perhaps the stripes represent a critical, b&w view on the world which leads often to depression
and the lines are either a cocaine reference or about the various relationships Ben was in
"the holes in your sleeve you told me to leave them alone" -->
the holes are difficulties in his life, troubles, problems, etc. that jamie wanted to help him solve; he shunned her away
"house of leaves"-->
i read this book. i will be honest, i considered suicide while reading it. it is an emotionally warping book.
"never read your mind"-->
she never understood him quite fully.
"instead of good morning, they tell you good night" -->
they are saying goodbye to Ben instead of hello, being as he is dead
"you hung yourself on the wall up above" -->
this is rather directly referencing the act of him hanging himself from the ceiling/
or it's indirectly referring to the way he set too high expectations for himself
"you don't love" -->
he never loved anyone fully.
either jamie is the one person he connected closest to or something else...still not sure but I got that general gist from the song.
"big ben" refers to how he committed suicide, such a small, selfish act; his name is Ben
she references him in her song "You'd rather run", as well:
"If we are to meet on Ludlow ever again, don't mention Ben"
suggesting there is a negative connotation
very very very sad but a masterpiece">
Big Ben Meanings & Lyrics Discussion by AlecsPen | SongMeanings
perhaps the stripes represent a critical, b&w view on the world which leads often to depression
and the lines are either a cocaine reference or about the various relationships Ben was in
"the holes in your sleeve you told me to leave them alone" -->
the holes are difficulties in his life, troubles, problems, etc. that jamie wanted to help him solve; he shunned her away
"house of leaves"-->
i read this book. i will be honest, i considered suicide while reading it. it is an emotionally warping book.
"never read your mind"-->
she never understood him quite fully.
"instead of good morning, they tell you good night" -->
they are saying goodbye to Ben instead of hello, being as he is dead
"you hung yourself on the wall up above" -->
this is rather directly referencing the act of him hanging himself from the ceiling/
or it's indirectly referring to the way he set too high expectations for himself
"you don't love" -->
he never loved anyone fully.
either jamie is the one person he connected closest to or something else...still not sure but I got that general gist from the song.
"big ben" refers to how he committed suicide, such a small, selfish act; his name is Ben
she references him in her song "You'd rather run", as well:
"If we are to meet on Ludlow ever again, don't mention Ben"
suggesting there is a negative connotation
very very very sad but a masterpiece" />
"the stripes you wore, the lines you get" -->
perhaps the stripes represent a critical, b&w view on the world which leads often to depression
and the lines are either a cocaine reference or about the various relationships Ben was in
"the holes in your sleeve you told me to leave them alone" -->
the holes are difficulties in his life, troubles, problems, etc. that jamie wanted to help him solve; he shunned her away
"house of leaves"-->
i read this book. i will be honest, i considered suicide while reading it. it is an emotionally warping book.
"never read your mind"-->
she never understood him quite fully.
"instead of good morning, they tell you good night" -->
they are saying goodbye to Ben instead of hello, being as he is dead
"you hung yourself on the wall up above" -->
this is rather directly referencing the act of him hanging himself from the ceiling/
or it's indirectly referring to the way he set too high expectations for himself
"you don't love" -->
he never loved anyone fully.
either jamie is the one person he connected closest to or something else...still not sure but I got that general gist from the song.
"big ben" refers to how he committed suicide, such a small, selfish act; his name is Ben
she references him in her song "You'd rather run", as well:
"If we are to meet on Ludlow ever again, don't mention Ben"
suggesting there is a negative connotation
i'll add that jamie is quite literary savvy coz she hoped to work in book publishing before pursuing singing, and one says "hanged" in reference to hanging a body instead of "hung" -- so that distorts it a little, but not so much. the song is very ambiguous when analyzed, but i think if taken as it is, the meaning is quite clear
i'll add that jamie is quite literary savvy coz she hoped to work in book publishing before pursuing singing, and one says "hanged" in reference to hanging a body instead of "hung" -- so that distorts it a little, but not so much. the song is very ambiguous when analyzed, but i think if taken as it is, the meaning is quite clear
maybe it's a metaphorical suicide..he kept making mistakes and destroyed everything good going for him, feels he's got nothing left to live for because he screwed up so bad..
maybe it's a metaphorical suicide..he kept making mistakes and destroyed everything good going for him, feels he's got nothing left to live for because he screwed up so bad..
