hes reflecting on a pretty traumatic experience, i think, whether its a break up or otherwise, there's definitely an aspect of betrayal involved.
it sounds like at first, in the "cave", he had found a sort of dull comfort, "a dark that only left you when the night came crawling home". he says that this was a nice existence at first, until the betrayal, when the roof blew away. from here everything sprialled out of control, and it began to affect him more an more, tearing at his vulnerable soul. i take the "branch fell down and came to rest upon my broken legs, and to my surprise that bough began to grow" to mean that when he was at his lowest, and he just felt like nothing else cold go wrong, the one thing he thought would kill him (metaphorically at least), symbolised in the branch, actually led to a renewal of his hope and faith, that if he just reflected on this opportunity for rebirth, (the sunset and the sky the next day) he might find that he would recover and be strong again.
he goes on to say how the 'bough' became a part of him... this is what makes me think this song is essentially about a terrible break up, where he was betrayed, and then falling in love again... that feeling of someone becoming a part of you, or completing you in a relationship; "it grew right through me". i dont get the grass bit, though, anyone else? hmm, rabbits are traditionally a sign of virility and fertility, so i think the bit about the rabbit, and the way he refers to it as 'she' is a symbol of her helping him to gain his physical and sexual confidence back; she lived throughout my body; she came in through my heart "right between my ribs"... i cant speak for everyone, but when i first fell in love, and began to find that hope and faith in another person and their love, it was a spiritual love at first, a deep connection (associated with the heart) and then we began to share physical experiences as well, living right through eachother. i think the bird pecking at his chest is symbolic of some criticisms, perhaps, of their relationship, and josh telling us that he was still vulnerable despite the newfound love.
"now there's a hole in the ground where I used to lay down and I can't fill it in" is referring to the fact that he has been scarred by the betrayal, and he's scared that even this new love will be affected by that. he wants to let her know about this though, to show her whats going on on the "colouring pad", because she has changed him, made him a full person, not just an "impression" of himself." "yeah you could lay your body in the hollow where I used to be and you could fill me in" is reassuring her that she can do this for him.
again with the rebirth, love taking him over, and then to how he has been inextricably changed by her... i know this feeling so well and this line is really what attracts me to this song "and then the very next day I believed in something new well, what can I say?" thants just amazing, you dont know what to say, cos youve never experienced being changed like that before! its interesting how the rabbit and the bird swap places here, i think thats probably showing the difference as their relationship progresses and strengthens... initially, she loved him but the bird could still peck at him and expose some doubt. now, the bird is still pecking, but the doubt cant be exposed because he knows with every cell in his body that she loves him and that he loves her. he draws on that knowledge for strength.
he finishes off by saying that he hasnt changed physically, he's still a man as he always was, but he needs her to understand him, "i want to fill you in", hes almost pleaing with her to understand that he used to be broken, invaded by something other than himself (the animals symbolising the bitterness and doubt from his previous betrayal). he says that he can go back to being just a projection of himself, he knows how to do that, but he doesnt want that, he wants her to know and understand.
okay so thats my take, probably a bit wordy, and maybe very different to everyone elses... not really sure!!
hes reflecting on a pretty traumatic experience, i think, whether its a break up or otherwise, there's definitely an aspect of betrayal involved.
it sounds like at first, in the "cave", he had found a sort of dull comfort, "a dark that only left you when the night came crawling home". he says that this was a nice existence at first, until the betrayal, when the roof blew away. from here everything sprialled out of control, and it began to affect him more an more, tearing at his vulnerable soul. i take the "branch fell down and came to rest upon my broken legs, and to my surprise that bough began to grow" to mean that when he was at his lowest, and he just felt like nothing else cold go wrong, the one thing he thought would kill him (metaphorically at least), symbolised in the branch, actually led to a renewal of his hope and faith, that if he just reflected on this opportunity for rebirth, (the sunset and the sky the next day) he might find that he would recover and be strong again.
he goes on to say how the 'bough' became a part of him... this is what makes me think this song is essentially about a terrible break up, where he was betrayed, and then falling in love again... that feeling of someone becoming a part of you, or completing you in a relationship; "it grew right through me". i dont get the grass bit, though, anyone else? hmm, rabbits are traditionally a sign of virility and fertility, so i think the bit about the rabbit, and the way he refers to it as 'she' is a symbol of her helping him to gain his physical and sexual confidence back; she lived throughout my body; she came in through my heart "right between my ribs"... i cant speak for everyone, but when i first fell in love, and began to find that hope and faith in another person and their love, it was a spiritual love at first, a deep connection (associated with the heart) and then we began to share physical experiences as well, living right through eachother. i think the bird pecking at his chest is symbolic of some criticisms, perhaps, of their relationship, and josh telling us that he was still vulnerable despite the newfound love.
"now there's a hole in the ground where I used to lay down and I can't fill it in" is referring to the fact that he has been scarred by the betrayal, and he's scared that even this new love will be affected by that. he wants to let her know about this though, to show her whats going on on the "colouring pad", because she has changed him, made him a full person, not just an "impression" of himself." "yeah you could lay your body in the hollow where I used to be and you could fill me in" is reassuring her that she can do this for him.
again with the rebirth, love taking him over, and then to how he has been inextricably changed by her... i know this feeling so well and this line is really what attracts me to this song "and then the very next day I believed in something new well, what can I say?" thants just amazing, you dont know what to say, cos youve never experienced being changed like that before! its interesting how the rabbit and the bird swap places here, i think thats probably showing the difference as their relationship progresses and strengthens... initially, she loved him but the bird could still peck at him and expose some doubt. now, the bird is still pecking, but the doubt cant be exposed because he knows with every cell in his body that she loves him and that he loves her. he draws on that knowledge for strength.
he finishes off by saying that he hasnt changed physically, he's still a man as he always was, but he needs her to understand him, "i want to fill you in", hes almost pleaing with her to understand that he used to be broken, invaded by something other than himself (the animals symbolising the bitterness and doubt from his previous betrayal). he says that he can go back to being just a projection of himself, he knows how to do that, but he doesnt want that, he wants her to know and understand.
okay so thats my take, probably a bit wordy, and maybe very different to everyone elses... not really sure!!