Look On Down From The Bridge

To me, this song is told from the perspective of someone who has recently died and is traveling the "bridge" from Earth to Heaven (or your choice of skyward afterlife). She's looking down on those that she's leaving behind. The "fountains" are the tears wept by her loved ones, the rain could be literal or her own tears. Everyone wants to be free from the pain, which she compares to when someone leaves home (thus abandoning their loved ones in a way). She wants them to move on ("look away from the sky"), but acknowledges that it is indeed different, especially since she can't literally say goodbye to them. So she says it anyway, knowing that they won't hear her. She tries to cover their pain from herself by blocking them out with her hands and closing her eyes. The "light in your eyes" is the life that they still have and she's reminding them that they must go on living it, then acknowledges that they indeed know this, even if it's not a reassuring thought to them. She looks at them one more time and says that she's waiting for them, the ultimate reassurance to herself, that they will one day join her in the great beyond.

I understand why many people connect this track to death, or even suicide (the bridge imagery doesn't help I guess), but in my interpretation it's much simpler than that. As at least one person has suggested, for me, the song sums up and expresses the pain of knowing when you must move on from a failed relationship, for your own good, or even your own survival. "The bridge" isn't a literal bridge in my take, it's the connection between the life you must leave behind (and all the possibility and hope contained in that), and the choice you know you have to take for your own sanity, safety and survival. The fountains still down there? Those are the fantasies where the relationship could actually work out, the heady dreams you know you must abandon. The rain up here? That's the impending reality that you have to face, because you know it's the truth, you know it can't be saved, you know it will consume you and drag you down if you keep trying. It's time. Everybody seems so far away from me because in these circumstances you're cut off from everything. The old life you now know was a dream isn't real anymore, but you're still on the bridge that separates that from a future life you're moving towards. Everybody just wants to be free. Free from lies, free from constraints, free from things that harm us and hold us back. Free from this relationship that has become an unhealthy bond and a source of pain. Maybe I just place my hands over you? Close my eyes real tight? And hope. And wish. And try to return to the dream, but even the other person knows by now. It can't happen. There's a light in your eyes. And you know. Yeah you know. Look on down from the bridge. I'm still waiting. For you. Forever. For the dream that died. For the love you know now can never work. The part of you that you leave behind forever when you know you must. It's sad alright, I'm literally crying my eyes out writing this, but it's also hope. The knowledge that it's hopeless enables growth and a move forward, across the bridge, to something new. Something better. Look on down from the bridge, but don't get stuck there. Keep on moving. Cross the bridge.

When I hear it, I always think to the suicide bit. That ending line "Look on down from the bridge, I'm still waiting for you" makes me think of someone who's too miserable to remain here, and they're waiting for their lover to join them in eternity. Though, I can definitely sense just the failed relationship interpretation. I guess you can take it literally or figuratively. Whichever way it resonates more with you. It's so gloomy and beautiful. I think this is the song I want played at my funeral.

remind anybody else of Neil Young's "Helpless"?

A lot of interpretations here, which I think are good. People are going to interpret vague Dream songs like this in very personal ways, and I think that is good and speaks to the quality of the song. I don't think this song implies suicide or death in any way. The feel of the song does bring about very distinct feelings of loss as if there was a death. I believe this was intentional, as leaving a loved one very often feels as if they had died, or as though one was dead. I feel that this song is simply about saying goodbye and coming to terms with loss. The lyrics in particular bring up a few motifs that help put this song into perspective: The first is the contrast between "fountains down there" and "raining up here". This conjures up images of water falling from the sky (generally a sad motif) versus fresh water coming up from below (a motif surrounding rebirth and prosperity). "Everybody seems so far away from me / everybody just wants to be free" She wants to be free like everyone else she has felt isolated from. "I can't be the same thing to you now / I'm just gone" Something messed up, and she has to leave. This is the only reason given in the lyrics, and it seems to imply something happened with her. At this point she doesn't know how to say goodbye, and "maybe I'll just place my hands over you / and close my eyes real tight". At this point she sees it in the other's eyes that they know she is gone. And now she is waiting for them to say goodbye too. Maybe they never did, and she is still waiting long after.

heard this for the first time tonight from a show called Rick & Morty - episode Rick Potion #9. Haunting time to play it in the show (you'd have to watch). But it's haunting me now due to its profoundness...

this is my favorite of hers, and the imagery inspired me to begin a story, which i never wound up finishing. it's so downhearted and resigned, both musically and lyrically. when she utters the last lines, it breaks my heart... mostly because i could easily be the one saying them.

It's one of the most beautiful ways to say goodbye to someone. It would be perfect for a suicide note.

For me it reminds me of my beloved boyfriend who passed away 4years ago. I still love and miss him very deeply and now I've been lucky enough to have found love again after such pain, such emptiness, such darkness. There still however remains a part of me that will forever love him and at the end of my days I will look for him.....If only for just his smile.

The most beautiful song mazzy wrote-just stunningly sad.