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inside the labyrinth walls
there lies a tiny child who sleeps alone
and as the daylight falls
the wind becomes so wild across the stone
for I have made her prison be
her every step away from me
and this child I would destroy
if you tried to set her free
so come to me my love
I'll tap into your strength and drain it dry
can never have enough
for you I'd burn the length and breadth of sky
for it's my thoughts that bind me here
it's this love that I most fear
and this child I would destroy
for I hold her pain most dear
no haven for this heart
no shelter for this child in mazes lost
heaven keep us apart
a curse for every mile of ocean crossed
for I must die for what I've done
a twist of fate a desert sun
for I see what I destroy
sweet reflection knife into me
for I see what I destroy
I can see what I've begun
there lies a tiny child who sleeps alone
and as the daylight falls
the wind becomes so wild across the stone
for I have made her prison be
her every step away from me
and this child I would destroy
if you tried to set her free
so come to me my love
I'll tap into your strength and drain it dry
can never have enough
for you I'd burn the length and breadth of sky
for it's my thoughts that bind me here
it's this love that I most fear
and this child I would destroy
for I hold her pain most dear
no haven for this heart
no shelter for this child in mazes lost
heaven keep us apart
a curse for every mile of ocean crossed
for I must die for what I've done
a twist of fate a desert sun
for I see what I destroy
sweet reflection knife into me
for I see what I destroy
I can see what I've begun
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Great song, no matter how you interpret it.
Inside the labyrinth walls
There lies a tiny child who sleeps alone <-- Simply introducing the child, and implying that she is hidden away somewhere. There must be some reason for this.
And as the daylight falls
The wind becomes so wild across the stone <-- This seems to imply that as she is getting older, she is wanting more and more independence--the "wild" lyric
For I have made her prison be
Her every step away from me <-- She has forced her child to become dependent upon her
And this child I would destroy
If you tried to set her free <-- Said to anyone who would dare "take her away", warning them not to expose to the girl that her mother has such a tight hold on her.
So come to me my love
I'll tap into your strength and drain it dry <-- The speaker is unloading all of her own emotional baggage on the girl, tiring out the girl while the speaker gains resolve
Can never have enough <-- No matter how often she does this, though, it never gets rid of her underlying sadness
For you I'd burn the length and breadth of sky <-- Said, I think, to the girl. Part of what is drawing her into this relationship with her mother is the illusion of love when her mother tells her what she'd do for her.
For it's my thoughts that bind me here <-- It seems the speaker has some heavy emotional baggage which tie her to her home, where she feels the need to have the company of the child
It's this love that I most fear <-- Perhaps the girl has noticed a man or something like that and is starting to understand that she's been basically imprisoned in her own home
And this child I would destroy
For I hold her pain most dear <-- Perhaps the girl is now sad because she cannot be with him, but the speaker would kill her before letting her leave, which would make her happy.
No haven for this heart
No shelter for this child in mazes lost
Heaven keep us apart <-- Here it seems to me like the speaker switches to the child, who has perhaps run away and is praying that her mother does not find her
A curse for every mile of ocean crossed <-- In my mind the mother is now trying desperately to stop her from leaving, cursing her as she realizes she's gone. The story plays out a little bit like a fairytale.
For I must die for what I've done
A twist of fate a desert sun
For I see what I destroy
Sweet reflection knife into me
For I see what I destroy
I can see what I've begun <-- It seems like the mother is now realizing what she's done to this child was wrong and that she's not going to be able to take care of herself in the normal world. Perhaps she feels she's emotionally handicapped her and the guilt of that is driving her to madness.
Just my interpretation. I've heard Vienna's explanation, but it's pretty vague, so I just made this little story to go with it. It reminds me of a fairytale.
Vienna Teng sees Medea as a "person that lives in her head", and she wrong the song from Medea's point of view as a way of dealing with this person. She describes Medea as "not very friendly, and does not have my best interests in mind."
Accepting the author at her word, there are some aspects of the song that are open to interpretation - such as "who is the child", and "what does xxxxxxx symbolize?" Personally, I feel that the child is Vienna herself, because of how threatened she feels by Medea. At the end of the song, Medea says "Sweet reflection, knife into me." I think by saying this, Vienna is trying to kill Medea, in a manner of speaking.
Watch the performance.
The first impression I got from this song was an overprotective parent that won't let their daughter leave to start her own life. I don't know much about Medea, but maybe it relates in how Medea ran away with Jason and her father and brother ran after her. More likely her brother since he's killed and cut up into pieces on the way, which fits in with the last stanza. But even this doesn't make sense to me :p so it's more likely the speaker is just a regular person talking about herself.
For me, I have an issue with letting ideas come into flourish because I'm terrified of other peoples' opinions. I think this song could be about that.
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That almost makes sense.
the citation of Medea is to illustrate and make tragic the idea of abortion.
"My" Medea makes it personal, we're seeing the singer's thought on abortion through the lens of greek tragedy, through Medea's choice to kill her children.
The line that makes it clear to me is
And this child I would destroy
If you tried to set her free
Set free= birth/allow to live?
Anyway, this song is amazing even if one doesn't listen to the lyrics. It's tempting to do so, I know I've done it enough.
I really appreciate this song and 'Passage'- intense, but quiet and allows thinking about the subjects at hand, rather than a build to a climax and a twist, you know?
(well, at least I think it is about abortion. Y'all are free, of course, to disagree.)