| The Staves – Facing West Lyrics | 4 years ago |
| Correction: my experience is walks are more common on the West Coast and peaks are far more common in the Northeast. | |
| The Staves – Facing West Lyrics | 4 years ago |
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I'm fairly certain I have the correct interpretation of this song and can provide proper insight into this sad, beautiful song. It is an American interpretation, but I imagine it can apply to any country that has had a navy (and a West coast... and windows). The lyrics also suggest post-WW1 West Coast ("hands across your chest," meaning in a casket), although it could be from any battlefront where caskets returned by sea (WW2, South Korea, Vietnam?). The music video also looks a lot like Cali with palm trees, lots of coastal shots, and numerous lighthouses (or at least a lot of shots of the same one or two). There is an old wives' tale that notes the widow's walk/watch on top of houses was used to watch the ocean for returning sailors. Many sailors did not return, thus the name. Sometimes the walk is accompanied by or only has a windowed tower like structure, often called a widow's peak. From my living/travel experience, peaks are far more common on the West Coast and walks are far more common on the East Coast of the USA (especially the Northeast / New England). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Widow%27s_walk (The page notes there's no evidence for the wives' tale, but then I wonder where the name comes from...!) So... the song... > A room with a window facing west > Towards the sea > You, with your hands across your chest > Facing me The window facing West is a widow's peak. One of the only times a man might have his arms across his chest is in a casket. > Sing me a song, your voice is like silver and Her man was a good man and likely literally a good singer. > I don't think that I can do this anymore She's grieving his death (for this line in this verse anyway). > I'll take the high road that he walked > Once before Again, he's a good man, and I think here she/they are saying that he'd want her to continue living and find love again. > You sit and watch me as I come > Through the door She's met someone new. > Sing me a song, your voice is like silver and > I don't think that I can do this anymore The new guy is also good (and a singer) but reminds her of the old guy. This thing is painful, and she's considering the alternative, specifically suicide. (This is also evidenced in the music video with a single shot of a liquor store, suggesting minimally depression.) > Sing me a song, your voice is like silver and > I don't think that I can do this anymore > Show me the path down to the shoreline 'cause > I don't know if I can do this anymore She's considering specifically to commit suicide to join her old man in the sea. > A room with a window facing west Just a refrain, although arguably perhaps a suggestion that she went through with it. Anyway, I could be wrong. For example, it could be about a father or any well-loved man in a woman's life dying at sea or at war. It's a relatively dated song with this interpretation, although more men do go to war than women still. But listening to it, I actually thought it might have been a cover of a much older song, but I couldn't find anything. |
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