Collapse The Light Into Earth

Think about the title "Collapse The Light Into Earth", with this being the last song it reminded me of the sun setting. Kinda like something comming to an end.

It's the end. While I will never be the same, I won't try to stop it from happening. One of the few songs in which there is no hope ("I won't heal given time."). A nice alternative to most "it'll be alright" lyrics and tunes.

At least that is the way I see the song.

I was thinking for this song that it is a metaphor for the serial killer's end. The first verse could be the man accept conviction for his crimes of murder (committed during "The Creator Has a Mastertape" and "Strip the Soul"). So the first verse, with lines like "I won't cover my head in the dark" (he can't escape his own actions) and "I won't forget you when we part" (him being either locked up forever or being given capital punishment) support this idea.

The second verse shows the man's condition: a killer. He won't heal, this is his nature. He is ruthless and knows not of right and wrong. But we see a glimpse of the human heart here as well with the line "I wouldn't stop you if you wanted to stay". He is a troubled character, but still very human.

I think the line "collapse the light into earth" is a metaphor for this man. Light, not of this world, collides into earth. This man, who's spirit and soul don't belong here, has collapsed onto this earth, never to roam elseware again.

Well that's what I get out of it. I plan on outlining the whole album as a cohesive piece. Good stuff.

To me this song is about someone who struggles with relationships due to depression and/or something else.

I won't shiver in the cold (you never really feel much when depressed)

I won't let the shadows take their toll I won't cover my head in the dark (implies the shadows and darkness will always be there even when you fight it)

And I won't forget you when we part (he likes someone but accept the fact that maybe they can't be together)

I won't heal given time (when suffering from clinical depression, it never really goes away)

I won't try to change your mind (the person knows about the difficulties with being with someone with depression and knows not everyone can handle it)

I won't feel better in the cold light of day (nothing really helps against clinical depression, other people feel happy when the sun shines, someone with depression don't feel anything)

But I wouldn't stop you if you wanted to stay (the person wants the one he/she likes/loves to stay but don't really want him/her to suffer, which is kinda inevitable when engaging in a relationship with someone who is suffering from depression... but yeah, please stay anyway..)

im so having this played at my funeral

It's closure. But it's different. With the piano going and going, I wont heal given time, I wont shiver in the cold. It's saying that im not scared, I'm leaving this behind. And as the sound and voice builds up, the organ and the guitars--> they just stop, ceasing to exist, leaving only that flicker of light, the piano before it to is collapsed.

i obviously think it about a break up, how ever, i get the methaphore of "collapse the light into earth" like some sort of lonelyness, now the light is shinning (collapsing) in the spot (earth) where his lover should be now.

i dont know about you, but i dont thinkg that the meanning is THAT sinnister, i think it is just sad:

"I won't shiver in the cold"----(he won't feel anything because of his pain) "I won't let the shadows take their toll" (like he is not going to forget her, or let anything to take his picture out of his head) "I won't cover my head in the dark" (he wont hide his sadness) "And I won't forget you when we part" (simply that...)

Collapse the Light Into Earth

I won't heal given time (the pain is so hard) I won't try to change your mind (he accept his girlfriends decision) I won't feel better in the cold light of day (it doesnt matter how bright the day is, he will still fell sad) but I wouldn't stop you if you wanted to stay (maybe he thinks that it was necessary to break up too, but he loves her so much that it doesnt matter anything else)

Collapse the Light Into Earth

excelent and beautiful song ever!

In the 2020 Porcupine Tree: In Absentia Documentary at 1:08:02, Steven Wilson explains the song in the following way:\n\n"On September 11… I was home in my studio working on a song, I don’t remember what the song was but about two days later I wrote the song Collapse the Light Into Earth which is the final song of the record, and it’s kind of for me, it was a requiem for 9/11. It wasn’t a song about 9/11, it’s a love song, but there’s a feeling imbued in the song that is that absolutely has to do with 9/11, it’s like William Basinski’s Disintegration Loops, it’s got nothing to do with 9/11 but there’s a quality in that music that connects with that time and that event. It’s my song that I associate with the feelings that I had in the few days after the world changed forever. I was in my studio working on a song, I probably never finished and probably should never have finished that song."

This song is simple, its about when you break up, you wont regret anything, how you wont try to change the others mind, how you will accept it with pain and all

So sad, yet so beautiful...!