I interpreted this song as being about mental illness, particularly depression.
They have the choice of the 'familiar', continuing in their depressed state, and the 'great unknown', which is trying to get better, but trying to get better could make them worse before they succeed.
'Don't listen to your friends' this whole verse is fantastic, the contradiction of 'see the despair behind their eyes', and 'they only care and want to know why'. It shows how their friends are worried, but then it suggests that the friends are only worried because there's some big gossipy detail they don't know, and they just 'want to know why'. It completely downplays the friends' concern, and that's like the paranoia nagging at the back of your mind; you can't talk to them, they just want to know because it's some scandal.
The chorus of 'the draw'; the depression, those bad thoughts 'pulling me back'. Here he's facing his choice, he could try to get better, but he has 'the draw' 'pulling me back'. The repetition shows how it's there constantly, and its like he's winding himself as he's thinking about it. He's aware that it's there, and he's panicking, because he's losing a battle he's not even decided to fight yet.
Then you have the next verse, and this one is as if he's hit rock bottom. He's realised that he's 'drifting', he knows he scared of 'words that they might say', but in the end he's more 'scared of being left behind', and this is the turning point. This is the point at which he decides to fight, because he's too scared to carry on and let himself become worse.
At which point, he sees his friends for what they've really been trying to do. 'Just listen to your friends... they only care and hope you're alright'. He's telling himself, reassuring himself; you can do this, listen to them, they're there and they care.
The draw's still pulling him, it always will do, but now it's different; he's decided to fight and he knows he's not alone. The draw's pulling him back, but his friends are pulling him forward. He can fight this, and he can overcome it.
Although it probably is about something else, I can also relate this being about "having been through a depression and the constant fear of falling back into it".
Although it probably is about something else, I can also relate this being about "having been through a depression and the constant fear of falling back into it".
Starting off with his left and right hand, he's obviously weighing and it reminds me of the devil and angel on someone's shoulder in the cartoons, his conscience talking to him.
Starting off with his left and right hand, he's obviously weighing and it reminds me of the devil and angel on someone's shoulder in the cartoons, his conscience talking to him.
The entire "Don't listen to your friends" is the exact voice representing the Draw, what do they know, let them go. It's luring him back to the dark/down sides. For some reason there is some kind of beauty...
The entire "Don't listen to your friends" is the exact voice representing the Draw, what do they know, let them go. It's luring him back to the dark/down sides. For some reason there is some kind of beauty in a depression which he feels drawn towards.
Whereas in the beautiful contrast in the second bridge, it's more his own voice telling him to listen to his friends and convincing him to keep on fighting this.
At least, having been through a long depression and having overcome it, this song is very relatable to me. It's a very clear reminder on the Draw being present and not falling for it again.
I interpreted this song as being about mental illness, particularly depression.
They have the choice of the 'familiar', continuing in their depressed state, and the 'great unknown', which is trying to get better, but trying to get better could make them worse before they succeed.
'Don't listen to your friends' this whole verse is fantastic, the contradiction of 'see the despair behind their eyes', and 'they only care and want to know why'. It shows how their friends are worried, but then it suggests that the friends are only worried because there's some big gossipy detail they don't know, and they just 'want to know why'. It completely downplays the friends' concern, and that's like the paranoia nagging at the back of your mind; you can't talk to them, they just want to know because it's some scandal.
The chorus of 'the draw'; the depression, those bad thoughts 'pulling me back'. Here he's facing his choice, he could try to get better, but he has 'the draw' 'pulling me back'. The repetition shows how it's there constantly, and its like he's winding himself as he's thinking about it. He's aware that it's there, and he's panicking, because he's losing a battle he's not even decided to fight yet.
Then you have the next verse, and this one is as if he's hit rock bottom. He's realised that he's 'drifting', he knows he scared of 'words that they might say', but in the end he's more 'scared of being left behind', and this is the turning point. This is the point at which he decides to fight, because he's too scared to carry on and let himself become worse.
At which point, he sees his friends for what they've really been trying to do. 'Just listen to your friends... they only care and hope you're alright'. He's telling himself, reassuring himself; you can do this, listen to them, they're there and they care.
The draw's still pulling him, it always will do, but now it's different; he's decided to fight and he knows he's not alone. The draw's pulling him back, but his friends are pulling him forward. He can fight this, and he can overcome it.
Although it probably is about something else, I can also relate this being about "having been through a depression and the constant fear of falling back into it".
Although it probably is about something else, I can also relate this being about "having been through a depression and the constant fear of falling back into it".
Starting off with his left and right hand, he's obviously weighing and it reminds me of the devil and angel on someone's shoulder in the cartoons, his conscience talking to him.
Starting off with his left and right hand, he's obviously weighing and it reminds me of the devil and angel on someone's shoulder in the cartoons, his conscience talking to him.
The entire "Don't listen to your friends" is the exact voice representing the Draw, what do they know, let them go. It's luring him back to the dark/down sides. For some reason there is some kind of beauty...
The entire "Don't listen to your friends" is the exact voice representing the Draw, what do they know, let them go. It's luring him back to the dark/down sides. For some reason there is some kind of beauty in a depression which he feels drawn towards. Whereas in the beautiful contrast in the second bridge, it's more his own voice telling him to listen to his friends and convincing him to keep on fighting this.
At least, having been through a long depression and having overcome it, this song is very relatable to me. It's a very clear reminder on the Draw being present and not falling for it again.