If This Ship Sinks (I Give In)

the above comments seem very true...its does indeed seem like a song about a broken relationship. but to me it seems like its about something else.

to me its a song about depression...more specifically bipolar disorder (before you get help).

the first half of the song is the manic half of your mind, which is in part demonstrated by the upbeat music behind the lyrics. irritated, frustrated... feeling rejected by those who love you (even though that may not necessarily be reality). broken relationships, scared of the unknown future... these things all sound more like the depressed half of your mind, however it is possible to feel depressed and energetic/manic at the same time.

now the second part of the song is where he self medicates....with alcohol or drugs...its doesn't really matter... but the change in tempo and instruments indicates this... and it feels like that to someone who does it. the feelings of despair and hopelessness remain but the substance abuse 'numbs' you to this and makes you feel 'weightless'... then eventually he eludes to suicide...or suicide ideation...

this interpretation may seem a bit farfetched to some people but i must say to some people battling mental illness it will probably seem very feasible.

Maybe its just because of my situation but i think this song is about the motions you go through when you've gone through a break up.

He is in shock with the outcome of the relationship because he didn’t see it coming (i didn’t see the warning signs ahead) which makes it hurt even more because he had the feeling that the relationship was strong and is hurting so much. He gets confused and guilty but its more of an amicable, mutual break up (you were always so good to me; even when it was so hard to be). I feel situation has broken them up rather than feelings (I sailed too far out to sea) as in he has all these responsibilities and dreams he cannot back away from them. this may be supported by (I can't stop this train, I can't get off; But I can't go back, I've come too far to stop).

The way it changes from a fast paced rock number to a slow, mellow, instrumental song represents (to me) how at first you're angry (I wanna stop this goddamn beating heart), to hurt (It's killing me, this is killing me), to confusion (I'm trying to get my head straight; I didn't see the warning signs ahead), to regret and bargaining (If I could make it all right I would; I never thought I’d say these things to you), to the realization of the situation that you need to follow your own path (There's too many roads, I need to stumble down).

Then it becomes slow, this slow part makes me think of how you feel when you're alone at night in bed wishing they'd call and they don’t and the loneliness sinks in and you make yourself realize it is over, you are alone, they are gone forever and you must face it. Then the reason you had to leave becomes this huge risk, a Goliath endeavor which you cannot see as a good choice because there is no payback (I sailed myself too far out to sea; On favored whims that won't sing for me). You see that there is no escape from the inevitable and you discover what you will become to her, just a memory (There'll be no rescue, no finding me; as I become an old memory; You once knew, you once knew). This realization crushes you as you become engulfed by this sea, or choice, you're sailing into and you feel silent and weightless. your choice carries you and you just get taken by it with little control (as the tide carries me) into the unknown (darker water) where you are praying, hoping and expecting some reward, resolution or closure (where I believe; Something's down here waiting for me). You become numb by the situation and become distanced to it all as it becomes the past and you move through your decision (The numbing cold is taking from me; Everything, I'm so far beneath). The last lines represents to me the way you look back and always think of the ‘what if's’ to discover she hasn't turned away from you, you're the one who left, but she is looking at you while you're looking at her telling you that she has gone through exactly what you have and there is still hope for the future, even though thats not what either of you will work towards. You finally move on after you look back that one last time and Ian starts Singing that melody which is you releasing all the tension, anger, sadness, anxiety and guilt you've been holding onto during the whole process and it eventually fades quietly as your feelings towards her also become (an old memory; you once knew, you once knew).

Sorry this interpretation is so long but i just kept writing. doubt anyone will read it all but it felt good to write it :P

Thank you Birds, this song is just amazing and what i need.

'I can't stop this train I can't get off' he can't stop his train of thought even if it is getting bad. 'but I can't go back I've come too far to stop' he has 'realized' how hopeless his situation is but he can't go back to what he once thought. 'there's too many signs to read them all there's too many roads I need to stumble down' there's too many unfixable problems that need to be fixed that it's too overwhelming. 'I never thought I'd say these things to you' he is talking to himself, trying to work things out.' I wanna know if this is for real' he doesn't know whether his thoughts we're real (true) or not.'believe me when I say there is something I wish I could say' he wants talk to someone about how he feels so maybe he can get help. 'you were always so good to me even when it was so hard to be' he feels guilty for not talking and saying I'm fine all the time even when that person was really good to him. 'I've sailed myself too far out to sea' he has escaped into his own thoughts and become disconnected from everyone. '....as I become an old memory' as the person he was before he broke down isn't coming back the old him is just a memory.'you once knew' he used to tell that person everything.'it's silent as I sink into the sea' he is sitting in silence as he sinks into the dark sea of his thoughts. I'm sorry this interrpretation isn't in order but if I restructured it I would've ruined my flo. I don't really think this interrpretation makes much sense but it's just how I felt about the song.

