It didn't surprise me that the majority of the interpretations for this song were concerned with personal relationships. But it did surprise me that there really are no other insights into this song. Taking into account common themes of Mumford and Sons lyrics, I think the meaning is much more universal and significant...
This song is about struggling with sin, struggling to be a good person, struggling to live a Godly life. Let me explain through the lyrics...
I believe the song is a poem which can be applied to anyone, everything he explains is something we all experience in someway in our lives.
[There are several key errors in these lyrics, I have corrected them in brackets, corrected from the Babel album booklet.]
"Well, love was kind for a time
and now it just stays and it makes me blind"
This man has tried loving, but true and unselfish love has proven too hard. His failures have caused him to give up and finds it hard to love at all.
"This mirror holds my eyes too bright
[that] I can’t see the others in my life"
The mirror is a metaphor for his perception of himself, he (as many of us) can't see, hear, feel the people around him because of his preoccupation with serving himself.
"Were we too young, our heads too strong
to bear the weight of [these] lovers’ eyes"
Now, I believe 'lovers' eyes' is used as a romantic synonym for sin, wrong-doings etc. This lyric questions how God could expect us as humans to completely repent sin? How can we be expected to always do right and be selfless when it is in our nature to be selfish? This man is asking, are we not too weak as humans to overcome sin?
"‘Cause I feel numb beneath your tongue,
beneath the [curse] of these lovers’ eyes"
This man feels numb beneath the expectations of God to do good, he has tried and failed and struggles to see the point in trying to be good when he is destined to fail again.
"‘Cause there’s no drink or drug I’ve tried
to rend the curse of these lovers’ eyes"
He has found that is no physical cure to overcome our nature as humans to be selfish and sinful.
"But do not ask the [price] I paid
I must live with my quiet rage"
He is saying: don't ask me how many times I've tried and failed, too many to count... He now has to live with the frustrating memory of his failures.
"Tame the ghosts in my head
that run wild and wish me dead"
The 'ghosts in my head' is a metaophor the selfish, sinful nature of man which plagues him, like it plagues us all.
"Should you shake my ash to the wind
Lord, forget all of my sins"
'...shake my ash to the wind' becomes a metaphor for his potential death as a Godly man. He is saying: if I make it through this life and repent my sin, please, Lord, forgive me for what I have done wrong..
"[Or] let me die where I lie
beneath the curse of my lovers’ eyes"
In this lyric he is saying: if I don't make it to the end as good as I could have, or I give up now, just let me die here now, don't let it continue.
"[I'll] walk slow, [I'll] walk slow
take my hand, help me on my way"
This lyric turns the song around, much like it does musically. This is the man saying to God: I will try again, please help me, I won't be perfect but please help me on my way...
If you have read to the end of this, Thank You! I hope there are others out there that agree with me! I have listened to this song many times and I really believe this is the meaning of the song. Of course, other interpretations are valid but I find songs (by quality artists like Mumford and Sons) are very rarely just about personal relationships, it's usually the first layer to something much deeper.
This interpretation is, more than likely, extremely spot on to what Mumford really had it mind for the song. Of course Lyrics mean whatever they mean to each individual person but if you are strictly speaking about what the songwriter meant then this post is definitely on the right track.
This interpretation is, more than likely, extremely spot on to what Mumford really had it mind for the song. Of course Lyrics mean whatever they mean to each individual person but if you are strictly speaking about what the songwriter meant then this post is definitely on the right track.
Pretty much every single Mumford and Sons track has some religious influences and most of them are directly referring to religious themes - if people really paid attention to ALL of Mumford's song lyrics they could see that connection - also taking into account that in interviews and such it...
Pretty much every single Mumford and Sons track has some religious influences and most of them are directly referring to religious themes - if people really paid attention to ALL of Mumford's song lyrics they could see that connection - also taking into account that in interviews and such it is widely known that the band members are devout christians and want that to come out in their songs.
To be honest this song is one of the most cut and dry ones as far as it being about God the lyrics are clearly talking about God, Sin, and living up to the standards of a Godly life.
I Will Wait is also another clearly religious song as it is most definitely about Jesus.
I don't think it's about God. Sorry. Mumford and Sons have stated that they're not religious, they're spiritual. Mumford's parents both head the Vineyard churches in the UK and Ireland which to me suggests that had Mumford and Sons been referring to God in this song, they definitely wouldn't refer to God as 'lover' for obvious reasons :P I think they keep it vague to allow many people to be able to relate to the song.
I don't think it's about God. Sorry. Mumford and Sons have stated that they're not religious, they're spiritual. Mumford's parents both head the Vineyard churches in the UK and Ireland which to me suggests that had Mumford and Sons been referring to God in this song, they definitely wouldn't refer to God as 'lover' for obvious reasons :P I think they keep it vague to allow many people to be able to relate to the song.
there are many good insights here. I agree, it can't simply be about a relationship. the price to be paid for a relationship when we are young, I don't believe can have the sort of outcome described in the song. unless eithers lives were drastically changed for the worst, but then the song could be taken literally. but its a great way for him to express what he wants--a relationship is somewhere we have all made mistakes. when we are young, we think we know better, but we never actually do.
there are many good insights here. I agree, it can't simply be about a relationship. the price to be paid for a relationship when we are young, I don't believe can have the sort of outcome described in the song. unless eithers lives were drastically changed for the worst, but then the song could be taken literally. but its a great way for him to express what he wants--a relationship is somewhere we have all made mistakes. when we are young, we think we know better, but we never actually do.
It didn't surprise me that the majority of the interpretations for this song were concerned with personal relationships. But it did surprise me that there really are no other insights into this song. Taking into account common themes of Mumford and Sons lyrics, I think the meaning is much more universal and significant...
