So Like A Rose

Errr, I'm almost certain this song is about suicide. It's about a neglected person who is about to commit suicide.

Riko's right. It's about a friend of Shirley's, when she was a teenager he commited suicide.

I agree. I interpreted it to be suicide. The most heartwrenching line is the end "you're so like a rose, I wish you could stay here."

I don't think the song is about actually committing suicide so much as the throught process that goes into the decision. There has to be all kind of confusion in a person's head while they are considering this, until finally a moment of clartiy comes that makes it clear, to them at least, what they should do.

The first lyrics that might overtly point to that is:

"He thinks he's going crazy This could be the big one"

But the whole song paints a picture of life slowing down, where all he can see is his mother crying and his father working. He thinks is gaining clarity and that scares him because once suicide seems like the ideal solution to his problems, "there's no going back" as the song says.

I read that Shirley wrote this song about a suicidal kid she knew in her peer group growing up. I'm not sure what happened to him.

I know this isn't a popular song among Garbage fans, and it's pretty easy to see why. It's very minimulist, there is probly less music here than on other songs. Also, the lyrics are much more submissive than many fans would be used to who have heard songs like "Vow" and "#1 Crush"

Garbage is my favorite band behind only Radiohead and this is my favorite song by them. I first heard it during my senior year of college and the haunting lyrics and melody made me realize what i was most afraid of: having to graduate. Every time during the year that I would be afraid of leaving school anfd facing the future, I would play this song.

I absolutely love this song. Its just emotional in my opinion. I agree with Calvinit, its more about the thought process than about actually doing it

I heard somewhere once that "So Like a Rose" was about losing a child but after reading everybody else's thoughts, suicide does seem more logical.

Yeah, it's about suicide. Such a beautiful song. Makes me wanna cry everytime I hear it... Tear. A perfect way of ending BG.

I always thought it was about a family with a child (of any age, from small to young adult) who was sick, and no one could figure out what it was, so the mom was crying because she was worried and the dad had to pick up a lot of hours at work to pay for medical expenses. And the kid is worried that it's all in their head because no one can find what's wrong, but they still feel bad and worry that they're going to die before they can be cured.

I think it's about being chronically sick and feeling guilty because everyone is worried and has to pay for it.

I don't think this song is about suicide. I thought it was about the death of a child...

I like the part

Sleeping with ghosts It's such a lonely experience The stars are out tonight Only they can hear you breathing

Sleeping with ghosts reminds me of the placebo album. Also sleeping with ghosts means sleeping with someone who isn't there, and with the stars can only hear you breathing bit, I think this song is definetly about intense feelings of lonliness driving someone to suicide. The last line is a nice touch though because someone is saying "I think you are beautiful, I wish you could stay here." Amazing.