The first time I heard this song (before the album was released and therefore out of context) I thought it was about the narrator's lover who is depressed and suicidal. The line "set the knife down and forget where I'd left it, making breakfast, put coffee on the stove then scour every counter for the knife" make me imagine the narrator misplacing the knife and freaking out because he's afraid his lover has taken it to use it on herself. Several lines support this idea:
But doesn't it seem a bit wasteful to you?
To throw away all of the time we spent perfecting our love in close quarters and confines?
Isn't it wasteful?
(he's trying to convince her not to waste her life by taking it)
and
It's alright
I will fix whatever is not the sweetness in your eyes
Just sit down
Please
Sit down
Here at the table and we'll talk
(he's pleading with her to let him help)
The "woman on a ledge" may or may not be the lover but it definitely points towards depression/suicide.
Now, I can't find any other reference to this theory on the album; however, we don't have any better explanation as to why the relationship fell apart either.
The first time I heard this song (before the album was released and therefore out of context) I thought it was about the narrator's lover who is depressed and suicidal. The line "set the knife down and forget where I'd left it, making breakfast, put coffee on the stove then scour every counter for the knife" make me imagine the narrator misplacing the knife and freaking out because he's afraid his lover has taken it to use it on herself. Several lines support this idea:
But doesn't it seem a bit wasteful to you? To throw away all of the time we spent perfecting our love in close quarters and confines? Isn't it wasteful? (he's trying to convince her not to waste her life by taking it)
and
It's alright I will fix whatever is not the sweetness in your eyes Just sit down Please Sit down Here at the table and we'll talk (he's pleading with her to let him help)
The "woman on a ledge" may or may not be the lover but it definitely points towards depression/suicide.
Now, I can't find any other reference to this theory on the album; however, we don't have any better explanation as to why the relationship fell apart either.
Any thoughts?