This song is about struggling with sin, struggling to be a good person, struggling to live a Godly life. Let me explain through the lyrics...
I believe the song is a poem which can be applied to anyone, everything he explains is something we all experience in someway in our lives.
[There are several key errors in these lyrics, I have corrected them in brackets, corrected from the Babel album booklet.]
"Well, love was kind for a time and now it just stays and it makes me blind"
This man has tried loving, but true and unselfish love has proven too hard. His failures have caused him to give up and finds it hard to love at all.
"This mirror holds my eyes too bright [that] I can’t see the others in my life"
The mirror is a metaphor for his perception of himself, he (as many of us) can't see, hear, feel the people around him because of his preoccupation with serving himself.
"Were we too young, our heads too strong to bear the weight of [these] lovers’ eyes"
Now, I believe 'lovers' eyes' is used as a romantic synonym for sin, wrong-doings etc. This lyric questions how God could expect us as humans to completely repent sin? How can we be expected to always do right and be selfless when it is in our nature to be selfish? This man is asking, are we not too weak as humans to overcome sin?
"‘Cause I feel numb beneath your tongue, beneath the [curse] of these lovers’ eyes"
This man feels numb beneath the expectations of God to do good, he has tried and failed and struggles to see the point in trying to be good when he is destined to fail again.
"‘Cause there’s no drink or drug I’ve tried to rend the curse of these lovers’ eyes"
He has found that is no physical cure to overcome our nature as humans to be selfish and sinful.
"But do not ask the [price] I paid I must live with my quiet rage"
He is saying: don't ask me how many times I've tried and failed, too many to count... He now has to live with the frustrating memory of his failures.
"Tame the ghosts in my head that run wild and wish me dead"
The 'ghosts in my head' is a metaophor the selfish, sinful nature of man which plagues him, like it plagues us all.
"Should you shake my ash to the wind Lord, forget all of my sins"
'...shake my ash to the wind' becomes a metaphor for his potential death as a Godly man. He is saying: if I make it through this life and repent my sin, please, Lord, forgive me for what I have done wrong..
"[Or] let me die where I lie beneath the curse of my lovers’ eyes"
In this lyric he is saying: if I don't make it to the end as good as I could have, or I give up now, just let me die here now, don't let it continue.
"[I'll] walk slow, [I'll] walk slow take my hand, help me on my way"
This lyric turns the song around, much like it does musically. This is the man saying to God: I will try again, please help me, I won't be perfect but please help me on my way...
If you have read to the end of this, Thank You! I hope there are others out there that agree with me! I have listened to this song many times and I really believe this is the meaning of the song. Of course, other interpretations are valid but I find songs (by quality artists like Mumford and Sons) are very rarely just about personal relationships, it's usually the first layer to something much deeper.
Your interpretation brought me to tears. That "walk slow" part came on just as I was reading "I will try again." Bravo, my friend.
Your interpretation brought me to tears. That "walk slow" part came on just as I was reading "I will try again." Bravo, my friend.
I actually agree with you 100%. nice job
I actually agree with you 100%. nice job
This interpretation is, more than likely, extremely spot on to what Mumford really had it mind for the song. Of course Lyrics mean whatever they mean to each individual person but if you are strictly speaking about what the songwriter meant then this post is definitely on the right track.
This interpretation is, more than likely, extremely spot on to what Mumford really had it mind for the song. Of course Lyrics mean whatever they mean to each individual person but if you are strictly speaking about what the songwriter meant then this post is definitely on the right track.
Pretty much every single Mumford and Sons track has some religious influences and most of them are directly referring to religious themes - if people really paid attention to ALL of Mumford's song lyrics they could see that connection - also taking into account that in interviews and such it...
Pretty much every single Mumford and Sons track has some religious influences and most of them are directly referring to religious themes - if people really paid attention to ALL of Mumford's song lyrics they could see that connection - also taking into account that in interviews and such it is widely known that the band members are devout christians and want that to come out in their songs.
To be honest this song is one of the most cut and dry ones as far as it being about God the lyrics are clearly talking about God, Sin, and living up to the standards of a Godly life.
I Will Wait is also another clearly religious song as it is most definitely about Jesus.
I don't think it's about God. Sorry. Mumford and Sons have stated that they're not religious, they're spiritual. Mumford's parents both head the Vineyard churches in the UK and Ireland which to me suggests that had Mumford and Sons been referring to God in this song, they definitely wouldn't refer to God as 'lover' for obvious reasons :P I think they keep it vague to allow many people to be able to relate to the song.
I don't think it's about God. Sorry. Mumford and Sons have stated that they're not religious, they're spiritual. Mumford's parents both head the Vineyard churches in the UK and Ireland which to me suggests that had Mumford and Sons been referring to God in this song, they definitely wouldn't refer to God as 'lover' for obvious reasons :P I think they keep it vague to allow many people to be able to relate to the song.
there are many good insights here. I agree, it can't simply be about a relationship. the price to be paid for a relationship when we are young, I don't believe can have the sort of outcome described in the song. unless eithers lives were drastically changed for the worst, but then the song could be taken literally. but its a great way for him to express what he wants--a relationship is somewhere we have all made mistakes. when we are young, we think we know better, but we never actually do.
there are many good insights here. I agree, it can't simply be about a relationship. the price to be paid for a relationship when we are young, I don't believe can have the sort of outcome described in the song. unless eithers lives were drastically changed for the worst, but then the song could be taken literally. but its a great way for him to express what he wants--a relationship is somewhere we have all made mistakes. when we are young, we think we know better, but we never actually do.