Winning

Going along with the theme of trying to save someone, I feel like it's about saving a friend from something we all eventually do. Turning away from everyone you know and love, "[w]hat's a wolf without a pack?" We end up confiding in and trusting someone we know isn't worth the time, who we know will betray us ("Knives don't have your back"), if only, almost subconsciously, to remind us of the people who really matter.

I absolutely fell in love with this song, and with the album in general. Whenever I get tired of everything else, and I just need to shut the world out or I'm intensely lonely, I listen to this song (and album) on a loop and it brings me back. Emily Haines is a genius.

When I listen to this song, my eyes tear - that's how beautiful it is. This song is an incredible way to end an album, especially such a heroic one like Knives Don't Have Your Back.

This song is heavenly. It's one of my favorite songs ever, and tops all her solo songs and, honestly, tops Metric songs. This song is beyond words. It's tear-jerking and beautiful beyond words.

Infertility.

There was a moment of what I considered at the time to be blissfull lucidity when the line: "All our songs will be lullabies in no time" took a clear meaning. It seems she wants to sing lullabies. But none of her songs are currently lullabies. Maybe the subject has no one to sing a lullaby for.

I was suddenly very sure that the song was written about infertility. I was also, however, quite baked at the time.

"What's a wolf without a pack?" could be interpreted as societal pressure, where the family unit is idealised as a perfect natural bond.

More generally "What's bad? We'll fix it." could then reflect medical intervention to promote fertility, which could be read as intimidating and forceful. She's a broken woman, she needs to be fixed. Or sympathising I suppose, reassuring the supposed woman that "she has all the time" - in other words she's not too old to conceive.

But ultimately "this part of you, too small to lose" is gone "so long". There however still people there to "make it all right", they, not the knives, have your back.

Although, with such a dour conclusion, having "all the time" to spend alone could suggest a long life of misery...

It's not so much as stepping outside the box, as getting lost in a foggy haze somewhere inside the box. What does anyone think? Am I reading my own sub-conscious envy as an inconceivable male into the song? What the fuck has conception to do with Winning? Oh dear...

So pretty! it's incredible.

"when you talk, can i tape you?" i've thought this a lot. such beautiful voices belong to those we love, they at times are enough to sustain our wanting of them, their tone of voice enough to soothe our problems. but i think she says, "only know how to hound." it would work with the wolf reference better.

she's calling out to help someone else. and this sound also has the book reference that can be seen throughout the album. and the time reference throughout all her songs.

at times it sounds a little too much like Shrine to Fast Goodbyes, when that song even has the line, "got time when it isn't enough." but music works better when its a circle

yeah i agree with everything you said, good points. and thanks for the correction.

this is beautiful

She really hit the nail on the head with something so understated, beautiful, and curious. The best.

maybe it does sound a bit like Shrine To Fast Goodbyes, but really only because of how they both build so much. The lyrics are very different. while Shrine is pessimistic and melancholy, Winning is optimistic and comforting :D

i love this song.

I think the song is reaching out to someone who was hurt in a past relationship, locked his or her heart away, and refuses to try and love or be loved again, but what's the use in going it alone? (a lone wolf).

Whatever damage that was done can be healed and the person can love again, and allow themselves to open up and be loved, given time and patience to allow yourself to heal.