becomes worth)? So, more affection given to others, makes what I get worth less. He responds he doesn't believe in this idea ("your charts and graphs don't mean a thing to me") and in his opinion when you make love/affection scarce that it becomes a "worthless currency". Then the person (or jealousy itself) makes a last plea to the singer to hide away with them, far from the world where others live. He responds by asking, why should I burrow away from the light of the world where "it's dark" and one can "scarcely breathe and see"? If we do, we'll become just like the people who can't love at all - "death by association"? And finally says, I have made my decision to give up jealousy and to "never take anyone there again" - a nation under "your(jealousy's) command". |
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