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Your Bruise Lyrics

It's a backwards attraction to your forward eyes
But you're so far-sighted that you can't place trust
In what or who you recognize
We sped the Plymouth cross the banks of the Mississippi river
Mary timony was smaller then a super ball

Chitter-chatter all these secrets started giving me the shivers
Plain and simply broken down near Olympia
I think your bruise was understated
Cause you can't feel this anymore
It's getting bluer and you can't keep faking
That you can't feel this anymore
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Cover art for Your Bruise lyrics by Death Cab for Cutie

i actually think this song is about self harm/self abuse.

It is not about his abuse, obviously, but the girl he is talking about. Let me explain:

"Its a backward attraction to your forward mind" By cutting herself she is trying to move past her pain, but in reality it is setting her farther back into her pain/depression. It is a temporary relief.

"but youre so far-sighted you cant place trust in what or who you recognize" She cannot meet somebody and trust them, even if she has trusted them previously. after whatever traumatic event she experienced, she now can only see to the future when people leave her or hurt her. Therefore, she cannot trust anyone.

The whole next verse is obviously personal/about a trip where he had spoken to this girl. "All these secrets started giving me the shivers" The secret about her self harm/depression/whatever caused her to start hurting herself.

"I think your bruise was understated" This is what really made me think it was about self harm. It is the quote of all self harmers 'it's just a bruise, it's just a cut.' He is saying this is understated, and it is a way bigger problem then simply a bruise. It spreads to so much more in-depth pain.

" because you cant feel this anymore" Many cutters use self harm to become apathetic. Their brain reacts too strongly to the adrenaline and it creates a calm, a numb, a temporary relief. Most self harmers do not actually even feel pain upon cutting/hurting themselves..only adrenaline. He is saying the bruise is understated because how numb she is becoming to the rest of the world.

"its getting bluer and you cant keep faking that you cant feel this anymore" Again, she continues to fake happiness or at least apathy through cutting. But like any addict, you get used to the regular dosage and eventually need to hurt yourself more than you initially did. In other words, though it may have been a small bruise that created the numbness before it is now a huge, deep, dark blue that she requires to feel numb.

Cover art for Your Bruise lyrics by Death Cab for Cutie

I like to think of "forward" as in "lacking restraint or modesty; presumptuous or bold" rather than looking to the future. Her eyes are being forward with him.

Oh and for those that think they're sailing the high seas, here's what a Plymouth is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plymouth_%28automobile%29

Cover art for Your Bruise lyrics by Death Cab for Cutie

this song embodies everything that Death Cab For Cutie are. I fucking love every second of it.

Cover art for Your Bruise lyrics by Death Cab for Cutie

this song is amazing.. im surprised no one has posted anything for it.. I love this song.

Cover art for Your Bruise lyrics by Death Cab for Cutie

ye me to this is my favourite song by death cab for cutie, but i dont kno wat it means. SUM 1 EXPLAIN IT!

Cover art for Your Bruise lyrics by Death Cab for Cutie

its like when you hurt someone and they pretend they aren't affected/ if the best revenge is living well this girl is living the high life and he's pissed that shes not hurting (like he is)

Cover art for Your Bruise lyrics by Death Cab for Cutie

right on

it's your brusise was understated, not udnerstanded.

Cover art for Your Bruise lyrics by Death Cab for Cutie

They were driving, not sailing. The Plymouth is most likely a van, and they were probably crossing a bridge over the Mississippi River, and they broke down near Olympia, Washington. As for Mary Timony, she's a musician - she sang in a band called Helium, she does solo work, she appeared on a song by Stephen Merritt's The Sixths, and so forth. My guess is that they (whoever "they" are) were listening to Mary Timony as they drove. Not a clue as to her being "smaller than a superball," though.

The chorus to the Helium song "Superball" is "I'm small/Like a Superball" and it is sung by Timony

Cover art for Your Bruise lyrics by Death Cab for Cutie

They were driving, not sailing. The Plymouth is most likely a van, and they were probably crossing a bridge over the Mississippi River, and they broke down near Olympia, Washington. As for Mary Timony, she's a musician - she sang in a band called Helium, she does solo work, she appeared on a song by Stephen Merritt's The Sixths, and so forth. My guess is that they (whoever "they" are) were listening to Mary Timony as they drove. Not a clue as to her being "smaller than a superball," though.

 
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