He is basically saying that he can tell that something is going on with his lover with the first 2 lines. Then with lines 3 and 4 he is referring to the social compact that they supposedly shared in that they wouldn't let anything or anyone come in between them, clearly implying that "she" has done just this. Saying that "we said we'd only die of lonely secrets" is saying that I thought we both understood that the only thing that could break our compact is keeping secrets from eachother.
The line "the system only dreams in total darkness" the system is the relationship kind of like a "social system" and darkness is the lack of proper communication between them tying into the first lines and the "dreams" are the scattered failing line of proper communication between them. Causing the very nature of the relationship to decay and change into something that is unrecognizable from the original and something that cannot last. Also eluded to by the line 'we're in a different kind of thing now."
He seems to make it clear that "she" has been evangelized by lines 2 and 8. But I doubt he would be so direct more likely that he is using "God" as a euphemism for something he sees and cultish or religious in nature that is coming between them and causing her to cut him off. She is "hiding" from him because she has put her new "faith" first and deflects to him saying he is wanting too much "attention."
The most confusing line in the whole song is "Loss of no other faith is light enough for this place." As far as i can tell by "this place" he means the new corrupted, failing state of their relationship, and by the rest of the line he seems to mean that whatever dogma has infested her psyche that despite what ever kind of deflecting or blaming she may be doing in order to negate her responsibility in the situation that this thing, this dogma or religion or whatever it is is clearly a sufficient explanation for the new "system."
@alternateview I think you are definitely on the right track, this song is all about a relationship which is being tested and in a very perilous place. Its a very adult relationship that has many years of history, that was once built on a very sensible agreement built on honesty, as your assessment of the line "we said we only died of lonely secrets" states. The agreement is that they would always tell each other everything, and lonely secrets imply that one person is planning or dreaming of something outside of their relationship.
@alternateview I think you are definitely on the right track, this song is all about a relationship which is being tested and in a very perilous place. Its a very adult relationship that has many years of history, that was once built on a very sensible agreement built on honesty, as your assessment of the line "we said we only died of lonely secrets" states. The agreement is that they would always tell each other everything, and lonely secrets imply that one person is planning or dreaming of something outside of their relationship.
I have a slightly different...
I have a slightly different perspective in that I think his wife is unhappy, "maybe I listen more than you think" being a clue, and possibly seeing someone else behind his back, or at least dreaming of it, as she may have been convinced by someone, "I can tell someone sold you", may imply.
The line "the system only dreams in total darkness" again reiterates that that breakdown of the relationship is the cause for this "dreaming" of a different life, maybe with someone else or maybe just away from him, as in divorce.
"All night you're talking to God", is simply stating that his wife is going through the emotional turmoil of making this decision, and may be turning to God or whatever, to help guide her decision.
It seems in the next verse that he is fighting for her and was hopeful, "I thought this would all work out after a while", but she has put up a wall and there is nothing he can say to influence her decision, she is going to make up her mind on her own and doesn't want to hear any more from him, "Now you're saying that I'm asking for too much attention".
That said he throws out one final plea, "Loss of no other faith is light enough for this place". What he is saying as that so long as she has not become faithful to someone else, there is still still sufficient "light" or hope that their relationship can survive.
He is definitely feeling a bit defeated and without options, other than trying to explain it to her via this song and hopefully creating a paradigm shift in her thinking, "I cannot explain it, any other way".
@alternateview I actually see this more as an unhealthy co-dependant type of relationship. Where he says, “we’d only die of lonely secrets” I see that as two people whose relationship is built on misery. Basically, we both have no self-worth, and no purpose, but we’re ok if we’re together. However, somewhere along the line she’s finding somekind of hope or purpose in something and he’s saying, “wait, this system only works in total darkness. How can I continue being miserable with you if you’re not miserable anymore?” I think he’s afraid that if she begins to get some self-worth, she’ll...
@alternateview I actually see this more as an unhealthy co-dependant type of relationship. Where he says, “we’d only die of lonely secrets” I see that as two people whose relationship is built on misery. Basically, we both have no self-worth, and no purpose, but we’re ok if we’re together. However, somewhere along the line she’s finding somekind of hope or purpose in something and he’s saying, “wait, this system only works in total darkness. How can I continue being miserable with you if you’re not miserable anymore?” I think he’s afraid that if she begins to get some self-worth, she’ll leave him. But that’s just my two cents.