This song is amazing

so, the beginning of this song sounds like he's reluctantly breaking up with someone and as he starts, he is tempted to stop and stay with her ('But I can't go back I've come too far to stop') but he has to keep going and break up...

but the end of the song seems to be more about suicide? i hope its just saying that as the break up becomes old he'll just become a memory as all ex's are? i dont like thinking of kenny being suicidal so i prefer that option!

and i agree, this song is amazing, pretty sure its my favourite from this album :)

this probably doesn't make sense but if you listen to this then to anchor well they were in a relationship blah blah blah...... they both felt this way he got out of it she didn't then he felt like well... anchor. it makes sense because both songs have got something to do with dark water. the dark water took her. these two songs probably don't have anything to do with each other but its just a thought.

the song could be about anxiousness and it's effects. the type of anxiousness that you get for no reason. "I'm tryna get my head straight I'm playing in a game that I can't win" he is trying to calm down and focus on whatever it is he is doing but he knows it won't work. "I started in the wrong place" he didn't know how to deal with it "a slap to cold face of love" when it starts happening very often, the one he loves doesn't understand "I wanna stop this god damn beating heart it's killing me this is killing me" his heart is beating too fast he is terrified and wants it to stop. "I'm trying to get my head straight I didn't see the warning signs ahead" it happened again he realised he should have told someone at the start "I'm feeling like a dead weight long gone if I could make it alright I would" because it is happening so often he is avoiding many things and feels like he is wrapping himself in bubble wrap and being a nothing. "I never thought I'd say these things to you" his thoughts are going so fast that he can't stop the negative thoughts and the things that he's saying to himself. "and it's killing me this is killing me" it's really affecting him and he is really suffering. "I can't stop this train I can't get off but I can't go back I've come too far to stop" again his thoughts are too fast to stop and he is saying horrible things to himself. "there's too many signs to read them all" he thinks he is going crazy because of all the thoughts and everything this anxiousness is causing "there's too many roads I need to stumble down" he thinks it's too hard to get help because there are so many things he needs to do to receive it and he hasn't even taken the first step. "I've gotta get my head straight I never thought a day like this would come" he's having his first really bad day where he is anxious all day for no reason "I'll never be the same way as once" he thinks he will never be happy again. "I wanna know if this is for real I wanna know what fate has planned for me" he still thinks he's going crazy and he wants to know where he'll end up if his life keeps going like this and if it's even worth it. "I give in I give in..." he has given up and now he really wants to stop his heart from beating. "believe me when I say there's something I wish I could say you were always so good to me even when it's so hard to be" he wants to tell someone but he doesn't know how and he keeps avoiding/ditching/walking away from people and situations because of it but someone is always good to him. "I sailed myself too far out to sea on favoured whims that won't sing for me" he has finally calmed down but is stuck in a void of nothingness. he isn't feeling happy or sad or anything at all. it is a horrible feeling because he feels that everything is pointless and he doesn't stop his bad thoughts because he would rather be miserable than feel nothing at all. "there'll be no rescue no finding me as I've become an old memory" he thinks he is in too deep and it is pointless trying to restore the old him. "you once knew" he used to tell a particular person everything and now he doesn't "it's silent as I sink into the sea weightless as the tide carries me" he is still feeling nothing and feels like he is just drifting along doing and feeling nothing "to darker water where i beleive somethings down here waiting for me" his doesn't stop his bad thoughts and even generates some "the numbing cold is taking from me everything I'm so far beneath" the nothingness is taking his enjoyment out of everything and he feels inferior because people who can feel things must be doing something right (he's blaming himself for everything) "my eyes they open one last time to see you were staring right back at me" the last time he isn't feeling nothing he can see how to truly get help. he sees the person who he truly cares about who will understand and he knows what to do.