I think everyone who has commented this far has missed the entirety of this song... It is about rape. I can't decide if it's him, her, or them both that have been victims. But it is clear. In the beginning he is talking about being in crowds and how uncomfortable it is. How the rape culture is loud and proud. Do you ever pay attention to how our culture so nonchalantly talks and jokes about rape? How that crude word is thrown about? It is unsettling. And victims/survivors, whatever, every time the word hits their ears or it is brought about in tv shows or whatever, it stings and brings up memories. Flashbacks. Causes their skin to crawl. For them to draw in again. Want to escape. Run away. Get away.... Because no where is safe. It takes so long to trust someone again and that's where this couple is getting to. They turn the lights off, because when they're on it's uncomfortable. And she kisses his eyes-- not his lips. Because they're learning to build that trust again. They're learning together. But for that moment when she is able to kiss him, he feels normal. He feels safe in his own skin with that little bit of intimacy. OR if she is the one who was the victim, perhaps the mere fact that she was willing to kiss him and give him any kind of intimate touch meant the world to him. It felt "normal" for a single moment. And that feels good. It's like ecstasy. And now he wants more. But he's cautious.
And the questions he can't ask-- you don't ask a victim about what happened, how it felt, what goes through their mind.. You just can't ask those things... But the worst is over now, they're finally making some progress of getting back to "normal" with each other. And he knows that she hates this place, she doesn't feel safe, so he's willing to run away with her and start somewhere new that doesn't have these bad memories attached to it. And someday he can see her finally being able to have a child with him. One day. That she may always be damaged but that she'll still be able to love.
And the weight in arms that I would never use-- she doesn't allow him to touch her. But he wants to hold her in his arms after he kisses her. But she doesn't allow these things-- otherwise it would send her back into those memories. But he takes what he can, to have her show any type of physical touch feels good.
@freelikethesea this song touches my heart and breaks it. But I love it so much. It's almost sadistic of me... But he has nailed it on the head with this.
@freelikethesea this song touches my heart and breaks it. But I love it so much. It's almost sadistic of me... But he has nailed it on the head with this.
@Gaia The skin that crawls away from you, and reel against your body's borders...these are things that someone who as been molested or raped would completely understand.
@Gaia The skin that crawls away from you, and reel against your body's borders...these are things that someone who as been molested or raped would completely understand.
Hozier mentions in 'Track by Track' (on youtube) that it's about someone loving a damaged person.
Hozier mentions in 'Track by Track' (on youtube) that it's about someone loving a damaged person.
@Gaia your on point with your interpretation. But I disagree about our so called "rape culture". I respect your opinion but dont agree. Go visit a third world country and rethink your views. A very powerful song that I honestly never read into until today.
@Gaia your on point with your interpretation. But I disagree about our so called "rape culture". I respect your opinion but dont agree. Go visit a third world country and rethink your views. A very powerful song that I honestly never read into until today.
I think everyone who has commented this far has missed the entirety of this song... It is about rape. I can't decide if it's him, her, or them both that have been victims. But it is clear. In the beginning he is talking about being in crowds and how uncomfortable it is. How the rape culture is loud and proud. Do you ever pay attention to how our culture so nonchalantly talks and jokes about rape? How that crude word is thrown about? It is unsettling. And victims/survivors, whatever, every time the word hits their ears or it is brought about in tv shows or whatever, it stings and brings up memories. Flashbacks. Causes their skin to crawl. For them to draw in again. Want to escape. Run away. Get away.... Because no where is safe. It takes so long to trust someone again and that's where this couple is getting to. They turn the lights off, because when they're on it's uncomfortable. And she kisses his eyes-- not his lips. Because they're learning to build that trust again. They're learning together. But for that moment when she is able to kiss him, he feels normal. He feels safe in his own skin with that little bit of intimacy. OR if she is the one who was the victim, perhaps the mere fact that she was willing to kiss him and give him any kind of intimate touch meant the world to him. It felt "normal" for a single moment. And that feels good. It's like ecstasy. And now he wants more. But he's cautious.
And the questions he can't ask-- you don't ask a victim about what happened, how it felt, what goes through their mind.. You just can't ask those things... But the worst is over now, they're finally making some progress of getting back to "normal" with each other. And he knows that she hates this place, she doesn't feel safe, so he's willing to run away with her and start somewhere new that doesn't have these bad memories attached to it. And someday he can see her finally being able to have a child with him. One day. That she may always be damaged but that she'll still be able to love.
And the weight in arms that I would never use-- she doesn't allow him to touch her. But he wants to hold her in his arms after he kisses her. But she doesn't allow these things-- otherwise it would send her back into those memories. But he takes what he can, to have her show any type of physical touch feels good.
Anyway. That's my take on it.
@Gaia I agree! I commented back in June about this. That's what I immediately thought of when I heard the song
@Gaia I agree! I commented back in June about this. That's what I immediately thought of when I heard the song
@freelikethesea this song touches my heart and breaks it. But I love it so much. It's almost sadistic of me... But he has nailed it on the head with this.
@freelikethesea this song touches my heart and breaks it. But I love it so much. It's almost sadistic of me... But he has nailed it on the head with this.
@Gaia Couldn't agree more
@Gaia Couldn't agree more
@Gaia The skin that crawls away from you, and reel against your body's borders...these are things that someone who as been molested or raped would completely understand.
@Gaia The skin that crawls away from you, and reel against your body's borders...these are things that someone who as been molested or raped would completely understand.
Hozier mentions in 'Track by Track' (on youtube) that it's about someone loving a damaged person.
Hozier mentions in 'Track by Track' (on youtube) that it's about someone loving a damaged person.
I think your comments are spot on.
I think your comments are spot on.
@Gaia your on point with your interpretation. But I disagree about our so called "rape culture". I respect your opinion but dont agree. Go visit a third world country and rethink your views. A very powerful song that I honestly never read into until today.
@Gaia your on point with your interpretation. But I disagree about our so called "rape culture". I respect your opinion but dont agree. Go visit a third world country and rethink your views. A very powerful song that I honestly never read into until today.