I disagree that the song is about trying to get someone's attention and failing. Mascis seems to have a well established relationship with the person in question already. Instead, I think it's more about the other party being unintentionally distant in a way that's damaging the relationship, but neither knows what to do about it -- precisely because of the distance she has put between herself and Mascis, and the disconnect she has from her own mind.
Ultimately, the song boils down to the masterful lines:
"I ring the doorbell in your mind, but it's locked from the outside / you don't live there anyway, but I knock on it all day."
The literal meaning here is that the woman is not present in her mind -- maybe she has trouble keeping herself rooted in reality or partakes in escapism of whatever form, or perhaps she is just numb to her emotions. In any case, when Mascis rings the doorbell, there is no one there to answer the door -- he tries to get in touch with her emotional, thoughtful, visceral side and it just isn't there. In turn, Mascis can't accept his own reality. He continues to try, knowing that she will never "answer." This type of dedication generally stems from the devastation of someone who used to seem present now being mentally gone.
Mascis begins the song by referencing mental illness. Whether he is referring to a clinical disorder or the colloquial "nuts" hardly seems relevant; the fact is, these two people are incapable of helping each other. Not only do they not know what type of help to provide for each other, but they are uncertain what sort of help the other person could provide for them. Mascis may sometimes ring the doorbell because he wants to help, but he already knows his shortcomings -- he's too unstable himself to even provide anything of value. In that sense, he's just as out of sync with reality as she is, and maybe so focused on her that he can't focus on his own life. Everything seems to revolve around her. Most notably, the place Mascis wants to "go" is where she is going to be, which he references twice:
"There's a place I go but you're not there and I'm supposed to know / how to get to where you'regonna be but you don't even know"
and
"There's a place I'd like to go / when you get there then I'll know"
Obviously, he wants to be where she is, or at least where she's going. Unfortunately, not even she knows where that is. How can she, when she doesn't even seem aware of her current reality? Mascis mentions that she is "sailing without a course in mind" -- she is not thinking about where to go in terms of her life or mental state, nor is she planning any "routes." She is simply existing, bouncing from one thing to another. Mascis, on the other hand, already has somewhere he "goes" -- but he's ready to sacrifice it because it's not where she is.
I think, in the end, Mascis feels simultaneously hopeful and hopeless, and devastatingly confused. He knows that she will get wherever she is going first, because she does not seem capable of communicating effectively with him even when she does have an idea ("tryin to make you feel my hand," "you won't see me"). He invites her to get on a wagon, which seems to be an offer for some direction -- but he's already admitted there's not much he can do, and it seems like he just wants them to head to the same place, regardless of where it is. And he staunchly refuses to give up, and even seems to beg (as well as criticize).
Basically, to me, this song is written by someone who misses the person he used to know and would do anything to get her back. She is closed off to others because she is mentally vacant, and he needs her to come back because he thinks it will help him (plus he clearly cares about her). So yeah, I think it has a few more layers than trying to get someone's attention.
I disagree that the song is about trying to get someone's attention and failing. Mascis seems to have a well established relationship with the person in question already. Instead, I think it's more about the other party being unintentionally distant in a way that's damaging the relationship, but neither knows what to do about it -- precisely because of the distance she has put between herself and Mascis, and the disconnect she has from her own mind.
Ultimately, the song boils down to the masterful lines:
"I ring the doorbell in your mind, but it's locked from the outside / you don't live there anyway, but I knock on it all day."
The literal meaning here is that the woman is not present in her mind -- maybe she has trouble keeping herself rooted in reality or partakes in escapism of whatever form, or perhaps she is just numb to her emotions. In any case, when Mascis rings the doorbell, there is no one there to answer the door -- he tries to get in touch with her emotional, thoughtful, visceral side and it just isn't there. In turn, Mascis can't accept his own reality. He continues to try, knowing that she will never "answer." This type of dedication generally stems from the devastation of someone who used to seem present now being mentally gone.
Mascis begins the song by referencing mental illness. Whether he is referring to a clinical disorder or the colloquial "nuts" hardly seems relevant; the fact is, these two people are incapable of helping each other. Not only do they not know what type of help to provide for each other, but they are uncertain what sort of help the other person could provide for them. Mascis may sometimes ring the doorbell because he wants to help, but he already knows his shortcomings -- he's too unstable himself to even provide anything of value. In that sense, he's just as out of sync with reality as she is, and maybe so focused on her that he can't focus on his own life. Everything seems to revolve around her. Most notably, the place Mascis wants to "go" is where she is going to be, which he references twice:
"There's a place I go but you're not there and I'm supposed to know / how to get to where you'regonna be but you don't even know"
and
"There's a place I'd like to go / when you get there then I'll know"
Obviously, he wants to be where she is, or at least where she's going. Unfortunately, not even she knows where that is. How can she, when she doesn't even seem aware of her current reality? Mascis mentions that she is "sailing without a course in mind" -- she is not thinking about where to go in terms of her life or mental state, nor is she planning any "routes." She is simply existing, bouncing from one thing to another. Mascis, on the other hand, already has somewhere he "goes" -- but he's ready to sacrifice it because it's not where she is.
I think, in the end, Mascis feels simultaneously hopeful and hopeless, and devastatingly confused. He knows that she will get wherever she is going first, because she does not seem capable of communicating effectively with him even when she does have an idea ("tryin to make you feel my hand," "you won't see me"). He invites her to get on a wagon, which seems to be an offer for some direction -- but he's already admitted there's not much he can do, and it seems like he just wants them to head to the same place, regardless of where it is. And he staunchly refuses to give up, and even seems to beg (as well as criticize).
Basically, to me, this song is written by someone who misses the person he used to know and would do anything to get her back. She is closed off to others because she is mentally vacant, and he needs her to come back because he thinks it will help him (plus he clearly cares about her). So yeah, I think it has a few more layers than trying to get someone's attention.
holy coughdrops now that's some analysis
holy coughdrops now that's some analysis