I'd like to say I can't believe nobody's commented on this yet, but in fact I can believe it. Too bad, I love this song. The meaning seems obvious:she's telling her lover to go and do something good with his life, rather than stay in the bad place(whether an actual town or something emotional to do with their families) they are in now. But, I have another take on it: her lover is going to kill himself to get away. Sounds far fetched, but consider this:
She sees him standing on a high ledge overlooking water and forests-"go honey go Into the ocean" and "In the woods or in the ice and snow"
all the lines about the town-exactly like they sound.
"you can hide away for when everything goes wrong"-if he's dead he won't be there the next time things get worse
"You've really nowhere else to go"-she knows he doesn't have any family or friends anywhere else and their lives are mess where they are.
I think the night before she told him to leave their messed up lives and he said he doesn't have anywhere to go. The next day she follows him along a trail to find him standing at the edge of the ridge over beautiful scenery. She knows what he is about to do and wants to stop him, but then remembers the night before, thinks, and realizes he will be happier if he does it. She is now begging him silently to go into the unknown(death/the afterlife) because things won't get better where they are.
I'd like to say I can't believe nobody's commented on this yet, but in fact I can believe it. Too bad, I love this song. The meaning seems obvious:she's telling her lover to go and do something good with his life, rather than stay in the bad place(whether an actual town or something emotional to do with their families) they are in now. But, I have another take on it: her lover is going to kill himself to get away. Sounds far fetched, but consider this: She sees him standing on a high ledge overlooking water and forests-"go honey go Into the ocean" and "In the woods or in the ice and snow" all the lines about the town-exactly like they sound. "you can hide away for when everything goes wrong"-if he's dead he won't be there the next time things get worse "You've really nowhere else to go"-she knows he doesn't have any family or friends anywhere else and their lives are mess where they are. I think the night before she told him to leave their messed up lives and he said he doesn't have anywhere to go. The next day she follows him along a trail to find him standing at the edge of the ridge over beautiful scenery. She knows what he is about to do and wants to stop him, but then remembers the night before, thinks, and realizes he will be happier if he does it. She is now begging him silently to go into the unknown(death/the afterlife) because things won't get better where they are.