I believe this song is addressed to a friend, family member, or a former lover. This person was once cheerful, easy-going, and loving but then they slowly started to succumb to something like depression, addiction, or maybe a disease.
They never really mentioned their worsening problems but it started to become apparent to the writer that something was wrong.
The writer tried to comfort this person by telling them there "things you can't change" but their loved one only saw that as the "curse of a human's life."
That person felt as if they would never be enough for what or who they wanted in life (or old/young/tall/thin/smart/brave/rich/pretty/strong/ or good enough) but the writer assured that they are more than enough.
Refusing to believe this, they started to consider giving up ("you wanted silence/peace by itself") and ultimately the depression and emptiness drove that person to abandon everything they knew either mentally or physically ("you caught the last car in the long desert train") and ultimately this person disappeared and maybe even took their own life. They almost made it.
That's my interpretation of the song. The music is so simple yet the lyrics are very emotional and personal. I feel as if I'm going through this now with a lover I'm afraid to lose to the same circumstances. Jason Molina was one hell of a song writer. RIP.
I believe this song is addressed to a friend, family member, or a former lover. This person was once cheerful, easy-going, and loving but then they slowly started to succumb to something like depression, addiction, or maybe a disease. They never really mentioned their worsening problems but it started to become apparent to the writer that something was wrong. The writer tried to comfort this person by telling them there "things you can't change" but their loved one only saw that as the "curse of a human's life." That person felt as if they would never be enough for what or who they wanted in life (or old/young/tall/thin/smart/brave/rich/pretty/strong/ or good enough) but the writer assured that they are more than enough. Refusing to believe this, they started to consider giving up ("you wanted silence/peace by itself") and ultimately the depression and emptiness drove that person to abandon everything they knew either mentally or physically ("you caught the last car in the long desert train") and ultimately this person disappeared and maybe even took their own life. They almost made it.
That's my interpretation of the song. The music is so simple yet the lyrics are very emotional and personal. I feel as if I'm going through this now with a lover I'm afraid to lose to the same circumstances. Jason Molina was one hell of a song writer. RIP.