I know a lot of songs aren't meant to be taken literally but I'm suprised everyone seems to be taking the animals figuratively. I think it quite literally means that his ex left probably a few days ago & she is still in the process of getting all of her stuff out of the place & she finally took their pets home last night. Now she is gone and all her stuff is gone and the last sign of life besides himself--the animals---are gone and he feels so freaking alone in his house & nothing feels right. When someone breaks up with you, (especially a long relationship like this one) & you still want to be with them, it takes so long for it to sink in that you are not together & you're not going to win them back. The chorus alone is just such a brilliant way to express all that, don't get me started on the verses....to dream about someone each night & then wake up & know that they may never, ever, in your whole life be next to you again is the worst feeling EVER. God, this is the most intense song ever created.
I know a lot of songs aren't meant to be taken literally but I'm suprised everyone seems to be taking the animals figuratively. I think it quite literally means that his ex left probably a few days ago & she is still in the process of getting all of her stuff out of the place & she finally took their pets home last night. Now she is gone and all her stuff is gone and the last sign of life besides himself--the animals---are gone and he feels so freaking alone in his house & nothing feels right. When someone breaks up with you, (especially a long relationship like this one) & you still want to be with them, it takes so long for it to sink in that you are not together & you're not going to win them back. The chorus alone is just such a brilliant way to express all that, don't get me started on the verses....to dream about someone each night & then wake up & know that they may never, ever, in your whole life be next to you again is the worst feeling EVER. God, this is the most intense song ever created.