Back Down the Black

I think this song is about watching others suffer and wanting to help them.

In the beginning someone is struggling with addiction.

"You're hurting I can tell by the way that you move You got your head on your chest and your chest in your mouth You don't look so good"

This conjures an image of a junkie experiencing powerful withdrawals.

This person is supposed to be the songwriter's pillar of strength. Perhaps an older brother or other role model. Their suffering is causing great anxiety. There is a void in leadership.

"But brother you're scared and I'm scared when you're scared 'Cause you ain't supposed to be"

As the song transitions towards the chorus, it feels to me like the helpless observer is becoming empowered. Perhaps the child has grown up. They seek to willfully lift the addicted out of "the black."

"'Cause I got the animal I've got the beast on a leash these days So you don't go wondering back down the black to that awful place

And help is well on it's way, You taught me too much to sit back and watch you this way"

Its almost a way of saying, "I couldn't help you before. But now that I can I'll do whatever is necessary."

As the song progresses, I think the author's attempt to help was unsuccessful. There is mention of a raven, a clear omen of death, as well as this line:

"And I watched it all disappear Oh tether of life won't you shepherd me home again dear"

The "it" in this case being the life, or will to live, of their loved one, who has now died despite the author's best efforts. The person saw life as merely a "tether", with their "home" being someplace beyond this world.

The closing refrain suggests to me that watching loved ones suffer is an eternal element of life. We try as best as we can to help, but sometimes those efforts are unsuccessful. Even so, we wish to help anyways.

"Oh my legs don't work and my limbs all hurt As my body aches to take the weight that's been thrown down on top of you Like you would do too"

Far from the sense of empowerment of lifting someone out of the black, the implication here is that sometimes we are powerless to stop or prevent the suffering of others. There is a sense of being resigned to allow fate to shape the destinies of others. But the lighter, yet melancholy tone of the music suggests that perhaps that's okay. The author is trying to come to peace with the powerlessness of the human condition.

The real lyrics:

'Cause you're hurting I can tell by the way that you move You got your head on your chest and your chest in your mouth You don't look so good

There'll be change 'Cause this one's too big not to see But brother you're scared and I'm scared when you're scared 'Cause you ain't supposed to be

So I'll scream out loud Won't you get out my way

'Cause I've got the animal I've got the beast on a leash these days So you don't go wondering back down the black to that awful place

And help is well on it's way And you taught me too much to sit back and watch you this way Just to watch you this way

There's a light sound that comes around Like a raven in flight A shivering child as the car windows left open overnight

And I watched it light up the moon again And I watched it all disappear Oh tether of life won't you shepherd me home again dear

So I'll scream out loud Won't you get out my way

'Cause I've got the animal I've got the beast on a leash these days So you don't go wondering back down the black to that awful place

'Cause help is well on it's way, You taught me too much to sit back and watch you this way And I've been back down the black now before And I won't watch you this way No I won't watch you this way

And oh, my legs don't work and my limbs all hurt As my body aches to take the weight that's been thrown down on top of you Like you would do too

And oh, my legs don't work and my limbs all hurt As my body aches to take the weight that's been thrown down on top of you Like you would do too

And oh, my legs don't work and my limbs all hurt As my body aches to take the weight that's been thrown down on top of you Like you would do too

And oh, my legs don't work and my limbs all hurt As my body aches to take the weight that's been thrown down on top of you Like you would do too

I think it's about depression. People with depression often have a friend whom they rely on. The one person that they need through the bullshit to find love and acceptance. "Cause your hurting I can tell by the way that you move" "Head on your chest" physical appearance "Chest in your mouth" that feeling you get when you feel so Ill because of the way you feel in your chest

And he's scared because your scared and your not supposed to be. Your supposed to be the strong one but your not this time

It goes on to say "and I'll scream out won't you get out of my way" becauses he's scared that he might have to be the strong one because Even though the friend helps they hurt too. They make you face reality they help you see but they can also hold you back

And as we go into the chorus he continues to say that these days he's got the "beast" or the depression on a leash these days and he expresses his need for his friend to be strong because "you taught me to much to sit back and watch you this way"

In the second voice he uses metaphores to describe death (the raven) and innocence (the child in the car shivering ) And his friend sheppards him home, lights up the moon again.
At which point he comes back to the chorus repeating that he's got help well on it's way but he has been "back down to the black before and he cant watch you this way" This is where the song changes to be less intence and more sad it shows exceptance of the weight of the he takes from his friend "His body aches to take the weight that's been thrown down onto him.