I think this song is about a believer "going to be with The Lord" and the loved ones they leave behind....
What a beautiful piece of heartache
This has all turned out to be
Lord knows we've learned the hard way
All about healthy apathy
I use these words pretty loosely
There's so much more to life than words
There is a me you would not recognize, dear
Call it the shadow of myself
And if the music starts before I get there
Dance without me, you dance so gracefully
I really think I'll be okay
They've taken a toll, these latter days
Nothing like sleeping on a bed of nails
Nothing much here but our broken dream
Oh, but baby, if all else fails
Nothing is ever quite what it seems
And I'm dying inside to leave you
With more than just cliches
There is a me you would not recognize, dear
Call it the shadow of myself
And if the music starts before I get there
Dance without me, you dance so gracefully
I really think I'll be okay
They've taken their toll, these latter days
They've taken their toll, these latter days
Tell them it's real
Tell them it's really real
I just don't have much left to say
They've taken their toll, these latter days
They've taken their toll, these latter days
This has all turned out to be
Lord knows we've learned the hard way
All about healthy apathy
I use these words pretty loosely
There's so much more to life than words
There is a me you would not recognize, dear
Call it the shadow of myself
And if the music starts before I get there
Dance without me, you dance so gracefully
I really think I'll be okay
They've taken a toll, these latter days
Nothing like sleeping on a bed of nails
Nothing much here but our broken dream
Oh, but baby, if all else fails
Nothing is ever quite what it seems
And I'm dying inside to leave you
With more than just cliches
There is a me you would not recognize, dear
Call it the shadow of myself
And if the music starts before I get there
Dance without me, you dance so gracefully
I really think I'll be okay
They've taken their toll, these latter days
They've taken their toll, these latter days
Tell them it's real
Tell them it's really real
I just don't have much left to say
They've taken their toll, these latter days
They've taken their toll, these latter days
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The next part of the song focuses on the pain she experiences during and/or after leaving the person/God. "Nothing like sleeping on a bed of nails" represents the pain of a sacrifice (i.e. Jesus) or just an uncomfortable situation and tenseness with a partner. "Nothin much here but our broken dreams" could be saying that she's leaving God because her faith has become a "broken dream", same with the relationship, it's not going anywhere, but just a futile hope. "Nothing is quite what it seems" represents the duality of her personality, also the duality of the song itself. Interestingly, this whole stanza repeats "Nothing" in almost every line. If this is about cutting religious ties, the nothingness suggests the absence of God and also nihilism. The last line of the stanza is a reference to death "I'm dyin inside to leave you", she wants to leave (God or the person or both) but it's killing her inside to do it. The pause in between the line accentuates the leaving part; the "with more than just cliche's" line is a reference to her reasons for leaving (either God or a person). She wants more than just cliches to base her actions upon. This could also refer to cliches/reasons about not having faith.
The last stanza where she says "Tell them it's real. Tell them its really real," suggests that she wants everyone to accept that her relationship with this person or with God has ended (could also suggest that she wants to tell her doubts "they" that God is real and that her faith is real, but she can't because she "has nothing left to say"). The "nothing left to say part" could also mean that she has nothing left to say to all the people who keep harassing her about her relationship with God or this person. She ends it with "They've taken their toll on me these latter days." Possibly it's a regret that she's listened to everyone, or listened to her doubts, and given up this person or God or both.
I have no idea if this is the correct interpretation, however, I do want to point out that I'm not a religious nut before people start thinking I'm trying to impose my views on anyone through a song.
Also, just another thought in reference to this song, the phrase "latter days" could also be a play on words to refer to latter day saints. Possibly, the latter day saints (maybe she's associated with them) have swayed her from her faith, thus they've "taken their toll" on her. The "toll" part could also be a representation of a church contribution, and perhaps she sees corruption in that. This last part is really iffy, just something else to think about.
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I don't know what it's about, exactly. I've related it to so much in my own life.
Anyway, this song is on of my favorites of theirs..Karen at the piano singing a song about a relationship. In 5 minutes, they put a lifetime of experience to sound. It's beautiful.