I interpreted this song to be about both the narrator’s lost loves and how it always ends with him being alone and miserable.
The first part (“Walked into our world and made horrible sounds/I can still hear them today/(Though lately they seem) Beautiful now/Though they outlast my love”) is talking about how he has grown used to heartache. Loneliness “walked into” his world and “made horrible sounds” (he felt agony). And though he still remembers those days (“can still hear them today”), the pain has ceased (“they seem beautiful now”) because he’s come to expect it (“[it] outlast[s] my love”).
Next part, which is “Still each time I always meant/Every word, every one/Though in time they finally bent/Every word, every one, every word” refers to how his past relationships have always disintegrated over time. He implies that his sincere ‘words’ (presumably the words “I love you”) are bent by his girlfriend, thus meaning that the girl is usually, if not always, the one who breaks up with him despite his claims of love.
The chorus (“I will wait for”, she said, “Endlessly.”/ “I will wait for you,” so spoke, Misery) is a clear allusion and play on words of the saying “Misery loves company”. He is personifying misery into a person, to show how he has realized that he at least misery will love him endlessly. Also, by having Misery say “I will wait for you”, it gives an impression of futility–implying that no matter how hard he may try to make a relationship work, it never will.
The next verses (“I returned to you but found/My empty home/The radio told me to stay/(As it burned down)/I sang alone/You will outlast, my love”). Here, the narrator attempts to enter another relationship (“I returned to you”), only to be left again by his partner (“but found/My empty home”). The radio, which symbolizes singing and words in general, keeps him from complete depression or possibly suicide (“The radio told me to stay”) as the crushing realization that he’s been dumped again sets in (“As [my house] burned down”). During this, he relies heavily on singing and writing to keep him from depression/death caused by his runaway love (“I sang alone/[these words] will outlast my love”).
In the next new verses, it is spoken from Misery’s perspective who says: “I have been waiting for you/Biting as you taught me to/I have come to relieve you/Of life and love.” Once again, Misery is waiting for him to realize that only she (Misery) will love him unconditionally. She (Misery) ‘bites’ him to relieve/replace the pain of his broken heart. Here, Misery states how she can relieve all of his agony and pain if he is willing to give up life (in other words die). During the repeated lines of “I will wait for you”, Davey is still speaking as Misery, who seems to be trying to persuade the heartbroken man to end the pain by submitting to death and being miserable (or with Misery) forever.
The final verses, it is once again spoken from Misery’s perspective (which implies that the man has finally resolved to give himself to Misery and death). Here, misery continues to bite (relieve him of his pain), as she patiently wait for him. The bite here may also be referring to the saying “bite the bullet”, since it was earlier implied that he is about to die. And that’s it. =]
This song is an absolute work of art, if not poetry, and it depresses me that many A.F.I. fans don’t fully appreciate the beauty of the lyrics. Whereas most of A.F.I.’s songs talk about contemplations of suicide (Miss Murder, Love Like Winter, Summer Shudder), this song explains an story of heartache while wittily playing off the idea of “Misery loves company”. My interpretation of this song is purely of my own sound mind with absolutely no other influences, so I do not know if this is /actually/ what Davey meant while writing the song. Either way, I hope I at least helped someone understand this beautiful song a little bit and feel free to ask me any questions you may have about my analysis or the song itself. =]
I interpreted this song to be about both the narrator’s lost loves and how it always ends with him being alone and miserable.
The first part (“Walked into our world and made horrible sounds/I can still hear them today/(Though lately they seem) Beautiful now/Though they outlast my love”) is talking about how he has grown used to heartache. Loneliness “walked into” his world and “made horrible sounds” (he felt agony). And though he still remembers those days (“can still hear them today”), the pain has ceased (“they seem beautiful now”) because he’s come to expect it (“[it] outlast[s] my love”).
Next part, which is “Still each time I always meant/Every word, every one/Though in time they finally bent/Every word, every one, every word” refers to how his past relationships have always disintegrated over time. He implies that his sincere ‘words’ (presumably the words “I love you”) are bent by his girlfriend, thus meaning that the girl is usually, if not always, the one who breaks up with him despite his claims of love.
The chorus (“I will wait for”, she said, “Endlessly.”/ “I will wait for you,” so spoke, Misery) is a clear allusion and play on words of the saying “Misery loves company”. He is personifying misery into a person, to show how he has realized that he at least misery will love him endlessly. Also, by having Misery say “I will wait for you”, it gives an impression of futility–implying that no matter how hard he may try to make a relationship work, it never will.
The next verses (“I returned to you but found/My empty home/The radio told me to stay/(As it burned down)/I sang alone/You will outlast, my love”). Here, the narrator attempts to enter another relationship (“I returned to you”), only to be left again by his partner (“but found/My empty home”). The radio, which symbolizes singing and words in general, keeps him from complete depression or possibly suicide (“The radio told me to stay”) as the crushing realization that he’s been dumped again sets in (“As [my house] burned down”). During this, he relies heavily on singing and writing to keep him from depression/death caused by his runaway love (“I sang alone/[these words] will outlast my love”).
In the next new verses, it is spoken from Misery’s perspective who says: “I have been waiting for you/Biting as you taught me to/I have come to relieve you/Of life and love.” Once again, Misery is waiting for him to realize that only she (Misery) will love him unconditionally. She (Misery) ‘bites’ him to relieve/replace the pain of his broken heart. Here, Misery states how she can relieve all of his agony and pain if he is willing to give up life (in other words die). During the repeated lines of “I will wait for you”, Davey is still speaking as Misery, who seems to be trying to persuade the heartbroken man to end the pain by submitting to death and being miserable (or with Misery) forever.
The final verses, it is once again spoken from Misery’s perspective (which implies that the man has finally resolved to give himself to Misery and death). Here, misery continues to bite (relieve him of his pain), as she patiently wait for him. The bite here may also be referring to the saying “bite the bullet”, since it was earlier implied that he is about to die. And that’s it. =]
This song is an absolute work of art, if not poetry, and it depresses me that many A.F.I. fans don’t fully appreciate the beauty of the lyrics. Whereas most of A.F.I.’s songs talk about contemplations of suicide (Miss Murder, Love Like Winter, Summer Shudder), this song explains an story of heartache while wittily playing off the idea of “Misery loves company”. My interpretation of this song is purely of my own sound mind with absolutely no other influences, so I do not know if this is /actually/ what Davey meant while writing the song. Either way, I hope I at least helped someone understand this beautiful song a little bit and feel free to ask me any questions you may have about my analysis or the song itself. =]
Thats an awesome interpretation
Thats an awesome interpretation