7 Meanings
Add Yours
Follow
Share
Q&A
Fully Completely Lyrics
Bring me back in shackles,
hang me long out in the sun,
exonerate me, forget about me
I recommend measures for ending it.
Lover, she simply slammed the door.
She said, "you're gonna miss me."
Wait and you'll see." fully, completely
I ponder the endlessness of the stars,
ignoring said same of my father.
Either it'll move me
or it'll move right through me;
fully, completely
hang me long out in the sun,
exonerate me, forget about me
I recommend measures for ending it.
Lover, she simply slammed the door.
She said, "you're gonna miss me."
Wait and you'll see." fully, completely
I ponder the endlessness of the stars,
ignoring said same of my father.
Either it'll move me
or it'll move right through me;
fully, completely
Song Info
Submitted by
black_cow_of_death On Jan 26, 2002
More The Tragically Hip
Ahead By A Century
Blow At High Dough
Nautical Disaster
38 Years Old
Bobcaygeon
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
It's impossible to completely understand their songs. "you just gotta feel the music"
Looks like no one will read this for 2 years, but here goes nothing:
What I find stands out in this song lyrics is the prominent stress of the contradictory schism between logic and emotion that is so tightly associated with many facets of life.
First off, he says "Bring me back in shackles,/Hang me long out in the sun/Exonerate me/Forget about me." So, free me from guilt but punish me to death anyways? That doesn't make sense, but it's something that happens in relationships all the time. You outwardly take no blame, but you still pay dearly.
The logical/emotional split is in the following line as well: "I recommend measures for ending it" is a pragmatic, thought out approach for breaking it off, which is met by an enraged emotional response with threat of dire emotional repercussions. Had emotion been removed from the mix, everything would have gone smoothly.
The following lines can fall in place as well adhering to the same theme (though I feel a little shakier here as I don't know specifics about Downie's father, and you can never be sure if he's singing as himself or as a character). He strays from romantic relationships, but sticks to the split. I think he's talking about death, and the logical denial of an afterlife ("ignoring said same [endlessness] of my father"). Endlessness of stars--if not technically true--is a lot easier to grasp than that of a philosophical afterlife. Also, especially younger in life, the death of a parent is impossible to imagine. I think the dilemma is summed up in the last two lines:
"Either it'll move me": emotion. "Or it'll move right through me": logic.
Yea- this and "Vancouver Divorce" are def. the best breakup songs ever. She said "youre gonna miss me, wait and you'll see... fully, and completely!" Sweet song, and IM me at Madscooterfoo
One of those songs I like more and more everytime I hear it, in the simplest of terms it's a break up song - in the most complex bowels of the mind, I dare not fathom what Gord Downie was thinking
I love this song. the music is so beautiful, and so are the words
It only took 2 months. Very interesting insights.
That first verse could be the wheat-kings from the first person point of view of David Millgard