Swallowtail Lyrics

Lyric discussion by Deadbread4 

Cover art for Swallowtail lyrics by Finger Eleven

"Let me in And let me go Tell me that I need to know"

Its about the end of a relationship; they've both been through a lot and he needs her to let him know how she feels/felt one last time and then be done with it.

"Swallow the key swallow the key You feel compelled but its far too late to try and tell me now So I'll try to suck it out Open mouth feels warm Secrets swollen so sore"

To "swallow the key" means to get rid of the desire for her to tell him so he has to find out himself; once he does, he gets those familiar feelings back but finds the words to be long overdue.

"We all know and we can't ask why You turned into an ugly butterfly That shape of you Closes in and forms a shade of grey Hanging over hanging me"

She has lost what made him love her and she has turned into something completely different now; he can't get her old self back and it has been haunting him since.

"Sorry you're gone The voices they left me thinking The words that I've forgotten now Try to come but can't come out"

He feels bad that the person he knew doesn't exist anymore and he's left wondering what could have been different or where their relationship started to slip. He comes up with what he should have/could have said but he can't tell her anymore.