I can't believe there is only one comment on this song so far. This is an incredible song and in my opinion it's vastly underrated. Suzanne has said a few things publicly about the song so I'll keep my remarks personal.
The picture that coalesces in my mind as the story unfolds is that of a single mom who cares for her child in part by selling herself. An analogy is drawn between the butchering and selling of poultry parts and the equally unfeeling way her body is treated like nothing more than parts.
Here are the lines that stand out or me. The "blood and feathers" are literal, from the butchered animals, but they foreshadow how cruelly people are treated also. When she "fingers the ring, opens her purse, feels a longing", she remembers past economic security and happier times, perhaps when a husband was still alive or around, but then feels keenly aware of her lack of economic security currently.
At the end of the song, her body is offered, metaphorically through the poultry seller's cry. "Breasts and thighs" represent the sexual part of herself which she surrenders. "Hearts" reveals that it breaks her heart to offer herself in this way, so in effect her "heart", the part of her that loves, is also for sale. The pause before the word "Hearts" is genius artistic timing, allowing the emotion to settle in the listener. "Backs" refers to plain old hard work. The kick drum hits on the word "backs" for the first time in a while, literally putting effort into the lyric. "Backs are cheap" means in some way that her labor doesn't fetch enough money for her to care for her child.
"Wings are nearly free" is more elusive to me. It either means that she still clings to her dreams, though she feels trapped for the foreseeable future, or it means, as the previous commenter said, that she almost feels free. "Wings" could also refer to her ability to leave the situation (perhaps to move from the city) and seek a better life. "Nearly free," then, could either mean that she can't quite make it happen, or more poetically that dreams and plans for a better life aren't worth much in the cruel economy of real life in the city.
I also just have to say the band is incredible on this track. Mike Visceglia has had a big influence on my bass playing.
@kyrasdad this is also how I interpret it. I also imagine that she is possibly caught up in drugs, hence "wings are nearly free" - she gets to escape for a bit, but they're not really free are they? This song speaks to womens' (mothers') powerlessness and vulnerability.
@kyrasdad this is also how I interpret it. I also imagine that she is possibly caught up in drugs, hence "wings are nearly free" - she gets to escape for a bit, but they're not really free are they? This song speaks to womens' (mothers') powerlessness and vulnerability.
@kyrasdad This is very close to my interpretation also.
@kyrasdad This is very close to my interpretation also.
I feel that the ending of the song, «wings are nearly free», is about the wings of imagination. She is dreaming of getting away. The music is more dreamy in this part too, like she is flying away and the music is fading out.
I feel that the ending of the song, «wings are nearly free», is about the wings of imagination. She is dreaming of getting away. The music is more dreamy in this part too, like she is flying away and the music is fading out.
I can't believe there is only one comment on this song so far. This is an incredible song and in my opinion it's vastly underrated. Suzanne has said a few things publicly about the song so I'll keep my remarks personal.
The picture that coalesces in my mind as the story unfolds is that of a single mom who cares for her child in part by selling herself. An analogy is drawn between the butchering and selling of poultry parts and the equally unfeeling way her body is treated like nothing more than parts.
Here are the lines that stand out or me. The "blood and feathers" are literal, from the butchered animals, but they foreshadow how cruelly people are treated also. When she "fingers the ring, opens her purse, feels a longing", she remembers past economic security and happier times, perhaps when a husband was still alive or around, but then feels keenly aware of her lack of economic security currently.
At the end of the song, her body is offered, metaphorically through the poultry seller's cry. "Breasts and thighs" represent the sexual part of herself which she surrenders. "Hearts" reveals that it breaks her heart to offer herself in this way, so in effect her "heart", the part of her that loves, is also for sale. The pause before the word "Hearts" is genius artistic timing, allowing the emotion to settle in the listener. "Backs" refers to plain old hard work. The kick drum hits on the word "backs" for the first time in a while, literally putting effort into the lyric. "Backs are cheap" means in some way that her labor doesn't fetch enough money for her to care for her child.
"Wings are nearly free" is more elusive to me. It either means that she still clings to her dreams, though she feels trapped for the foreseeable future, or it means, as the previous commenter said, that she almost feels free. "Wings" could also refer to her ability to leave the situation (perhaps to move from the city) and seek a better life. "Nearly free," then, could either mean that she can't quite make it happen, or more poetically that dreams and plans for a better life aren't worth much in the cruel economy of real life in the city.
I also just have to say the band is incredible on this track. Mike Visceglia has had a big influence on my bass playing.
@kyrasdad this is also how I interpret it. I also imagine that she is possibly caught up in drugs, hence "wings are nearly free" - she gets to escape for a bit, but they're not really free are they? This song speaks to womens' (mothers') powerlessness and vulnerability.
@kyrasdad this is also how I interpret it. I also imagine that she is possibly caught up in drugs, hence "wings are nearly free" - she gets to escape for a bit, but they're not really free are they? This song speaks to womens' (mothers') powerlessness and vulnerability.
@kyrasdad This is very close to my interpretation also.
@kyrasdad This is very close to my interpretation also.
I feel that the ending of the song, «wings are nearly free», is about the wings of imagination. She is dreaming of getting away. The music is more dreamy in this part too, like she is flying away and the music is fading out.
I feel that the ending of the song, «wings are nearly free», is about the wings of imagination. She is dreaming of getting away. The music is more dreamy in this part too, like she is flying away and the music is fading out.