| First Aid Kit – In the Hearts of Men Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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Depression and Insomnia It can strike at any time "In the hearts of men, in the arms of mothers" there can be causes from heartbreak to loss of a child or loved one. "in the parts we play to convince others, we know what we're doing, we're doing it right" People with depression often try to hide it so people around them don't worry, or don't get dragged down with them. "May have written books on the subject, but then you may still be surprised" No matter how well you think you know depression or how to get through it or what's best when you're facing it yourself it's different "By your tone over the phone, to your sister while waiting in line, at the shopping mall just outside of town" your family will always know, and your tone can give it away, Even in a public place no matter how hard you try. "The things you say when we've lost the lead" the descent from happiness to depression "I still try to speak up but my voice won't make a sound, and I thought it all over too many times" It's difficult to bring it up, to speak out about it, you overthink, it sometimes gets too much. the person is also a student "In the hands of teachers, in the books you read" possibly a psychology student or the teacher could be any figure who taught them as they grew up, brother, sister, mother, father, anything. "But when there is no use, and the lights are all out, I just give it up and I walk home, past the shopping mall, that's just closing down" On a night out, trying to escape the thoughts and feelings, everythings closing down, even the shopping mall that's open late. "Will you tell yourself, You all must be what you'll be, Who's to say who is who and what is what" just because you feel low that doesnt mean theres something wrong with you, you're just you, unique and you'll be ok, even if people say otherwise "If you simply don't agree" "Now, time will come to claim you, and it will have its way, don't make no mistakes and don't regret, don't waste the time that is left and then do it all with a goddamn smile" Live life by your own rules, do what makes you happy before you're too old, don't reach old age and look back with regrets, look back with a smile. |
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| First Aid Kit – I Found a Way Lyrics | 10 years ago |
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To me it's about split personality as someone previously mentioned, but I don't feel it's simply about that, I think it's about being in a relationship with a schizophrenic person, knowing the voice you hear is a part of yourself "my duality awakens" "By midnight came I could not see, if i were you or you were me" those two "people" in her mind are intertwined so closely that she has difficulty differentiating between the two. "we play the game with skillful hands" clearly playing 5 finger roulette, "give me your thumb" but again she's seeing them as someone else, she isn't just playing "we" are, and 5 finger roulette could mean close to cutting but she's "with skillful hands" so she's been able to stop herself, she still wants to and maybe she does get cut occasionally but the voice wants her to cut seriously. "and he traced us back to where we begun" - the entry of the male partner, someone who fills the role of therapist at the moment, he's found the root cause of the schizophrenia, the real person behind the two voices. "so the morning came and swept the night away" she found someone who helped her, someone swept the darkness from her temporarily, "as I was looking for a way to disappear", she was contemplating suicide with the voice, satiating its thirst. "Amongst the quiet things, and all the empty streets" - the person she found is fairly quiet, fairly shy, where she felt alone in the world she came across him and the original girl she once was "found a way to reappear" "I'll follow you where you go" he is telling her he'll always be there, "I need your condolence and your trust" he clearly needs help from her, without it there's no way he'd be able to help her. "but I won't ask for much" the guy, while understanding the situation has some fear that he'll lose her, that something will happen, or perhaps has confidence issue himself and wouldn't ask much because he doesn't feel worthy of demanding anything it's a fragile and timid relationship "Theres a heavy load upon our backs" It's a huge issue to carry even with both of them, they risk breaking under the weight of it but they keep going, "my guilt filled mind" she feels she's asking too much of him, "I tried to run" she tried to leave because she feels she didn't deserve him. "but it traced us back to where we begun" she slipped and the voice could no longer be ignored, she needed him again and he was there again, because... well he never left... Then the chorus again, the quiet guy sweeping away the darkness in her mind.this time they're refusing to let go, they're asking for the trust again, and they're fighting the constant battle together. Just my observation of it, I feel it fits the tone of the album being about mental health (to me); "This old routine" - alzheimers, "The lions roar" - someone having been bullied and leading to anxiety. It's a beautiful album by an amazing duo and Conor Obersts appearance and signing of the girls just makes it so much better. |
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| Bright Eyes – A Poetic Retelling of an Unfortunate Seduction Lyrics | 12 years ago |
| Personally i think this song is about depression, the darkness being the thoughts that come to you constantly and loop to create an even worse feeling, the references to a girl or middle eastern prostitute being the temptations that have a negative impact on your life, due to the comparison of her eyes being dark coupled with the darkness of the room, the room being a metaphor for the mind, the darkness being depression she might let you out refers to the small moments when the depression seems to fade never entirely but for the most part. the virgin chests line possibly a comment about a mothers compassion for their child virgin due to the lack of feeling that closeness from a child perhaps a child orphaned from its mother long ago? the poisoned womb also supports this and possibly drugs that the person in the tale takes to overcome their depression for a short while causing only further damage, as for the following about flying in circles to me it refers to the cycle of thoughts that only make depression worse the trains of thinking that lead on and on and always end up at the same place. the end i guess is about embracing the intoxication from drugs and/or sex, the single moments of happiness in the darkness, not sure if im right not sure if it's even possible to be but yeah hope you like my interpretation hauntingly beautiful song. | |
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