"It is also the song about which I’ve felt most nervous to write. I have given a lot of thought to what might be said about it, including but not limited to the fact that I attempted to write a set of lyrics which explored the role mental illness can play in a relationship, romantic or otherwise. The relationship I had in mind is triangular, but whether there are three people involved, or two people and a disease, I’m not sure.
The thing is this: Some songs are easily explained. Some songs have a clear narrative arc and an easily identified purpose. Other songs are ungraspable, made of light instead of dirt, a sort of musical head rush - something definitely happened, but what? This song is (to me) such a song. I encourage you to listen and draw your own conclusions. I actually encourage those actions with regard to every song, but this song more than most."
"It is also the song about which I’ve felt most nervous to write. I have given a lot of thought to what might be said about it, including but not limited to the fact that I attempted to write a set of lyrics which explored the role mental illness can play in a relationship, romantic or otherwise. The relationship I had in mind is triangular, but whether there are three people involved, or two people and a disease, I’m not sure. The thing is this: Some songs are easily explained. Some songs have a clear narrative arc and an easily identified purpose. Other songs are ungraspable, made of light instead of dirt, a sort of musical head rush - something definitely happened, but what? This song is (to me) such a song. I encourage you to listen and draw your own conclusions. I actually encourage those actions with regard to every song, but this song more than most."
-Jenny Owen Youngs on "Already Gone"