Wow, interesting to see everyone's different interpretations of this song. Personally, I've always thought that this song is about taking care of a family member with alzheimers or a like illness, which is quite a depressing interpretation. Probably in no small part because of my interpretation, I think it's one of the saddest songs I've ever heard. :(
I cut your nails and comb your hair
I carry you down the stairs
I wanted to see right through from the other side
I wanted to walk a trail with no end in sight
(The singer has some kind of care responsibility to the person in question, they want to connect with them and 'I wanted to walk a trail with no end in sight' refers to them not wanting to die or think about death.)
The moment we believe that we have never met
Another kind of love it's easy to forget
When we are all alone then we do both agree
We have a thing in common this was meant to be
(They feel unfamiliar to one another, but they have something in common. I think that they seem unfamiliar because the person who is being taken care of has alzheimers, they thing they have in common is a family bond and so they are meant to take care of them, although the bond of love they once had has been forgotten by one or both of them.)
You close my eyes and soothe my ears
You heal my wounds and dry my tears
On the inside of this marble house I grow
And the seeds I sow will grow up prisoners too
(From the perspective of the person being taken care of, they feel trapped in their body and fear that their children will feel trapped in theirs too. I think these lines are sort of suggesting that all human bodies are prisons.)
The moment we believe that we have never met
Another kind of love it's easy to forget
When we are all alone then we do both agree
We have a thing in common this was meant to be
(Same as above.)
Now where's your shoulder
What is it's name
What's your scent
Say it again
(Confusion on the part of the person being taken care of, not sure who is taking care of them.)
If it goes faster can you still follow me
It must be safe when it's on TV
(Not sure, perhaps they're just having a conversation while watching TV?)
I raise my hands to heaven of curiosity
I don't know what to ask for
What has it got for me?
(The singer doesn't believe in a Judeo-Christian afterlife.)
The others say we're hiding
It's as forward as can be
Some things I do for money
Some things I do for free
(I think the last two lines are about the fact that caring responsibilities are work that is done for free usually, although people can also be paid to do them. A lot of women are employed in caring professions as well as having caring responsibilities at home, so the things they do for money and for free can be quite similar.)
Also: I didn't see the second page of replies before I posted this so I missed duckfeather's post, kind of glad to see I'm not the only one to come to this rather depressing interpretation.
Also: I didn't see the second page of replies before I posted this so I missed duckfeather's post, kind of glad to see I'm not the only one to come to this rather depressing interpretation.
wow. ive been in that sort of situation (i was age 15-20) and i understand those feelings. i originally had thought it was about marriage, as well, but just as an unhappy one where both people secretly want out of it. i really enjoy your interpretation though, it rings true for me.
wow. ive been in that sort of situation (i was age 15-20) and i understand those feelings. i originally had thought it was about marriage, as well, but just as an unhappy one where both people secretly want out of it. i really enjoy your interpretation though, it rings true for me.
Wow, interesting to see everyone's different interpretations of this song. Personally, I've always thought that this song is about taking care of a family member with alzheimers or a like illness, which is quite a depressing interpretation. Probably in no small part because of my interpretation, I think it's one of the saddest songs I've ever heard. :(
I cut your nails and comb your hair I carry you down the stairs I wanted to see right through from the other side I wanted to walk a trail with no end in sight
(The singer has some kind of care responsibility to the person in question, they want to connect with them and 'I wanted to walk a trail with no end in sight' refers to them not wanting to die or think about death.)
The moment we believe that we have never met Another kind of love it's easy to forget When we are all alone then we do both agree We have a thing in common this was meant to be
(They feel unfamiliar to one another, but they have something in common. I think that they seem unfamiliar because the person who is being taken care of has alzheimers, they thing they have in common is a family bond and so they are meant to take care of them, although the bond of love they once had has been forgotten by one or both of them.)
You close my eyes and soothe my ears You heal my wounds and dry my tears On the inside of this marble house I grow And the seeds I sow will grow up prisoners too
(From the perspective of the person being taken care of, they feel trapped in their body and fear that their children will feel trapped in theirs too. I think these lines are sort of suggesting that all human bodies are prisons.)
The moment we believe that we have never met Another kind of love it's easy to forget When we are all alone then we do both agree We have a thing in common this was meant to be
(Same as above.)
Now where's your shoulder What is it's name What's your scent Say it again
(Confusion on the part of the person being taken care of, not sure who is taking care of them.)
If it goes faster can you still follow me It must be safe when it's on TV
(Not sure, perhaps they're just having a conversation while watching TV?)
I raise my hands to heaven of curiosity I don't know what to ask for What has it got for me?
(The singer doesn't believe in a Judeo-Christian afterlife.)
The others say we're hiding It's as forward as can be Some things I do for money Some things I do for free
(I think the last two lines are about the fact that caring responsibilities are work that is done for free usually, although people can also be paid to do them. A lot of women are employed in caring professions as well as having caring responsibilities at home, so the things they do for money and for free can be quite similar.)
Also: I didn't see the second page of replies before I posted this so I missed duckfeather's post, kind of glad to see I'm not the only one to come to this rather depressing interpretation.
Also: I didn't see the second page of replies before I posted this so I missed duckfeather's post, kind of glad to see I'm not the only one to come to this rather depressing interpretation.
wow. ive been in that sort of situation (i was age 15-20) and i understand those feelings. i originally had thought it was about marriage, as well, but just as an unhappy one where both people secretly want out of it. i really enjoy your interpretation though, it rings true for me.
wow. ive been in that sort of situation (i was age 15-20) and i understand those feelings. i originally had thought it was about marriage, as well, but just as an unhappy one where both people secretly want out of it. i really enjoy your interpretation though, it rings true for me.