This song haunts me more then I can explain. I think mostly because to me it is unclear what happens to the other person. To me she either left him or something happened to her while she was out. Also who is she to him? Anyone have any ideas?
Due to the fact that she cooked him breakfast, and the note asked if the narrator needed anything, I feel like she had every intention of coming back. My assumption is that she was killed somehow.
Due to the fact that she cooked him breakfast, and the note asked if the narrator needed anything, I feel like she had every intention of coming back. My assumption is that she was killed somehow.
However, I do have to say that I find that sexist comments of "the kitchen is empty and the dishwater's cold" to be pretty humorous. But yeah, definitely a dark song.
However, I do have to say that I find that sexist comments of "the kitchen is empty and the dishwater's cold" to be pretty humorous. But yeah, definitely a dark song.
I think something happened to him. He had been breakfasted in bed and she said that when she came home she hoped he be there. I think he had a terminal illness and died while she was out. Now he's a ghost, existing as if alone in his life's last familiar place.
I think something happened to him. He had been breakfasted in bed and she said that when she came home she hoped he be there. I think he had a terminal illness and died while she was out. Now he's a ghost, existing as if alone in his life's last familiar place.
@ifitsthebeaches72410 I always interpreted this song as being about the tension in relationships. She hopes he'll be there, rather than leave while she's out. Maybe the relationship is failing - the narrator feels trapped by the house, maybe the house is the relationship.
And, to Tipple above, I've never thought of those lines as sexist, since they work equally if the narrator isn't male, and they're promptly followed and paralleled by the newspaper line, which has no gender connotation, IMO. I think they're more about, per my thoughts of relationship tension, how there's coldness where there should be warmth and...
@ifitsthebeaches72410 I always interpreted this song as being about the tension in relationships. She hopes he'll be there, rather than leave while she's out. Maybe the relationship is failing - the narrator feels trapped by the house, maybe the house is the relationship.
And, to Tipple above, I've never thought of those lines as sexist, since they work equally if the narrator isn't male, and they're promptly followed and paralleled by the newspaper line, which has no gender connotation, IMO. I think they're more about, per my thoughts of relationship tension, how there's coldness where there should be warmth and nourishment.
@ifitsthebeaches72410
To me this song has always spoken of a partner (or possibly a child or parent, I suppose) who was killed (probably in a car accident) while running what was supposed to be a simple errand "I'm going uptown; did you need anything?" on what was supposed to be a special day, like a birthday or anniversary. "She left me here with breakfast in bed."
On one hand, the lyrics could be taken as unfortunately stereotypical gender roles, but first -as mentioned already- the narrator may not be male; second, the relationship may not be partners at all; and third, the...
@ifitsthebeaches72410
To me this song has always spoken of a partner (or possibly a child or parent, I suppose) who was killed (probably in a car accident) while running what was supposed to be a simple errand "I'm going uptown; did you need anything?" on what was supposed to be a special day, like a birthday or anniversary. "She left me here with breakfast in bed."
On one hand, the lyrics could be taken as unfortunately stereotypical gender roles, but first -as mentioned already- the narrator may not be male; second, the relationship may not be partners at all; and third, the lyrics about the kitchen I have always interpreted as simply marking that her quick errand (for food probably) was never completed.
"Now the kitchen is empty, and the dishwater's cold." I imagine the narrator had begun the washing up and stopped midway through the task when they heard the news. "The newspaper on the table is three days old." It has been three days since her obituary was printed, and the narrator is still in shock.
"I've read every book on that living room shelf; I'm losing my mind in this god damn house." Staying in this place, where every sign of her is still fresh, where it still feels like she is supposed to be back any minute, is excruciating.
This song haunts me more then I can explain. I think mostly because to me it is unclear what happens to the other person. To me she either left him or something happened to her while she was out. Also who is she to him? Anyone have any ideas?
Due to the fact that she cooked him breakfast, and the note asked if the narrator needed anything, I feel like she had every intention of coming back. My assumption is that she was killed somehow.
Due to the fact that she cooked him breakfast, and the note asked if the narrator needed anything, I feel like she had every intention of coming back. My assumption is that she was killed somehow.
However, I do have to say that I find that sexist comments of "the kitchen is empty and the dishwater's cold" to be pretty humorous. But yeah, definitely a dark song.
However, I do have to say that I find that sexist comments of "the kitchen is empty and the dishwater's cold" to be pretty humorous. But yeah, definitely a dark song.
I think something happened to him. He had been breakfasted in bed and she said that when she came home she hoped he be there. I think he had a terminal illness and died while she was out. Now he's a ghost, existing as if alone in his life's last familiar place.
I think something happened to him. He had been breakfasted in bed and she said that when she came home she hoped he be there. I think he had a terminal illness and died while she was out. Now he's a ghost, existing as if alone in his life's last familiar place.
@ifitsthebeaches72410 I always interpreted this song as being about the tension in relationships. She hopes he'll be there, rather than leave while she's out. Maybe the relationship is failing - the narrator feels trapped by the house, maybe the house is the relationship. And, to Tipple above, I've never thought of those lines as sexist, since they work equally if the narrator isn't male, and they're promptly followed and paralleled by the newspaper line, which has no gender connotation, IMO. I think they're more about, per my thoughts of relationship tension, how there's coldness where there should be warmth and...
@ifitsthebeaches72410 I always interpreted this song as being about the tension in relationships. She hopes he'll be there, rather than leave while she's out. Maybe the relationship is failing - the narrator feels trapped by the house, maybe the house is the relationship. And, to Tipple above, I've never thought of those lines as sexist, since they work equally if the narrator isn't male, and they're promptly followed and paralleled by the newspaper line, which has no gender connotation, IMO. I think they're more about, per my thoughts of relationship tension, how there's coldness where there should be warmth and nourishment.
@ifitsthebeaches72410 To me this song has always spoken of a partner (or possibly a child or parent, I suppose) who was killed (probably in a car accident) while running what was supposed to be a simple errand "I'm going uptown; did you need anything?" on what was supposed to be a special day, like a birthday or anniversary. "She left me here with breakfast in bed." On one hand, the lyrics could be taken as unfortunately stereotypical gender roles, but first -as mentioned already- the narrator may not be male; second, the relationship may not be partners at all; and third, the...
@ifitsthebeaches72410 To me this song has always spoken of a partner (or possibly a child or parent, I suppose) who was killed (probably in a car accident) while running what was supposed to be a simple errand "I'm going uptown; did you need anything?" on what was supposed to be a special day, like a birthday or anniversary. "She left me here with breakfast in bed." On one hand, the lyrics could be taken as unfortunately stereotypical gender roles, but first -as mentioned already- the narrator may not be male; second, the relationship may not be partners at all; and third, the lyrics about the kitchen I have always interpreted as simply marking that her quick errand (for food probably) was never completed. "Now the kitchen is empty, and the dishwater's cold." I imagine the narrator had begun the washing up and stopped midway through the task when they heard the news. "The newspaper on the table is three days old." It has been three days since her obituary was printed, and the narrator is still in shock. "I've read every book on that living room shelf; I'm losing my mind in this god damn house." Staying in this place, where every sign of her is still fresh, where it still feels like she is supposed to be back any minute, is excruciating.