As a person with social anxiety who thinks it's hard to go out in public, I can so relate to this song. It almost feel like this song was written for me! This is what I think of it:
"You're a porcelain doll that sits in a window. You hold your breath when people walk by."
I think it's pretty self-explanatory, but; this person she sings about spend a lot of time looking through the window. Seeing as the person holds his/hers breath when someone do pass by, it might seem as if he/she is trying to not be seen. The person just sits there without really having any dreams, any thoughts or anything else to do.
"Safely kept behind rose-colored glass, neatly tucked beneath the spotlight."
This makes it seem as if the person is fine with the situation he/she is in, especially with the words "safely" and "neatly" to describe it. People with anxiety will eventually be ok to be stuck in their homes all day, and will actually not want to go out at all.
"Waiting for someone to love..."
And this is something I am sure many people are experiencing, even the ones who aren't suffering from any social anxiety. "Normal" people might have trouble finding someone to love too, but people who simply don't leave their homes and/or like to talk to other people certainly are just waiting for someone to love.
"You're a Cheshire cat, you think a smile hides the rest. Ambiguity will always cover the facts; where do you come from, where do you go."
Being stuck in your home by your own fear isn't something you easily admit, and it is very tempting to make up lies instead. You might not necessarily lie, but not tell the whole truth either. (Hence the use of "ambiguity".)
"Must be lonely to be all alone."
There is absolutely no doubt that it is extremely lonely to be in a situation like that. This line is almost like a mockery. It's like someone pouring salt in an already painful wound. Kinda like a reminder that you are all alone.
"And when they come, they'll accept you just the way you are."
When that one person you have waited for, for so long actually comes along... They will love you and accept you with your flaws. It's like a promise that when you finally do meet that person, everything will be amazing.
"You'll swear under a moonlit sky about rocks in the sky, trees backed up by the sea, thin wild mercury."
This just builds up that amazing-ness that was promised in the previous line. It starts to get all fantasy-like (like someone else mentioned before me) before it gets interrupted by:
"Until then, you're waiting for someone to love."
The "until then" part is, again, almost like a mockery. Not necessarily a mockery meant in a cruel way, but just a frustrated mockery. Especially seeing as it interrupted the fantasy going on earlier.
As a person with social anxiety who thinks it's hard to go out in public, I can so relate to this song. It almost feel like this song was written for me! This is what I think of it:
"You're a porcelain doll that sits in a window. You hold your breath when people walk by."
"Safely kept behind rose-colored glass, neatly tucked beneath the spotlight."
"Waiting for someone to love..."
"You're a Cheshire cat, you think a smile hides the rest. Ambiguity will always cover the facts; where do you come from, where do you go."
"Must be lonely to be all alone."
"And when they come, they'll accept you just the way you are."
"You'll swear under a moonlit sky about rocks in the sky, trees backed up by the sea, thin wild mercury."
"Until then, you're waiting for someone to love."