Supersymmetry

This song is about togetherness, in one way or another.

Supersymmetry is a theory in particle physics which very, very basically says that every type of particle has one or more superpartners, i.e. other types of particles that share many of the same properties, but differ in a crucial way. No supersymmetric particle has yet been found, but experiments are underway at CERN and Fermilab to detect supersymmetric partner particles.

I have two theories about this song and it's relation to this theory.

The first; Win is comparing his own relationship with Regine to a supersymmetrical relationship whereby they are both so similar and so attached despite being two separate people.

On another level, and my second theory, is that this song describes the loss of someone with whom the protagonist once had a relationship that could be considered "supersymmetrical", that continues beyond death. This is a recurring theme throughout Reflektor, whereby the line between life and death is described as being two sides of a sheet of glass, or the reflection in a mirror. The Reflektor. Those who are bereaved are frequently told in counselling to imagine that the person they have lost still lives within their mind, as per the first verse.

Reading books, better then memories

This lyric ties the whole song together on how he is feeling.

He needs time but does not want to reflect all that deeply on his memories of the relationship, but rather occupy his mind with others thoughts then his own while he recovers in his own way.

To me it seems like someone in grieving. Their loved one is "living in their mind" through memories, but obviously it can't match actually being there.

Not too sure about the next verse, maybe just a memory about an argument they had while the loved one was still living.

The next verse seems to be about their coping mechanism. They spent the year locked up, reading books to distract them from the painful memories which remind them that the loved one is dead.

The bit about echoes and super-symmetry suggests a slightly more spiritual element, that they can still in a way feel connected even though seperated by death.

Kind of follow up of the Eurydice and Orpheus-myth, which plays a huge role on the whole album (they are for a reason on the cover, remember). They end up dead, both ('I know you're living in my mind / But it's not the same as being alive).

The 'super particle' (reference to supersymmetry) is in this song the person who is living in your mind, but is not really alive.

This song was actually written for the new film, "Her". It's about a guy (Joaquin Phoenix) that falls in love with his operating system (voiced by Scarlett Johannsen). He is also going through a divorce, but is having a hard time letting go of his wife. That is a really good base for the song meaning, and because of that, I don't think the song is about religion.

I feel this is another song about death and dealing with the end of things, which seems to be a theme on Reflektor. The male speaker lost someone and is waiting out the seasons, trying to find distractions from his grief. Meanwhile, the female---the dead partner---is singing the same words, presumably feeling the same thing on the other side. Or at least in his mind, she's with him, working out the same feelings of grief while existing apart. They find closure and I daresay hope at the end. The music is euphoric and bittersweet at the end, sort of telling us they completed the grieving process and have come to a point of resolution and acceptance of losing each other.

A song about religion in a Postmodern day and age and perhaps Win Butler's own view on religion (he did have a Mormon background, actually).

The first verse seems to be about Butler envisioning God in his mind. "I know you're living in my mind/but it's not the same as being alive" seems to indicate that, regardless of whether or not God is actually there, he feels that merely having to maintain a relationship with a being in his mind just isn't the same as having a physical, tangible relationship with someone.

The next verse seems to be about his view on "tolerance" of religion and belief in modern-day society ("If telling the truth is not polite/then I guess we'll have to fight"). Let's face it: we Americans (and virtually all Western civilization now) have come to view tolerance as the only virtue there is anymore. And this is the inherent problem with this mindset that Butler recognizes: if tolerance is the only virtue, then we haven't quelled any fighting, since now all we fight about is what's tolerant and intolerant and what obscure minority is getting beat up now. He can't stand "tolerance" because all it does is cause MORE fighting, not less.

The third verse could take on more than a few meanings, but perhaps the most accurate one is that it's about a family member or friend of his living on their faith ("You've lived for a year in a bed by the window/ reading books, better than memories"). "Reading books" could indicate reading the Bible, and how people of faith care more about prophecies and the world to come than the here and now ("better than memories"). All in all, it seems like a very distant idea to him, living on faith.

The last verse is the real killer here, though. "It's been a while since I've been to see you/ don't know where, but you're not with me/ I heard a voice like an echo, but it came from me" seems to be talking about how Butler's relationship with God has faded, and that every time he wants to envision that there is a God, he is just imagining things. That is why he describes God's voice like it is just an "echo" of his own.

The repetition of "supersymmetry" throughout the song emphasizes how Butler longs for some kind of "togetherness" with this world so broken over religion and tolerance, and, possibly, some kind of re-connection with God. He wants to find some kind of "supersymmetry" with religion and spirituality, but is frustrated by all the added complications people throw.