I always think of this song as a companion to 'Into White'; I interpret those lyrics as being about someone experiencing death, whereas I think 'Lilywhite' is more about thinking about someone who has died whilst knowing that it is a road we will all take in the future, and when that time comes then we will again see the people we have loved and lost.
"Back up on the mended road, I pause, taking time to check the dial"
I view 'the mended road' as being a metaphor for the way we have to go on with our lives after someone has died; the path can never be new and whole, only pieced back together and mended. It could be said that we 'check the dial' of our own lives after someone has died, we take stock.
"I never knew her name but she'll be passing my way sometime again."
We can never truly know another person but when we die then the people who died before us will 'pass our way again' and we will know them in a different way.
I always think of this song as a companion to 'Into White'; I interpret those lyrics as being about someone experiencing death, whereas I think 'Lilywhite' is more about thinking about someone who has died whilst knowing that it is a road we will all take in the future, and when that time comes then we will again see the people we have loved and lost.
"Back up on the mended road, I pause, taking time to check the dial" I view 'the mended road' as being a metaphor for the way we have to go on with our lives after someone has died; the path can never be new and whole, only pieced back together and mended. It could be said that we 'check the dial' of our own lives after someone has died, we take stock.
"I never knew her name but she'll be passing my way sometime again." We can never truly know another person but when we die then the people who died before us will 'pass our way again' and we will know them in a different way.
@misco interesting. Ricky Gervaise used the song in a recent Netflix production called ‘After Life’. Really good series to watch.
@misco interesting. Ricky Gervaise used the song in a recent Netflix production called ‘After Life’. Really good series to watch.