wow, I'm surprised noone has tried to interpret this song.
The way I see it, it's a duaghter speaking about her father raping her, and in this she gets pregnant with his child. surprisingly, she attempts to forgive him and raise the child.
The lyrics pinpoint it, if you think of them in that way.
"I remember a far away laugh a sweet caresse you'd help me zip up my dress.
& I remember your arms wrapped around my neck twenty one shells wrapped in a nest.
Endlessness. Didn't last. "
This represents the time before the rape, where everything was sweet and the father played the position of a father.
I also think that it foreshadows the rape, with him zipping up her dress, I think it could be where he starts to feel lust for her.
"I remember no place for me to hide. Before you came home at night.
& I remember you turnin' out the lights all i ever saw was the red in your eyes.
No big surprise. Happened nearly every night your own flesh & blood.
I did wonder why."
this is what pins it the most, especially "your own flesh and blood"
"I remember not knowing what to say & how calm you had remained your child still born with no name. "
this is where the birth of the child comes into play,
she keeps it a secret who the father is because she doesnt want to reveal that it is her own father, which is why the baby has no name.
he didnt know what to say because he didnt expect a pregnancy to come from his actions, and he had to remain somewhat calm about the whole thing, so he doesnt reveal that it was him.
"I remember the never ending summer rain."
this just sets the scene, the baby was obviously born in summer, and it would only apply that it always was raining becuase of the discomfort and awkwardness the family must of felt.
"Please don't let what was get in the way of whats next.
Don't forget that whats to come hasn't come yet."
this is where the forgiving from the daughter comes in, she still wants her father in her life (which is a shock to me, and is also why i think it is set in earlier times, where respect for your parents was still very big in play)
I agree with your interpretation completely except about the last lines. I think your interpretation could be right, but I have another idea. The last lines could be a shift from the perspective of the daughter to the perspective of the singer, perhaps giving lines of encouragement to not give up on life.
I agree with your interpretation completely except about the last lines. I think your interpretation could be right, but I have another idea. The last lines could be a shift from the perspective of the daughter to the perspective of the singer, perhaps giving lines of encouragement to not give up on life.
wow, I'm surprised noone has tried to interpret this song.
The way I see it, it's a duaghter speaking about her father raping her, and in this she gets pregnant with his child. surprisingly, she attempts to forgive him and raise the child. The lyrics pinpoint it, if you think of them in that way.
"I remember a far away laugh a sweet caresse you'd help me zip up my dress. & I remember your arms wrapped around my neck twenty one shells wrapped in a nest. Endlessness. Didn't last. " This represents the time before the rape, where everything was sweet and the father played the position of a father. I also think that it foreshadows the rape, with him zipping up her dress, I think it could be where he starts to feel lust for her.
"I remember no place for me to hide. Before you came home at night. & I remember you turnin' out the lights all i ever saw was the red in your eyes. No big surprise. Happened nearly every night your own flesh & blood. I did wonder why." this is what pins it the most, especially "your own flesh and blood"
"I remember not knowing what to say & how calm you had remained your child still born with no name. " this is where the birth of the child comes into play, she keeps it a secret who the father is because she doesnt want to reveal that it is her own father, which is why the baby has no name. he didnt know what to say because he didnt expect a pregnancy to come from his actions, and he had to remain somewhat calm about the whole thing, so he doesnt reveal that it was him. "I remember the never ending summer rain." this just sets the scene, the baby was obviously born in summer, and it would only apply that it always was raining becuase of the discomfort and awkwardness the family must of felt.
"Please don't let what was get in the way of whats next. Don't forget that whats to come hasn't come yet." this is where the forgiving from the daughter comes in, she still wants her father in her life (which is a shock to me, and is also why i think it is set in earlier times, where respect for your parents was still very big in play)
I agree with your interpretation completely except about the last lines. I think your interpretation could be right, but I have another idea. The last lines could be a shift from the perspective of the daughter to the perspective of the singer, perhaps giving lines of encouragement to not give up on life.
I agree with your interpretation completely except about the last lines. I think your interpretation could be right, but I have another idea. The last lines could be a shift from the perspective of the daughter to the perspective of the singer, perhaps giving lines of encouragement to not give up on life.
It's such a sad song.
It's such a sad song.