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The Maze Lyrics

I notice you when you're noticing me
Breaking the habit, you're watching me sleep
Give me some time let me learn how to speak
I'm a maze to you

I never mind about bothering you
I'm trying to decide if I'll bother with you
So, feed me your wisdom and breathe me your truth
I'm amazing

Wish me a wonder and wish me to sleep
You don't have to wander to hear when I speak
There is nothing I've got when I die that I keep
It's amazing

Somebody said it's unspeakable love
Somebody said it's unspeakable love
Well, you don't believe I can speak well at all
You're a maze to me

First of a thousand to write on the wall
It's only beginning, it's swallowing us
Somebody said it's unspeakable love
It's amazing

You lift that burden off of me
You lift that burden off of me
You lift that burden off of me
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Cover art for The Maze lyrics by Manchester Orchestra

How has no one commented on this incredible ballad? This song is so powerful I can hardly stand it. A love built on vulnerability, so rare, so pure. He wants to keep telling her how he feels and he knows he’s confusing to her but he needs time to figure it out. He wants to learn from her, he’s in awe of her, her unconditional love, he’s dying to be open with her, they know their love is special. He’s telling her how she’s helped him to open up and feel the love and he’s scared. So raw. This is amazing. ❤️

@Littlerunnergirl absolutely spot on. The jest in his words over and over. He says things he doesn’t really mean and it just tells the story more. Absolutely love it.

Cover art for The Maze lyrics by Manchester Orchestra

I’ve always assumed this song was about his daughter, Mayzie, and the title is a really clever twist on her name. The song alternates between her perspective and his. “Somebody said it’s unspeakable love” is one of the most accurate and easiest ways to explain the emotion in becoming a parent.

@badhat yes, a parent singing to their baby and the baby singing back

Cover art for The Maze lyrics by Manchester Orchestra

Sometimes I wonder if songwriters ever finish a song and think to themselves, “that song is perfect”…because this song is perfect!

I think this song is about the process of discovering God and realizing the power of prayer, and maybe even an addict’s discovery of God while in recovery (breaking the habit, you’re watching me sleep). Spoken in the first person, he acknowledges the flippancy with which he has treated God: He only notices God when God is showing him favor (I notice you when you’re noticing me); and he never hesitates to call upon God when he wants something, while at the same time actively struggling with whether to truly believe in God (I never mind about bothering you, I’m trying to decide if I’ll bother with you). Despite his hesitation or doubt, his commitment seems to be growing, as he asks for patience and help (give me some time, let me learn how to speak; feed me your wisdom and breathe me your truth). By the end of the third verse he fully discovers the transcendence of the human soul and its connection to something greater than earthly life (There is nothing I’ve got when I die that I keep; it’s amazing). A big clue that song centers on God is the citation of an “unspeakable love”, a reference to the Jewish belief that you cannot say God’s name out loud unless when reading from the Torah or praying. That said, I’m not convinced that the song is about Judaism, as it could also be a call to Judeo-Christian ideas. In the last verse, he fully submits to God, and is overwhelmed by God's love and healing power. Importantly too, he admits that he is not the center of the universe, but rather God is: “First of a thousand to write on the wall” is an admission that he is one of many to call upon God for love and help, and therefore accepts God’s omnipotence.

Lastly, he rejoices in the relief he enjoys through his connection to God. I draw that conclusion with help from the production, which includes many different voices whispering inaudible words, while the singers proclaim “you lift that burden off of me!”. These are the praying voices of God’s children and their gratitude when God relieves them of their burdens.

I’m not particularly religious, and frankly, my wife broke this concept to me as she cried listening to this song for the first time. The more I think about it, the more beautiful it is. This song is perfect.

Song Meaning

@TheMelvin You’re right, it is such an amazing song. It is perfect. No other song had helped me deal with my brother’s death than this one. \r\n\r\nBut to cheapen it so something so childish and pathetic as discovering God is an insult to this work of art. Bringing religion into such a beautiful piece like this is something that should be left to the artist themself. Just because you’re incapable of hearing a song like this and immediately comparing it to your sad little delusions does not mean you’re right. God really has the worst fan club. \r\n\r\nThat being said,...

@gale104415 I lost my brother in 2006, and I’ve never gotten over it. I’m glad this song brought you some comfort.

@gale104415. Andy actually confirms this songs relationship to God in a verified comment on the meaning behind the lyrics of the song “The Silence” https://genius.com/Manchester-orchestra-the-silence-lyrics.

Cover art for The Maze lyrics by Manchester Orchestra

This strikes me as a love song about a relationship that simply doesn’t work. Maybe they’re trying to force it to, but it doesn’t.\n\nThe line “you don’t believe I can speak well at all” means, to me, that the lines of communication are far from open, and they don’t understand each other, but are forcing something that doesn’t work. This isn’t a song to God, at least to me. I think the songwriting is way too creative to be dulled down to a shitty Christian ballad. Sucks to suck, Christian music is for toddlers lmao

Cover art for The Maze lyrics by Manchester Orchestra

Hi, I\'m on mission to understand the origin of everything this group produces! They\'re profound and I\'m just amazed by them. The Maze - my interpretation, is exactly that... it brought me into being a Dad, and the beginning of the song, I can hear those thoughts coming from my son and daughter in their first year of living. "I notice you when you\'re noticing me... Give me some time to learn how to speak.. I\'m a maze to you."....\n\n"I\'m amazing" lyric is what made me weep. It\'s real... young people think they\'re amazing, and they know it... adults rarely say that, "I\'m amazing", they fear it\'ll be judged. But, we all are amazing. The baby mind actually says it, in this lyric.\n\nThe whole song and album is "amazing"... and I\'m not going to stop listening to Manchester Orchestra. Love them. Thanks for letting me express my interpretation. You\'re "amazing"!

My Interpretation
Cover art for The Maze lyrics by Manchester Orchestra

I’ve always assumed this song was about his daughter, Mayzie, and the title is a really clever twist on her name. The song alternates between her perspective and his. “Somebody said it’s unspeakable love” is one of the most accurate and easiest ways to explain the emotion in becoming a parent.

 
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