Dear child, they're asking us to move
I watched her taking off her shoe
(Let the shore tide take you in, let the shore tide in)
Unweary, i'm not quite rusty yet
This could be obvious to you
(Let the shore tide take you in, let the shore tide in)
In this short time we've been treading air

I've been trying to reach you,
But my extension cord wouldn't reach that far
(Reach that far)
I've been patiently waiting
The indicator light is flashing on
(Flashing on)

Dear sleeper, you could've had the better bed
I loved to watch the way you grew
We're out, we're out the door
We're out, we're out the door
In this short time we've been treading air.

I've been trying to reach you,
But your extension cord doesn't reach that far
(Doesn't reach that far)
(Reach that far)
I've been patiently waiting,
the indicator light is flashing on
(It's flashing on)
(Flashing on)

In this coma, sleepless dancing
We've been treading air

I've been trying to reach you but
your extension cord wouldn't reach that far,
doesn't reach that far,
reach that far.
I've been desperately waiting
the indicator light is flashing on,
it's flashing on,
flashing on.

I've been trying to reach you,
But your extension cord wouldn't reach that far,
Wouldn't reach that far,
Reach that far.

(Doesn't reach that far)



Lyrics submitted by breakmylimbs, edited by pixelcreme

Track duration: 03:23


Dear Child (I've Been Dying To Reach You) song meanings
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18 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:When analyzing this song, my first thought was that this was written from a teen dad's point of view about the mom, who is now broken up with, keeps their child away from him even though he loves his child. And then, the reunion between him and his long lost child.
    "I'm weary, I'm not quite rested yet"- Referencing to how in the first few weeks after a child is born, they are up at all hours and the parents get no sleep. And since he's not been allowed to see his child, he's been up stressed about it so he's not rested, and won't be until he sees him/her.

    "I've been trying to reach you, but my extension cord wouldn't reach that far"- He wanted to reach out, but the "extension cord"- aka the mother- wouldn't let him.

    "I've been patiently waiting; the indicator light is flashing on"- He wants to see his child

    "Dear sleeper, you could have had the better bed"- How he feels he would have been a better parent than the mother but was unrightfully written off. In teenage pregnancies, the fathers often get a bad rap for being deadbeats and not caring about the child, but he's the opposite in this situation.

    "I loved to watch the way you grew" - He loved to see his child grow and develop. He loves his child.

    "We've been treading air"- the reunion of father and child

    That's just my way of seeing it. I could be way off, but that's my two cents.
    Flag GrenadeJumperon April 02, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:From the first time I heard this song I thought about being lost at sea. Maybe you can see it too. Here's maybe a little back story to my theory. Two persons are lost at sea from what ever circumstance (i.e. left behind on a snorkeling trip) and this is basically a scene while being lost where one person is recalling memories having flash backs and forwards in the delirium while still maintaining a grip of what is happening at that very moment.

    Dear child, they're asking us to move
    I watched her taking off her shoes - (A flashback to before they were lost, taking off shoes in order to get into the water)

    Let the shore tide take you in, let the shore tide in - (Perhaps an instruction given should they become lost)

    I'm weary, I'm not quite rested yet
    This could be obvious to you - (They've been lost at sea)

    Let the shore tide take you in, let the shore tide in - (A repeated line as if to instill it's truth or repeated in one's head)

    In this shore tide, we've been treading in - (Describing the current situation)

    I've been trying to reach you,
    But my extension cord wouldn't reach that far
    (Reach that far) - (Sounds as if a rescue was attempted. Most life jackets have life lines attached that trail in the water so that comrades wouldn't have to be separated, but the cord is only so long..)


    I've been patiently waiting - (Waiting to see if the tide will bring them back closer.)

    The indicator light is flashing on
    (Flashing on) - (Again most life jackets are equipped with indicator beacons and sonar to be detected by rescue vessels or aircraft.)
    Dear sleeper, you couldn't find a better bed - (They fell asleep in the tide from shear exhaustion or perhaps a coma as mentioned later)

    I loved to watch the way you groove - (A sick joke to shed any type of positive light on a completely hopeless situation. Almost as if the indicator light is bobbing about with the motion of the waves simulation a dance of sorts, also mentioned later)

    We're at, we're at the door
    We're at, we're at the door - (At the door of death)

    In this shore tide, we've been treading in.

    I've been trying to reach you,
    But your extension cord doesn't reach that far
    (Doesn't reach that far)
    (Reach that far)
    I've been patiently waiting,
    The indicator light is flashing on
    (It's flashing on)
    (Flashing on)

    In this coma, sleepless dancing - (As mentioned from above)
    We've been treading in

    I've been trying to reach you
    But your extension cord wouldn't reach that far,
    Doesn't reach that far,
    Reach that far.
    I've been desperately waiting
    The indicator light is flashing on,
    It's flashing on,
    Flashing on.

    I've been trying to reach you,
    But your extension cord wouldn't reach that far,
    Wouldn't reach that far,
    Reach that far.

    (Doesn't reach that far)

    So that is simply my take. I in no right mean for this to be the "correct" interpretation. It's just something I couldn't help but feel.

    Cheers
    Flag Ekoldron August 18, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I watched an interview once, and they specifically asked him about this song's lyrics,
    and I swear to you he said, "Dear sleeper, you couldn't find a better bed."
    Here's the interview/acoustic music video link where he says that:
    youtube.com/…
    Flag lindseyleighon May 27, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:anthony green 4 god
    Flag Kidmastermindon April 29, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:its about a childhood relationship....they have been separated for so many years and he is trying to reach that lover again.
    Flag giaraon April 11, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i thought this song was about his daughter but the girl killing herself thing works too
    Flag moshtradomuson October 04, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:it's about his girlfriend killing herself.
    she hung herself with an extension cord.
    Flag Sarbear2589on October 01, 2008   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:this is such a great song, about 2 people fighting, and both wanna talk about it but either can bring themselves to actually make the first move...their extension chords couldnt reach that far...
    Flag Dub2on September 22, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i like the original version better...
    Flag gengen319on September 05, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I've been listening to this song nonstop lately. It's beautiful.

    Having seen the interview lendmeyourbrain mentioned, I can see that it's from the girl's point of view.

    I'm not going to talk about the meaning. It's been said and it's accurate.

    But the imagery. I can't get the image of two robots on either side of a room from one another. Male and female. In love, but without batteries, only alive because of the plugs in their backs plugged into opposite corners.

    Projecting myself into it a little, the male one is unable to sleep, meanwhile the female has given up trying to reach him by the end of the first chorus. Eventually, the male one keeps dreaming while awake of being with her. By the final chorus, I imagine the male one checking his lack of a battery, backing up to the wall, and making a sprint for the girl, unplugging himself.

    Finally, having his plug torn out, his bodily functions start shutting down. His legs begin to give way halfway across the room, and he falls into her arms. The end of the chorus he's in her arms, and slowly closes his eyes, dead.

    Just thought it was interesting and worthy of sharing.
    Flag Kyhanon September 03, 2008   Link

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