Save Me

I agree that the word "tourniquette" is related to cutting off circulation. I feel it means that the person gets too caught up in the world and their worries, overanalysing everything. They need to stop feeling for a while in order to actually see their life for what it is and stand any chance of sorting out their problems.

I actually think she could be talking about herself in the song. She wants someone else to save her and fix everything thats wrong with her. She imagines someone stepping into her life and sorting everything out but in reality wonders "Why don't you save me?" and knows deep down that the only person who can really save her is herself but doesn't see how.

"Save Me" is a beautiful song, and very deep!

As the song proceeds:

There is a new awareness about this next lover. There is an awakening about the dire straits she is in..... The new lover -- he or she -- could be just the one to help stop the bleeding, to recover and heal. (IMHO a "perfect fit" means both someone who can BE a tourniquet and someone who NEEDS a tourniquet.)

The last relationship left a big wound and it still hurts like hell, like someone could die if the bleeding is not stopped. The process of starting over is now part of the focus, so that falling in love is part cynical, part unavoidable, and part romantic. Expressing the hope that she will be saved from the sick-at-heart people, and from BECOMING ONE OF THEM, she asks to be saved. Its a poignant bit of prose, and the beautiful singing does it justice, allowing the need and longing and loneliness to come through clearly.

Like Peter Pan could swoop down and snatch her from the jaws of the crocodile, or Superman could carry her away. Both heroes are able to fly, and that is what she saw in previous relationships as they started. But before too long she realized that those super powers come with drawbacks. Peter Pan and Superman are at the extreme opposite ends of what she has experienced in her love-life. Even though they both are always interested in saving someone, that can be a real drawback, too. One is a boy who will never grow up. The other is the strong silent type, too reserved.

Whoever it is, they will come with only her in mind. This poking fun at the men is what makes me think that the singer could be looking for salvation in another woman. Thats one possible interpretation, in which case the "ranks of the freaks who suspect they could never love anyone" are men who have difficulty and discomfort with expressing their feelings and giving themselves to someone wholly.

But both men and women have been stuck in failed relationships before. So the singer's reference to the "long farewell of the hunger strike" could be about anyone. It speaks of the lack of affection before it ends. Aloof becomes cold. Cold becomes dead.

Sometimes a couple will be holding it together even though the love is gone. And sometimes the sick-at-heart want to hurt their partner before the breakup. To them, starving oneself of love seems acceptable if it means they can deprive the other too. This could refer to a man who can live without the love easier than a woman can. But if you pick up that kind of habit, you too can become a "freak who suspects they can never love anyone." Its a scary thought.

I don't see how this song is related to drugs or alcohol in anyway. The message seems quiet clear... 'she' believes herself incapable of loving again, probably because she's been badly hurt in the past... that's why she needs a tourniquet; to stop bleeding.

However, now she's met somebody who seems "the perfect fit" for her and she's asking "but can you save me?”, that is to say, ‘can you really make me change my mind about love?’ as right now she belongs to that rank of people who don’t believe in it.

In Magnolia, where I first heard this song, I think ‘save me’ is particularly indicated to Claudia Wilson Gator (Melora Walters) story. She’s incapable of loving (‘cause of her father's actions in her childhood?) but then she meets the policeman (John Reilly) who seems such a perfect fit for her. Despite all, she’s afraid of loving or afraid she’ll never be able to love someone, that's why she is so reluctant with him. Oh well, that's my interpretation anyway.

BTW, great song

"Save Me" is a beautiful song.

There is a new awareness about this next lover. He (or she?) could be just the one to help the singer recover and heal. The last one left a big wound and it still hurts like hell, like someone could die if the bleeding is not stopped. The process is now part of the focus, so that falling in love is part cynical, part unavoidable, and part romantic. So expressing the hope that she will be saved both from the sick-at-heart people, and from BECOMING ONE OF THEM, she asks to be saved. Like Peter Pan could swoop down and snatch her from the jaws of the crocodile, or Superman could carry her away. Both heroes are able to fly, but they are at the extreme opposite ends of what she has experienced in her love-life (perennial boys and macho-men).

Whoever it is, they will come with only her in mind. This poking fun at the men is what makes me think that the singer could be looking for salvation in another woman. Thats one possible interpretation, in which case the "ranks of the freaks who suspect they could never love anyone" are men who have difficulty and discomfort with expressing their feelings and giving themselves wholly.

But both men and women have been stuck in failed relationships before and so the singer's reference to the "long farewell of the hunger strike" speaks of the lack of affection before it ends. Some- times a couple will be holding it together for some reason even though the love is gone. Sometimes the sick-at-heart want to hurt their partner before the breakup. And in that case starving oneself of love is acceptable if it means they can deprive the other too. This could refer to a man who can live without the love easier than a woman can. Thus if you pick up that kind of habit, you too can become a "freak who suspects they can never love anyone." Its a scary thought.

Basically the world is amok with folks who have issues with intimacy--the so-called "freaks who suspect they could never love anyone". And one day you wake up and realize that you're sick to death of looking for that one person who's not an emotional basket case. The narrator wants her new relationship to work out, but she's unsure, because her man would have to practically have superpowers to help her forget all shit she's been through. I particularly love the last verse-- because, of course, the universe is also brimming with folks who are so fucked up that the only people they can love are people who don't love, period. This song is practically a masterpiece of modern alienation! Go, Aimee, go!

I think its about being the sort of person who doesn't let yourself love anyone for fear of hurt or rejection, but at the same time desperately wanting someone to come and make you realise that thats stupid and love can happen even in what seems to be a mixed up sort of place.

this song hurts, from the first to last note.

the way she sings "you will come" kills me every single time.

hell yeah im all about aimee mann. i just had this craving for her songs so i downloaded tons today. i think she is talking about people that for some reason just don't fit in. Superman and peter pan are things that people wish they were. I think this song is all about wishing you were something you are not. Thats why it was in the movei Magnolia because all those people wanted to be something they werent. They just werent happy with who they were.

nicely put there dewdrop. i saw this music video and the song grabbed me mentally and i just unknowingly downloaded it. aimee rules and is a nice change from yelling and jumping and screaming for a little while. punks like mellow music too, we're not all 'scream and mosh! etc etc' whatever the stereotype is for punks these days, i dont keep track. anyway, aimee has an amazing voice and shes a great lyricist.

dewdrop said it all.