It's definitely a relationship piece, but I'm not certain that the "special death" is necessarily an orgasm (after all, the French term translates as "little death," not special). Something's gone wrong with the relationship and now all that's left is the "special death" -- a metaphorical death, or the death of the relationship. If you are really interested in Mirah's use of the term "special death" you ought to check out her song by that name (and on the same album--Advisory Committee). In my opinion, the "special death" is like being dead to the person you once loved, and/or having that person be sort of dead to you. The entire album built of interconnecting themes such as this.
Three years later, Mirah gives us the counter to these songs with the album "C'mon Miracle" in which she has songs such as "Don't Die In Me" and "You've Gone Away Enough."
Also: I understood the ending lyrics to be (with my emphasis added):
You were hotter to me than the sunthat burned me up the day we went to Mount St. Helens,
and if this special death you gave to me is the prize I get to take home
solemnly then suffer with the thought that I could never be your friend,
I could never come back home again.
(but it could be "silently" not "solemnly" now that I consider it)
It's definitely a relationship piece, but I'm not certain that the "special death" is necessarily an orgasm (after all, the French term translates as "little death," not special). Something's gone wrong with the relationship and now all that's left is the "special death" -- a metaphorical death, or the death of the relationship. If you are really interested in Mirah's use of the term "special death" you ought to check out her song by that name (and on the same album--Advisory Committee). In my opinion, the "special death" is like being dead to the person you once loved, and/or having that person be sort of dead to you. The entire album built of interconnecting themes such as this.
Three years later, Mirah gives us the counter to these songs with the album "C'mon Miracle" in which she has songs such as "Don't Die In Me" and "You've Gone Away Enough."
Also: I understood the ending lyrics to be (with my emphasis added):
You were hotter to me than the sun that burned me up the day we went to Mount St. Helens, and if this special death you gave to me is the prize I get to take home solemnly then suffer with the thought that I could never be your friend, I could never come back home again.
(but it could be "silently" not "solemnly" now that I consider it)