Bonnie 'Prince' Billy – Wolf Among Wolves

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  My Interpretation:This woman loves him for the way the she sees him, but she doesn't love him for the way that he sees himself, a view which he believes to be his most true identity. He's saying that she doesn't understand him, or who he really is.

  Flag shanegedon July 11, 2012   Link

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  My Interpretation:Perhaps I think too philosophically for my own good, but to me the song begs the question can one person ever truly know another let alone love them as they are? The woman "holds a phantom, she kisses and she hugs him," not because of something inherently wrong with her but because it's not possible to hold what he is so she does the next best thing. A person is more than a body with physical needs- each of us is the sum total of every experience which we've ever gone though. But we're not just this either, there is something more- limitless potential and perhaps something without words to express what it is.
  
  Similarly, "she craves a hole that she can go in" to protect her from the harshness of reality, and this is "a sheltered cave that" the narrator has "never seen." He's never seen the sheltered cave just like she's never loved him for what he is. And in this way we are alone despite the presence of others around us.

  Flag Memento22Morion March 19, 2012   Link

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    +1

    hmm. interesting.

    Flag bellababyon March 19, 2012  
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  General Comment:what she loves in him he does not feel is him at all. utterly alienating.

  Flag pearl88on February 05, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:I absolutely agree with aeazel and I believe that Will has read his share of Hesse as well ... Sad and beautiful song!

  Flag IAmABirdNowon August 26, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:This song is about sex. See, the singer is a wolf when it comes to sex, powerful, savage and always seemingly hungry. His partner kisses and hugs him affectionately which he doesn't mind, but it's not really him. She wants security and he wants satisfaction. This happened to me, a woman whom I was very much in love with was extremely timid and we didn't jive sexually.

  Flag fanoftheelipsison May 07, 2007   Link

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    if she was timid and loved you, and if you really loved her, maybe you owed it to yourself and trusted her enough to have tried communicating what you wanted. you might have been surprised how she responded, she might have been craving the same thing but didn't know how to express herself either.

    Flag fortune8on July 16, 2012  
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  General Comment:Perhaps I've been reading too much Hesse, but this reminds me somewhat of Steppenwolf. An elderly gentleman who finds he doesn't like the bourgeoisie-- doesn't fit in, and doesn't want to--and feels that he wants to give in to his wolf side more. The sheltered cave she seeks seems to evoke the same sense of security that he has never seen, and hasn't even dreamt, so it is something completely foreign and not accessible.

  Flag aeazelon April 28, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:I cannot believe that nobody has put any comment on this song. This is one of the most beautiful songs ever written. It has beautiful chords, beautiful lyrics.. everything is beautiful about it...
  It's such a strange, beautiful song, it gives you so kuch pleasure and at the same time it hurts just listening to it...
  About the lyrics.. I'm not sure what they're about.. Could be a lot of things.. Maybe a rejected love, or not feeling human amongst humans.. I'm not sure, but it's beautiful..

  Flag ajhaanon June 03, 2006   Link

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