I have no idea what he means, but that doesn't matter because I feel so much of what he's feeling. And so many of my own feelings nowadays are accented by this great man's artwork.
If I had to put sense to his words, then for me this song has to do with being abandoned by a mate.
At the start of the song, he is still where she left him. Housed up, stranded. Reminiscing all of there unfulfilled plans they had together. And even at the end of the song, he's still left wondering why, and wants to know more. Wants to talk about it.
He's hurt, and seemingly dependant on her like many lovers are for each other. And so we rely, and rely, and rely on each other, and behave accordingly. And as he is truly reliant on her, she reciprocates for a while, even apparently makes plans with him, behaves as though she's in it for the whole long adventure, but now we find him here in this place...abandoned by her. And now he sees that she'd "spent all of [their] time [together] not wanting to [be together]." She's now behaving in a new way, without him.
The lines "rely, rely, rely, rely" rise upward in the expectation of his plans with her, only to fall downward with the sadness of the outcome. Her "behavior."
My favorite lyric of Justin's is when he repeats the beautifully cascading lines: "Decide [to] repave inside...the lade."
She's decided to make a change of plans, and now he either has to stay there in their house or do the same as she. A "lade" can be a "burden," specifically a burden of cargo for a journey." He is "laden" with luggage intended for their future plans, as well as heavy-laden with the realization of life without her. The answer is in front of him: "repave" (the title of the album)
Repave the roads he'd planned to travel beside her. And repave inside himself, the feelings he had for her.
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I see him deciding to leave and make the change of plans, and the change of heart. But still wondering all the time why she abandoned him. Not having closure, just as he tells himself in the next song on the album ("Dancepack") ..."Take note, there's still a hole in your heart."
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Take note, World. I still have a hole in my heart for Justin Vernon.
May he forever woo the world. May he find rightful love without repaving. And may he never stop creating.
@cortanddrewbr Very good analysis. There is one correction, however, in the lyrics. Instead of “lade” which you interpret as a “burden”, the text of the lyrics (from iTunes) has it “lathe”, which is a tool used for shaping wood or metal. This word, in conjunction with “repave”, reinforces the idea that the singer realizes he must reshape and repair his life, transforming it into something new without his lost love. This resolution is bittersweet; heart is still broken, but now at least he is aware of the futility of continuing to ruminate on this loss.
@cortanddrewbr Very good analysis. There is one correction, however, in the lyrics. Instead of “lade” which you interpret as a “burden”, the text of the lyrics (from iTunes) has it “lathe”, which is a tool used for shaping wood or metal. This word, in conjunction with “repave”, reinforces the idea that the singer realizes he must reshape and repair his life, transforming it into something new without his lost love. This resolution is bittersweet; heart is still broken, but now at least he is aware of the futility of continuing to ruminate on this loss.
As with so many other Justin Vernon lyrics...
I have no idea what he means, but that doesn't matter because I feel so much of what he's feeling. And so many of my own feelings nowadays are accented by this great man's artwork.
If I had to put sense to his words, then for me this song has to do with being abandoned by a mate.
At the start of the song, he is still where she left him. Housed up, stranded. Reminiscing all of there unfulfilled plans they had together. And even at the end of the song, he's still left wondering why, and wants to know more. Wants to talk about it.
He's hurt, and seemingly dependant on her like many lovers are for each other. And so we rely, and rely, and rely on each other, and behave accordingly. And as he is truly reliant on her, she reciprocates for a while, even apparently makes plans with him, behaves as though she's in it for the whole long adventure, but now we find him here in this place...abandoned by her. And now he sees that she'd "spent all of [their] time [together] not wanting to [be together]." She's now behaving in a new way, without him.
The lines "rely, rely, rely, rely" rise upward in the expectation of his plans with her, only to fall downward with the sadness of the outcome. Her "behavior."
My favorite lyric of Justin's is when he repeats the beautifully cascading lines: "Decide [to] repave inside...the lade."
She's decided to make a change of plans, and now he either has to stay there in their house or do the same as she. A "lade" can be a "burden," specifically a burden of cargo for a journey." He is "laden" with luggage intended for their future plans, as well as heavy-laden with the realization of life without her. The answer is in front of him: "repave" (the title of the album)
Repave the roads he'd planned to travel beside her. And repave inside himself, the feelings he had for her.
===============================
I see him deciding to leave and make the change of plans, and the change of heart. But still wondering all the time why she abandoned him. Not having closure, just as he tells himself in the next song on the album ("Dancepack") ..."Take note, there's still a hole in your heart."
===============================
Take note, World. I still have a hole in my heart for Justin Vernon. May he forever woo the world. May he find rightful love without repaving. And may he never stop creating.
The hurt that comes when you say one thing, and do another.
The hurt that comes when you say one thing, and do another.
( - Many thanks to my friend, Bryant, who introduced me to this album, and this song. Blessing to you on your road.)
( - Many thanks to my friend, Bryant, who introduced me to this album, and this song. Blessing to you on your road.)
@cortanddrewbr Very good analysis. There is one correction, however, in the lyrics. Instead of “lade” which you interpret as a “burden”, the text of the lyrics (from iTunes) has it “lathe”, which is a tool used for shaping wood or metal. This word, in conjunction with “repave”, reinforces the idea that the singer realizes he must reshape and repair his life, transforming it into something new without his lost love. This resolution is bittersweet; heart is still broken, but now at least he is aware of the futility of continuing to ruminate on this loss.
@cortanddrewbr Very good analysis. There is one correction, however, in the lyrics. Instead of “lade” which you interpret as a “burden”, the text of the lyrics (from iTunes) has it “lathe”, which is a tool used for shaping wood or metal. This word, in conjunction with “repave”, reinforces the idea that the singer realizes he must reshape and repair his life, transforming it into something new without his lost love. This resolution is bittersweet; heart is still broken, but now at least he is aware of the futility of continuing to ruminate on this loss.