She has lost someone dear to her. A lover, I think, because of the line, "kiss me hard before you go." This could be directed at a close female friend or sister or other family member but to me the line is more passionate and sexual than that. I hug my little sister hard when I'm not going to see her for a while. I kiss my lover goodbye.
She feels his presence this summer, as she does every summer because it is the season in which he died. The elements remind her of him and freshen her fading memories. It could be his spirit or wishful thinking but it's all the same to her. It's been a while since she lost him. She misses him madly and is somewhat happy just to feel him around. Which is why she tells him, "Kiss me hard before you go." She knows when the summer ends she will have to go back to trying to live without him, instead of just letting the depression consume her as she does at this time of the year. I think it is this idea that inspires her to commit suicide in the first place. She can't bear the thought of going back to trying to forget him.
Oh, my God, I feel it in the air
Telephone wires above all sizzling like your stare
Honey I'm on fire I feel it everywhere
Nothing scares me anymore
She feels his intense gaze on her ("sizzling like your stare") as she she dolls herself up for the occasion. She is sort of delirious and euphoric at the idea of being reunited with her lover in the afterlife. She feels "alive" and "on fire." She feels this energy "in the air" and all around her. She's not afraid. Nothing could ever hurt her worse than losing him did.
"Cruising down the coast goin' 'bout 99
Got my bad baby by my heavenly side
I know if I go, I'll die happy tonight"
She senses him in the passenger seat as she speeds down the road and this gives her confidence. If her suicide attempt is successful, she knows she will die happy.
"I think I'll miss you forever
Like the stars miss the sun in the morning skies
Late is better than never
Even if you're gone I'm gonna drive, drive"
It has been so long and she still misses him deeply. Because it doesn't hurt any less now than it ever did she thinks it won't ever get any better. She considers the possibility that they may never be together again. They are so close, yet so far. She's a bird who is in love with a fish. She doesn't care. Even if he really is lost to her forever she would rather bet her life on the chance of being with him again than go on without him.
I'm glad you all like my interpretation! From the time when I wrote this I have since watched the music video and that has changed my perspective on the song a little bit and so thought I'd update!
I'm glad you all like my interpretation! From the time when I wrote this I have since watched the music video and that has changed my perspective on the song a little bit and so thought I'd update!
In the music video, it is clear that the song is about another female, could be a friend/ sister/ whatever. In the video, the friend commits suicide by jumping off of a ledge. The singer later does the same. The lyrics, "Late is better than never," mean she feels like she should have been with her the first time,...
In the music video, it is clear that the song is about another female, could be a friend/ sister/ whatever. In the video, the friend commits suicide by jumping off of a ledge. The singer later does the same. The lyrics, "Late is better than never," mean she feels like she should have been with her the first time, because where one goes, the other does as well. She is hurt because she doesn't know why she would do that without talking to her or anything. She thought they had this wonderful connection, and she knows they did, but she still is very hurt by the fact that her friend was in so much pain, so much so that she killed herself, but she wasn't able to help her and potentially knew nothing of it.
Technicalities and broading aside, whenever I hear this song I think of human connection and how stunningly beautiful it can be.
She has lost someone dear to her. A lover, I think, because of the line, "kiss me hard before you go." This could be directed at a close female friend or sister or other family member but to me the line is more passionate and sexual than that. I hug my little sister hard when I'm not going to see her for a while. I kiss my lover goodbye.
She feels his presence this summer, as she does every summer because it is the season in which he died. The elements remind her of him and freshen her fading memories. It could be his spirit or wishful thinking but it's all the same to her. It's been a while since she lost him. She misses him madly and is somewhat happy just to feel him around. Which is why she tells him, "Kiss me hard before you go." She knows when the summer ends she will have to go back to trying to live without him, instead of just letting the depression consume her as she does at this time of the year. I think it is this idea that inspires her to commit suicide in the first place. She can't bear the thought of going back to trying to forget him.
Oh, my God, I feel it in the air Telephone wires above all sizzling like your stare Honey I'm on fire I feel it everywhere Nothing scares me anymore
She feels his intense gaze on her ("sizzling like your stare") as she she dolls herself up for the occasion. She is sort of delirious and euphoric at the idea of being reunited with her lover in the afterlife. She feels "alive" and "on fire." She feels this energy "in the air" and all around her. She's not afraid. Nothing could ever hurt her worse than losing him did.
"Cruising down the coast goin' 'bout 99 Got my bad baby by my heavenly side I know if I go, I'll die happy tonight"
She senses him in the passenger seat as she speeds down the road and this gives her confidence. If her suicide attempt is successful, she knows she will die happy.
"I think I'll miss you forever Like the stars miss the sun in the morning skies Late is better than never Even if you're gone I'm gonna drive, drive"
It has been so long and she still misses him deeply. Because it doesn't hurt any less now than it ever did she thinks it won't ever get any better. She considers the possibility that they may never be together again. They are so close, yet so far. She's a bird who is in love with a fish. She doesn't care. Even if he really is lost to her forever she would rather bet her life on the chance of being with him again than go on without him.
Wow! I think of the song in a different way now!
Wow! I think of the song in a different way now!
I caught the general idea but I now understand those details. It really is a better song than people give it credit for.
I caught the general idea but I now understand those details. It really is a better song than people give it credit for.
I'm glad you all like my interpretation! From the time when I wrote this I have since watched the music video and that has changed my perspective on the song a little bit and so thought I'd update!
I'm glad you all like my interpretation! From the time when I wrote this I have since watched the music video and that has changed my perspective on the song a little bit and so thought I'd update!
In the music video, it is clear that the song is about another female, could be a friend/ sister/ whatever. In the video, the friend commits suicide by jumping off of a ledge. The singer later does the same. The lyrics, "Late is better than never," mean she feels like she should have been with her the first time,...
In the music video, it is clear that the song is about another female, could be a friend/ sister/ whatever. In the video, the friend commits suicide by jumping off of a ledge. The singer later does the same. The lyrics, "Late is better than never," mean she feels like she should have been with her the first time, because where one goes, the other does as well. She is hurt because she doesn't know why she would do that without talking to her or anything. She thought they had this wonderful connection, and she knows they did, but she still is very hurt by the fact that her friend was in so much pain, so much so that she killed herself, but she wasn't able to help her and potentially knew nothing of it.
Technicalities and broading aside, whenever I hear this song I think of human connection and how stunningly beautiful it can be.
@Paradisecutie I subscribe to her losing her lover for good and wants a last kiss before she kills herself.
@Paradisecutie I subscribe to her losing her lover for good and wants a last kiss before she kills herself.