He is basically saying that he can tell that something is going on with his lover with the first 2 lines. Then with lines 3 and 4 he is referring to the social compact that they supposedly shared in that they wouldn't let anything or anyone come in between them, clearly implying that "she" has done just this. Saying that "we said we'd only die of lonely secrets" is saying that I thought we both understood that the only thing that could break our compact is keeping secrets from eachother.
The line "the system only dreams in total darkness" the system is the relationship kind of like a "social system" and darkness is the lack of proper communication between them tying into the first lines and the "dreams" are the scattered failing line of proper communication between them. Causing the very nature of the relationship to decay and change into something that is unrecognizable from the original and something that cannot last. Also eluded to by the line 'we're in a different kind of thing now."
He seems to make it clear that "she" has been evangelized by lines 2 and 8. But I doubt he would be so direct more likely that he is using "God" as a euphemism for something he sees and cultish or religious in nature that is coming between them and causing her to cut him off. She is "hiding" from him because she has put her new "faith" first and deflects to him saying he is wanting too much "attention."
The most confusing line in the whole song is "Loss of no other faith is light enough for this place." As far as i can tell by "this place" he means the new corrupted, failing state of their relationship, and by the rest of the line he seems to mean that whatever dogma has infested her psyche that despite what ever kind of deflecting or blaming she may be doing in order to negate her responsibility in the situation that this thing, this dogma or religion or whatever it is is clearly a sufficient explanation for the new "system."
@alternateview I think you are definitely on the right track, this song is all about a relationship which is being tested and in a very perilous place. Its a very adult relationship that has many years of history, that was once built on a very sensible agreement built on honesty, as your assessment of the line "we said we only died of lonely secrets" states. The agreement is that they would always tell each other everything, and lonely secrets imply that one person is planning or dreaming of something outside of their relationship.
@alternateview I think you are definitely on the right track, this song is all about a relationship which is being tested and in a very perilous place. Its a very adult relationship that has many years of history, that was once built on a very sensible agreement built on honesty, as your assessment of the line "we said we only died of lonely secrets" states. The agreement is that they would always tell each other everything, and lonely secrets imply that one person is planning or dreaming of something outside of their relationship.
I have a slightly different...
I have a slightly different perspective in that I think his wife is unhappy, "maybe I listen more than you think" being a clue, and possibly seeing someone else behind his back, or at least dreaming of it, as she may have been convinced by someone, "I can tell someone sold you", may imply.
The line "the system only dreams in total darkness" again reiterates that that breakdown of the relationship is the cause for this "dreaming" of a different life, maybe with someone else or maybe just away from him, as in divorce.
"All night you're talking to God", is simply stating that his wife is going through the emotional turmoil of making this decision, and may be turning to God or whatever, to help guide her decision.
It seems in the next verse that he is fighting for her and was hopeful, "I thought this would all work out after a while", but she has put up a wall and there is nothing he can say to influence her decision, she is going to make up her mind on her own and doesn't want to hear any more from him, "Now you're saying that I'm asking for too much attention".
That said he throws out one final plea, "Loss of no other faith is light enough for this place". What he is saying as that so long as she has not become faithful to someone else, there is still still sufficient "light" or hope that their relationship can survive.
He is definitely feeling a bit defeated and without options, other than trying to explain it to her via this song and hopefully creating a paradigm shift in her thinking, "I cannot explain it, any other way".
@alternateview I actually see this more as an unhealthy co-dependant type of relationship. Where he says, “we’d only die of lonely secrets” I see that as two people whose relationship is built on misery. Basically, we both have no self-worth, and no purpose, but we’re ok if we’re together. However, somewhere along the line she’s finding somekind of hope or purpose in something and he’s saying, “wait, this system only works in total darkness. How can I continue being miserable with you if you’re not miserable anymore?” I think he’s afraid that if she begins to get some self-worth, she’ll...
@alternateview I actually see this more as an unhealthy co-dependant type of relationship. Where he says, “we’d only die of lonely secrets” I see that as two people whose relationship is built on misery. Basically, we both have no self-worth, and no purpose, but we’re ok if we’re together. However, somewhere along the line she’s finding somekind of hope or purpose in something and he’s saying, “wait, this system only works in total darkness. How can I continue being miserable with you if you’re not miserable anymore?” I think he’s afraid that if she begins to get some self-worth, she’ll leave him. But that’s just my two cents.