Falling Slowly

I think the beginning of the song reflects a period in the relationship when things are falling apart. The pair are going through the motions of being together but they are quite far from each other and are slowly falling apart. The vessel that is their love is now a sinking boat. The love is still afloat...but just bairly. Soon the inevitable will happen and the boat will sink unless a change is made and both parts work to repair that sinking vessel. By the time that person realizes they need to change it is too late. He's singing that hopeful song that could have repaired things

My interepretation line by line (some of them):

I don't know you ~ I just met you. But I want you ~ but I like you a lot All the more for that ~ because for some reason I want to know all about you. Words fall through me ~ I'm saying things I usually don't say to other people And always fool me And I can't react ~ I'm not sure what to do And games that never amount ~ I'm starting to play games to make you like me more To more than they're meant Will play themselves out ~ eventually I'll stop playing games when I know you want me.

Take this sinking boat and point it home ~ say you like me too and want to take me home with you We've still got time ~ it's early! Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice ~ Say yes, but it's ok if you say no. You've made it now ~ You agreed!

Falling slowly, eyes that know me ~ falling in love with the person, feeling that they know you the way no one else does. And I can't go back ~ life before was ok, now with love it is wonderful, if he/she were to lose that love, it would be really tough going back to being alone. Moods that take me and erase me ~ I forget how I usually act and I'm feeling like a new person. And I'm painted black - blank You have suffered enough - You've been through some tough relationships (talking to the person he/she loves) And warred with yourself ~ You've battled with letting yourself Love me. It's time that you won ~ You love me now and you have one because it is for real this time.

Take this sinking boat and point it home ~ Let's make a home together. We've still got time ~ We have time to do all the things we want to do together. Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice - Say yes, but it is ok if you say no. You've made it now ~ You've made the decision to love me. Falling slowly sing your melody ~ You lead the way I'll sing along ~ I'll follow

Source(s): My own interpretation line by line.

I just read the plot summary for the movie and that the song was written for the movie (?).

If so....

This is about a relationship that is not going anywhere, despite the feelings. They were both sinking (having a hard time in life), and will come together for a brief time to point each other back home. They enrich each other's lives but ultimately go separate ways. As he says, "You've made your choice."

The part about the "games" possibly refers to something like flirting. They know it will never go beyond that. It will never amount to anything more.

Falling slowly refers to just letting go and letting life take you where it may. They trust that this will end well and are letting it just happen. But they know they won't end up together.

I don't think I know a more beautiful song.

to me this song is like a sequence of events in a relationship that almost happened

"I don't know you but I want you all the more for that"

the beginning - he sees her and wants her, the mystery of not really knowing her adds to the desire

"words fall through me and always fool me and I can't react"

they don't speak. he can't talk to her because he's nervous and love-struck/lust-struck.

"games that never amount to more than they're meant will play themselves out"

this is where they start to communicate... they make eye contact and send each other signals that they might like each other, all without speaking. however, the games end and it's too late ("played themselves out") for whatever reason. maybe she got a boyfriend or she couldn't see him anymore.

"take this sinking boat and point it home we've still got time"

so their chance seems to be slipping away ("sinking boat") due to whatever happened. but he knows that life goes on and it might work out eventually ("we've still got time").

"raise your hopeful voice you had the choice you've made it now"

she had a choice to raise her voice and talk to him, but she didn't. she made the choice not to, so the chance slipped away. the boat is sinking if you will.

passed that point is kind of going into more detail/summarizing what has happened:

"falling slowly eyes that know me and I can't go back"

the eye contact and games they played got him hooked.

"wounds that take me and erase me and I'm painted black"

once she was gone he got depressed.

"well you have suffered enough and warred with yourself it's time that you've won"

you have to understand that the games are kind of painful because your emotions go so high and so low depending on how the other reacts to what you do. it's really stressful.. "warred with yourself" represents it. "it's time that you won" is him saying that he's accepting her departure.

it sounds like, in the last 10 seconds or so of the song Glen sings, "I played my cards too late."

That makes this song even more powerful for me.

this song is so beautiful i feel in love with it the first time i heard it

I heard Glen Hansard explain the meaning like this: Say you are at a party and you see someone who catches your eye. You realize after your initial attraction that it is your partner/s.o./ spouse with whom you have had a rough relationship lately. You realize that it is not too late for the relationship, that it is not too late to give it another chance. His, GLEN'S explanation, not mine.

This duet of the song is so beautiful

Stunning song. It leaves me speechless and utterly heartbroken. It's beautiful just the way it is.