"hung ..on the wall"..like a picture..in literature hangings on the wall mean an absence of someone, especially a portrait..he hung himself on the wall meaning that's all that's left of him..because he set his expectations too high for himself like you said, he essentially isn't there anymore..he's killed himself in the sense that everything he used to be is gone. the person she knew him as and as he knew...
"hung ..on the wall"..like a picture..in literature hangings on the wall mean an absence of someone, especially a portrait..he hung himself on the wall meaning that's all that's left of him..because he set his expectations too high for himself like you said, he essentially isn't there anymore..he's killed himself in the sense that everything he used to be is gone. the person she knew him as and as he knew himself as is gone.
and "where he used to live" isn't the place he used to live because the person he used to be, the world he lived in and knew it as, is different. he's changed.
the holes in his sleeve..i agree, but i think it's more like he shut everyone out and always kept to himself, never fully exposed himself to anyone, never wanted to feel vulnerable, never let himself completely feel. so he lived in his own little world and never let anyone get too close to him or his thoughts and feelings.
part of my interpretation is partial to it not being a suicide..and that reference to Ben in the other song is interesting, not sure what it means exactly..i just know that you’d rather run is probably my favorite.
it's about suicide.
"the stripes you wore, the lines you get" --> perhaps the stripes represent a critical, b&w view on the world which leads often to depression and the lines are either a cocaine reference or about the various relationships Ben was in
"the holes in your sleeve you told me to leave them alone" --> the holes are difficulties in his life, troubles, problems, etc. that jamie wanted to help him solve; he shunned her away
"house of leaves"--> i read this book. i will be honest, i considered suicide while reading it. it is an emotionally warping book.
"never read your mind"--> she never understood him quite fully.
"instead of good morning, they tell you good night" --> they are saying goodbye to Ben instead of hello, being as he is dead
"you hung yourself on the wall up above" --> this is rather directly referencing the act of him hanging himself from the ceiling/ or it's indirectly referring to the way he set too high expectations for himself
"you don't love" --> he never loved anyone fully.
either jamie is the one person he connected closest to or something else...still not sure but I got that general gist from the song.
"big ben" refers to how he committed suicide, such a small, selfish act; his name is Ben
she references him in her song "You'd rather run", as well: "If we are to meet on Ludlow ever again, don't mention Ben" suggesting there is a negative connotation
very very very sad but a masterpiece
i'll add that jamie is quite literary savvy coz she hoped to work in book publishing before pursuing singing, and one says "hanged" in reference to hanging a body instead of "hung" -- so that distorts it a little, but not so much. the song is very ambiguous when analyzed, but i think if taken as it is, the meaning is quite clear
i'll add that jamie is quite literary savvy coz she hoped to work in book publishing before pursuing singing, and one says "hanged" in reference to hanging a body instead of "hung" -- so that distorts it a little, but not so much. the song is very ambiguous when analyzed, but i think if taken as it is, the meaning is quite clear
maybe it's a metaphorical suicide..he kept making mistakes and destroyed everything good going for him, feels he's got nothing left to live for because he screwed up so bad..
maybe it's a metaphorical suicide..he kept making mistakes and destroyed everything good going for him, feels he's got nothing left to live for because he screwed up so bad..
"hung ..on the wall"..like a picture..in literature hangings on the wall mean an absence of someone, especially a portrait..he hung himself on the wall meaning that's all that's left of him..because he set his expectations too high for himself like you said, he essentially isn't there anymore..he's killed himself in the sense that everything he used to be is gone. the person she knew him as and as he knew...
"hung ..on the wall"..like a picture..in literature hangings on the wall mean an absence of someone, especially a portrait..he hung himself on the wall meaning that's all that's left of him..because he set his expectations too high for himself like you said, he essentially isn't there anymore..he's killed himself in the sense that everything he used to be is gone. the person she knew him as and as he knew himself as is gone.
and "where he used to live" isn't the place he used to live because the person he used to be, the world he lived in and knew it as, is different. he's changed.
the holes in his sleeve..i agree, but i think it's more like he shut everyone out and always kept to himself, never fully exposed himself to anyone, never wanted to feel vulnerable, never let himself completely feel. so he lived in his own little world and never let anyone get too close to him or his thoughts and feelings.
part of my interpretation is partial to it not being a suicide..and that reference to Ben in the other song is interesting, not sure what it means exactly..i just know that you’d rather run is probably my favorite.