Michigan

Very beautiful and powerful song.

For me the entire song is from of the perspective of inexplicable and nonsensical love. Inexplicable in the sense that you love without regard for self. Inexplicable in the sense that you can not reason your way out of loving them. Inexplicable in the sense that you reasonably should try to escape them to avoid pain, but you actually don't know you can.

He still loves her from a time before. "I know this feeling from long ago I wonder if it's gone now I know." However, despite this he wants no more of the hurt he must of had. "When she calls don't send her my way." And again when he request her to keep her "hands where I can see them." Symbolic that he's trying to avoid pain, by requesting to know see her "hands" so she can't hurt him again. And again when he says "And all that's left is a blind reflection But you know what's coming and you regret it." For me when he saying blind reflection it's like in life when you reflect on situations and love.A lot of times you realize that you shouldn't love this person, because it's not good love or that they've hurt you before, but despite that you're still blinded by your love. Love is nonsensical in many regards. With this blinding love his only choice is to physically stay away from her, "Michigan" in the rear view. But even that hurts, it hurts him to stay away from her, but he knows it's the right thing to do despite the pain of missing her: "When it hurts, you'll know it's the right thing."

I think this can be applied in many situations. When I repeatedly said she hurt him, I never even meant purposeful, although that could have very well been the case. However, I apply to my own situation and it hits really hard. I feel in love with a girl in Canada, and in our situation I know that loving her is going to get me hurt. I'm going this summer to meet her, but I know that eventually one of us is going to be hurt. It's almost feels like I should heed the words of this song and just try to stay away from her but the most haunting words of the song rings to me. Despite knowing the pain, despite knowing that he should stay away and repeatedly trying to: he still can't help but think wonder "What am I supposed to do without you." I can't imagine what I'd do either and that's why I keep hoping.

The lyrics to this song really resonate with me. I very recently had to end a relationship with someone I really cared for and loved, and I feel like this song is speaking exactly what I feel right now.

As much as I would love to go back to him and tell him that I do love him, I cannot. The only thing I can hope for is that he will move on and be happy without me, just like I'm hoping for myself.

"So when she calls don't send her my way When it hurts you'll know it's the right thing"

For me, this means that even though both of us want to speak to each other and try to hold on to something like we used to have, even if it's something as small as sending out a text to him asking him how he is, we can't. We can't because it means coming back to that "Michigan" I left behind, and not ever entirely moving on.

I miss him more than anything, but I know I made the right choice. I only hope he can know that I love him so much and that I'm so terribly sorry I hurt him like I did.

What a beautiful beautiful song. A song hasn't hit me this hard in a long, long time.

To me it’s THAT punch in the stomach you get when you have to leave someone behind for their good, after all that you have been for each other. And with them you are leaving a piece of you, a piece you are never coming back to take.

This song would be the perfect soundtrack to a relationship I had a while back. I had to end a relationship with a guy I really cared about and it hurt so much. I could miss him already the minute I said goodbye, but I knew it was the best decision for his future.

It really felt like jumping from a cliff telling myself I had wings, but of course I didn’t have them, and hitting the ground broke me. I am still grabbing pieces after three years...

I think the general theme of this song is talking about what happens when something with a lot of promise turns to crap. The song specifically mentions Pontiac Michigan, "broke down brake lines," and motown records. Pontiac is a suburb of Detroit that once had a GM plant and an car brand named after it..The town still exists but that's it. Detroit is a shell of what it once was after the collapse of the auto industry. Motown was the pinnacle of pop music is the 60's, and as a stand alone record company, doesn't really exist anymore. I'm not sure exactly what "brake lines" are, but my mind goes to railroads for some reason. Anyway, we are told they are broke down anyways, keeping with the theme of stuff going to crap.

Take the feeling of watching the demise of something fantastic, and apply it to a relationship that you are in and there's the song. The relationship was good, now it's crap, there's a tug of what once was every time she calls or knocks on the door unexpectedly, but in the end it's best to let the thing die and move on.

Just my $.02.

Who is in the car with him?

Love this song. To me it's more about leaving behind a part of your life. Not a person. Changing yourself for the better, despite how confusing and hard it can be.

This song is about leaving behind the past, going forward to something new. Whether the past is a girl, or just general mistakes, he is driving forward, leaving the whole scene behind.

Such a great song that deserves more attention.

This song is GREAT for me right now. So much meaning behind it for me.

This song is about addiction.

The clouds move over Pontiac skies Their silent thunder matches mine I know this feeling from long ago I wondered was it's gone? now I know

("Silent thunder" is a metaphor for the craving that never goes away. "I know this feeling from long ago..." = he's been sober for a while but still tempted)

So when she calls don't send her my way When it hurts you'll know it's the right thing

(She is the drug/alcohol. "When it hurts..." = withdraw)

Michigan's in the rearview now Keep your hands where I can see them

(That would be the Michigan state police)

You took the words right out of my mouth When you knew that I would need them

(Drugs/alcohol cause him to slur his speech, etc, gets arrested)

What am I supposed to do now Without you Without you

(carted off to jail, won't be able to get his fix)

It's unannounced like you'd expected Among broke down break lines and Motown records

(Cravings to use can happen for a variety of reasons - when your frustrated from a car mishap or when you want to mellow out with music)

And all that's left is a blind reflection But you know what's coming and you regret it

("blind reflection" is an exceptional metaphor for a user's ability to justify using just one more time ultimately leading to regret)

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Don't leave me, no one can make you smile as I do. I wonder if someone ever heard you laugh as I would make you laugh. And can someone really give you the butterflies as I do? You're the only one for me!