I'll Be Alright

God, this song BREAKS my heart. This song seems really happy and victorious, but the story in the lyrics is anything but. To understand a lot of Gossamer, you need to recognize that one of the essential truths of Michael Angelakos is that he has bipolar disorder.

In this song I hear: a) manic episode b) realizing how awful you are being to your loved ones and c) dangerous self delusion about being able to handle your problems on your own

I base this interpretation on this quote:

"Everyone was telling her, 'Why are you with this guy?' At a certain point, she realized, 'Wait, Michael hasn't seen his doctors in a while, he's fucking manic.' If she had left me, there is no question that I would have killed myself. I don't remember anything I did-- which is terrifying, because now I have to live with this guilt." (http://pitchfork.com/features/cover-story/8893-rite-of-passion/)

So the song may say "I'll be alright if you leave" but the singer WILL NOT BE ALRIGHT. It's amazing and so, so sad.

So this song for me is about where you are mentally just before you realize how much you need other people, even if you hurt them, and that in the end they get to chose whether you are worth it

Not sure but I think that the chorus might end with:

"Your whole life has been nothing but this I won't let you go UNLESS I'll be alright I'll be alright"

It makes more sense and parallels better with the opening lines of the chorus.

Also the final verse sounds more like:

"Why do I keep housing on the SEPARATE Heads go on now where's my thought to stumbling This party is over now it isn't happening The wind in the SAILS COULD TELL I'M ONLY RECOVERING"

That's just my two cents...

heh, i quoted this and people took it super-seriously and decided that i'm bipolar. i'm really just a very, very bad habitual fantasizer who gets really, really depressed and gives up on life. i'm not psychotic in the least, i'm just always off in my own little world in my head. i have anxiety. cue drama.

I'm so self loathing, not self lonely.

I won't let you go unless (I'll be alright), not I won't let you go the mess.

I feel like this song is about a man who loses the love of his life and resorts to drinking and drugs in order to fill the gap the lover left. "I drink a gin and take a couple of my pills" really cements this thought.

The start of the last verse sounds like it says this to me:

"Why do I keep holding on to suffering? Heads gone on now, walls, my thoughts are stumbling, this party is over now, it isn't happening. The wind in the sails could tell I'm only recovering."

Here's the full lyrics as I hear them:

"Can you remember ever having any fun? ’cause when it’s all said and done i always believed we were But now i’m not so sure (oh oh oh oh oh oh) I drink a gin and take a couple of my pills And my parade will give you chills oh honey, don't give me up (oh oh oh oh) I know we've had enough

You should go if you want to Yeah go if you want to I’ll be alright, be alright Well i’ve made so many messes And this love has grown so restless Your whole life's been nothing but this I won’t let you go unless I'll be alright. I’ll be alright.

I’m so self loathing that its time for me to see Reality from what i dream No, no one believes me No, not a single thing My pain is racing and i feel like i’ll explode (oh!) You’re looking at me from below, this robe wasn’t made for you Just go for someone new

You should go if you want to Yeah go if you want to I’ll be alright, be alright Well i’ve made so many messes And this love has grown so restless Your whole life has been nothing but this I won’t let you go unless I'll be alright. I’ll be alright.

Why do I keep holding onto suffering? Heads go on now, walls, my thoughts are stumbling This party is over now it isn’t happening The wind in the sails could tell I'm only recovering"

These are the CORRECT lyrics taken from the lyric booklet found within in the album ...

Can you remember ever having any fun? 'cause when it's all said and done I always believed we were but now I'm not so sure I drink a gin and take a couple of my pills and my parade would give you chills oh honey don't give me up I know we've had enough

but you should go if you want to yeah go if you want to I'll be alright / be alright well I've made so many messes and this love has grown so restless your whole life's been nothing but this I won't let you go loveless I'll be alright

I'm so self-loathing that it's hard for me to see reality from what I dream now no one believes me no not a single thing My brain is racing and I feel like I'll explode you're looking at me from below this world wasn't made for you just go find someone new

You should go if you want to yeah go if you want to I'll be alright / be alright well I've made so many messes and this love has grown so restless your whole life's been nothing but this I won't let you go loveless I'll be alright

Why do I keep hounding on this suffering? my head's come off now all my thoughts are stumbling this party's over - no it isn't happening no wind in the sails until I am fully recovering

you should go if you want to yeah go if you want to I'll be alright / be alright well I've made so many messes and this love has grown so restless your whole life's been nothing but this I won't let you go loveless I'll be alright

also, this is the theme song to my ex's life. my whole life's been nothing but this. that is for sure.