Trouble Me Lyrics
Trouble me on the days when you feel spent.
Why let your shoulders bend underneath this burden when my back is sturdy and strong?
Trouble me.
there's no telling where it starts or how it ends.
Speak to me, why are you building this thick brick wall to defend me when your silence is my greatest fear?
Why let your shoulders bend underneath this burden when my back is sturdy and strong?
Speak to me.
Please don't hide them just because of tears.
Let me send you off to sleep with a "There, there, now stop your turning and tossing."
Let me know where the hurt is and how to heal.
Trouble me, disturb me with all your cares and you worries.
Speak to me and let our words build a shelter from the storm.
Lastly, let me know what I can mend.
There's more, honestly, than my sweet friend, you can see.
Trust is what I'm offering if you trouble me.
I think it is meant for a friend in general. It's about opening up about what bothers us most. It's about trusting a friend to be there for you when you need them the most. Basically, don't hold all your feelings in.. let me into your world and I will help you with your problems. What a great song...
@fuzzyspud Agreed. One can wonder where Natalie drew her inspiration for these lyrics, even while acknowledging that they were directed at the time to her ill father. I'm not the most religious person on the planet, in fact I have trouble with my faith, but have a look at a key biblical verse: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is...
@fuzzyspud Agreed. One can wonder where Natalie drew her inspiration for these lyrics, even while acknowledging that they were directed at the time to her ill father. I'm not the most religious person on the planet, in fact I have trouble with my faith, but have a look at a key biblical verse: “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28–30)
I've always felt that this was one of the most beautiful songs written by Natalie. It's so neatly tied together that some people might find it too 'perfect', but really, I think they'd just be jealous of the songwriting brilliance. As if tying the first three verses together into the fourth verse wasn't clever enough, she ends the song with what is the crux of all relationships -- trust.
I remember seeing Natalie Merchant interviewed somewhere, and she said this song was written for her father who was sick and in the hospital at the time. She is telling him to not hide his disease from her or to try and go it alone because he is trying to stay in the role of father and protector. She is telling him to Trouble her with all the things he is feeling, and to let her be his strength. It’s a beautiful song for her dad.
@chrisg19 -- Good recall. This is mentioned (with references) in a Wikipedia writeup about the song: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trouble_Me
@chrisg19 -- Good recall. This is mentioned (with references) in a Wikipedia writeup about the song: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trouble_Me
about a friend who's struggling with depression, maybe suicidal thoughts.
Beautiful song... About friendship in general.
I think it is a woman who is trying to get her partner to open up to her.
Oh River we love you more every day...no peace for the broken hearted...
I always wondered whether this song is adressed to a lover or to a child. On one hand, the song describe what I think of as being a true relationship - to speak, to open up your lover, to share with him your troubles. On the other, the line "Let me send you off to sleep with a 'there, there, now, stop your turning and tossing'" makes me think of a mother trying to get her child to speak to her, to share his trouble and worries with her.
I think it's addressed to an older person who's upset about something, but they don't want to talk about it for fear that it will upset the narrator. The narrator wants them to talk about it, though, because not talking about it is more troubling than any trouble that would result from talking about it. That was an awkward sentence.
Not to go into "gay mode" or anything here. But, I believe it starts off as a "friend committing suicide," or "thinking suicide" or whatever. Then it goes into an "adult-type 'maybe' marriage?" thing. After that it goes into a "Mother/Child" sorta direction. Then I think it's a "past tense" situation, where the "narrator" could be talking to either of the ^^"situations"^^ See?
That's MY take on this song. It is an absolutely beautiful song.