Cross Your Fingers

"Look down on the body that you have grown For mountains stand around you, they're not your own. When white squares and bodies are all you see"

I think she's telling someone (possibly herself) to take a long, deep look at themselves. Perhaps it's self-reflective, or perhaps she's telling someone she used to love. I feel like Laura may be alluding to her manic version of herself (My Manic and I) here. I can't really decide.

The mountains are the problems, and they do not belong to the person who is faced with them. White squares and bodies -- The white squares... this kind of sounds silly, but I want to think it means pillows; what I mean is that the main character of this song is just sleeping around with "bodies" and that is all they see since they broke down: white squares (pillows) and bodies.

"Since you broke down Since I broke down Since we broke down"

Here she's either talking to the man she loves or herself. Again, can't decide.

"Now I jump into your grave and die Now my word you'll give up your whole life for me And you'll be reborn big and stronger and less alive"

Talking to the person she loves, she's jumping into the death of the relationship, metaphorically, the grave he dug for her. I feel like she means that she's given up (and all she has left is hope). I want to think this next line means something else, but I feel like he promised her that he'd be with her, that he'd do anything for her (even give up his life for her). It's like they are reviving the dead relationship, and as a result the man is reborn (bigger and stronger) but he feels less alive.

"Cross your fingers hold your toes We're all gonna die when the building blows"

This is where she's telling herself to keep on hoping. Or maybe she's telling her audience to not worry so much, that the building (life) will explode (meaning it will end). I want to say that life keeps exploding over and over again because it's hard, but maybe she just means that since we're all gonna die in the end she might as well cross her fingers and hope for the best.

And the house you were born in Is crumbling at the corners Sagging skin and feet of crows Feet of crows

The house here, the life that she is talking about is crumbling. It's dying, getting old.

one of my favorites. its just so... i dont know. but i love it.

hah that was such a lame comment... but i think this song is about jesus christ, how he "jumps into the graves" of the dead and died for them... and we're expected to give up our lives to him, but when we do, we lose a part of ourselves and are less alive.

and she thinks religion is just superstition, and christians just cross their fingers hoping things will be ok and looking completely stupid while doing it.

this is just my take, im a christian myself so maybe im a little biased about it.

i hadn't thought about it like that, it makes sense!

this is my favorite Marling song, can't stop listening to it, i think she may need a hug.........?

i think it could be about the stereotype of love? "cross your fingers", hope it turns out that way "we are all going to die when the building blows", no one is perfect. does it really matter anyway? "you'll give up your whole life me me", what a man is supposed to do for a woman. it's supposed to make him a better man for it but it doesn't, it just makes him vunerable "jumped into your grave and died"

it does have some religious connotations, but i think the overall meaning is what i have outlined.

nice song though

This is one of my favorite Laura Marling songs. She is awesome.

In a way, I think this song is about giving up your life to religion. Especially this part: "Oh you'll jump into your grave and die And on my word you'll give up your whole life for me And you'll be reborn bigger and stronger and less alive"

It's like she is saying that if you give up your life to Jesus you'll be forgiven and become better, but you'll be less alive because of all the resttrictions.

"Look down on the body, that you have grown The mountains stand around you, they're not your own"

beautiful song

Is it just me or does anyone else picture something Jesus - like here? could just be crazy..

Oh I'll jump into your grave and die and on my word you'll give up your whole life for me and you'll be reborn, bigger and stronger and less alive.

<3