Thirteen Thirtyfive

I read on one of the youtube comments and someone that she had a miscarriage a while back, and that if her daughter were alive when she wrote that song then that's how old she'd be. "You'd be thirteen, I'd be thirty-five."

Strongest taste Loudest drop Head is filled The thought, unlocked

DILLON IS DRINKING OR SMOKING THE GOOD STUFF UNTIL SHE HITS THE FLOOR. NO, SHE'S NOT DEAD YET BUT SOON SHE WILL BE.

You'd be thirteen I'd be thirty-five Gone to find a place for us to hide

DILLON WHO'S IN HER EARLY 20'S IS PREDICTING HER OWN DEATH AT AGE 35, WHEN HER SOUL WILL FINALLY UNITE WITH THE SOUL OF HER UNBORN CHILD. THE LAST LINE IS TALKING ABOUT THE FINAL RESTING PLACE FOR THE BODIES OF MOTHER AND CHILD.

Be together, but alone As the need for it has grown

THE SOULS WILL FINALLY BE UNITED, BUT THE BODIES WILL REST FAR APART DUE TO LIFE'S CIRCUMSTANCES. IT ALSO HINTS THAT THE UNBORN CHILD WHO'S NOW A TEEN MAY WANT SOME TIME ON THEIR OWN AWAY FROM THE MOTHER. DILLON IS ALREADY ACHING THAT SECOND SEPARATION.

A cave or a shed A car or a bed A hole in the ground Or a burial mound A bush or a tree Or the aegean sea, will do for me

DILLON IS SAYING HOW UNIMPORTANT HER OWN BURIAL PLACE IS TO HER.

I can say that you look pretty You turn my legs into spaghetti You set my heart on fire

NOW THESE FEW LINES ARE STOLEN OFF SOMEONE ELSE'S SONG SO NO NEED TO PAY TOO MUCH ATTENTION TO THEIR MEANING, BUT THEY STILL FIT IN WITH THE OVERALL THEME: DILLON IS YEARNING TO SEE WHAT HER UNBORN CHILD WOULD HAVE LOOKED LIKE AT AGE 13. SHE KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT SHE'LL SAY AND HOW SHE'LL FEEL WHEN SHE SEES THEM.

For you I found a vent In the bottom of a coal mine Just enough space for your hands in the inside

DILLON FEELS DEEP REMORSE FOR NOT PROPERLY BURYING HER UNBORN CHILD. IN STARK CONTRAST TO THE DISREGARD OF HER OWN PHYSICAL REMAINS, DILLON IS GOING TO GREAT LENGHS TO DIGNIFY THE LITTLE FETUS REMAINS BURYING IT DEEP UNDERGROUND.

A den or a desert Perhaps an ink squirt A cellar, a wishing well, a war Or a guarantee will do for me

AGAIN, DILLON IS TALKING ABOUT HER OWN DEATH AND HOW IT DOESN'T MATTER UNDER WHAT CIRCUMSTANCES SHE DIES; EVEN IN A WAR (SOME GERMANS STILL FEEL GUILTY ABOUT WW2) OR SOME TERMINAL DISEASE OR UNAVOIDABLE ACCIDENT OR...SUICIDE (A GUARANTEE). SHE DOESN'T EVEN CARE IF HER SONGS/FAME DIE WITH HER (INK SQUIRT).

For you I found a cell On the top floor of a prison Just enough space for you to fit your feet in

DILLON FEELS AS IF SHE'S MENTALLY IN PRISON SO SHE WANTS TO USE THAT QUICK PERSONAL ASSOCIATIVE ATTRIBUTE OF HER PRISON, IMPOSSIBLE TO ESCAPE, TO HER BENEFIT, TO KEEP THE REMAINS OF HER UNBORN CHILD IN A SECLUDED PERMANENT PLACE.

If you go Please let me know

THIS IS NOW TALKING ABOUT THE SOUL OF THE UNBORN CHILD AND THE SOUL OF THE ETERNAL MOTHER WANTING TO FULFILL THE NEED OF BEING A REGULAR MOTHER AND CHILD SPENDING TIME TOGETHER EVEN WHEN THE CHILD IS NOW A TEENAGER.

I'll come running with a heart on fire I'll come running with a heart on fire

WHEREVER THE CHILD SHALL BE, SHE'LL COME RUNNING TO HIS/HER RESCUE, OR JUST TO GIVE THEM HER STRONGEST EMBRACE BEFORE DEPARTING FOR ANY AMOUNT OF TIME.

I personally think this is about a miscarriage.

be together, but alone as the need for it has grown, yeah

that line reminds me of how she misses her baby.

or:

You'd be thirteen i'd be thirty-five

The baby would be thirteen whilst she'd be thirty-five.

This interpretation sucks. But, that's what I think.

I believe she is looking back and singing to herself. She wishes she could comfort the depressed alone child she once was. Wants to tell her everything will be ok I'm here for you.

I personally see it in another way.

I think it's about a girl trying to accept a new lover after being heartbroken. Therefore she's afraid of a new relationship ("A den or a dessert/Perhaps an ink squirt/A cellar, a wishing well, a war/Or a guarantee will do for me"), but at the same time she tries to find a place in her heart for him ("For you I found a cell/On the top floor of a prison/Just enough space for you to fit your feet in/If you go/Do let me know").

What is this song about? I love her voice a lot and the music obviously, but the lyrics are a bit..weird. It gives me the vibe this track is about a paedophil-ish relationship.

BTW I recognized this part from the awesome Jens Lekman's song:

I can say that you look pretty you turn my legs into spaghetti you set my heart on fire

ok so this is my interpretation... i think this song is the story of a girl who had been abused at the age of 21-22... maybe after the girl didnt had the opportunity to make a baby so she's thinking back... this baby she may have aborted would be 13 and she'd be 35... it could also work with the story of a girl who was pregnant at 21-22 and she aborted because she wasnt ready and now she's thinking about it... does it make sense to you?

I interpret this as a grown adult looking back at themselves to their thirteen year old self who suffered abuse. Now that she has grown up she almost wants to comfort her thirteen year old self.

"you'd be thirteen I'd be thirty-five gone to find a place for us to hide

a den or a dessert perhaps an ink squirt a cellar, a wishing well, a war or a guarantee will do for me."

Her mention of 'anywhere' to hide a war, a cellar and a wishing well is a massive give away to show that anywhere would have been preferable to that time. Sometimes memories can be so strong that it can almost take you back.

"Strongest taste loudest drop head is filled the thought, unlocked"

The emphasis on the senses show that she is possibly looking back. The thought is powerful.

I am also trying to decide whether it's a pedophilia type song, or if it is in fact about a baby.

The things that make me believe it is about her child are things such as the obvious "you'd be thirteen I'd be thirtyfive," indicating what the age of the child would be. But also, i think the "If you go, please let me know" is kind of a parent thing. A worrisome need to know where your child is. Also, when she says "I found an air vent in the bottom of a coal mine" ect, it shows that she is willing to do whatever to protect and save that child.

However, I do think this song sounds like she's in love with a 13 year old and she would do anything to be with them. The whole, "together but alone as the need for it has grown" always has made me think of people who are sexually active with each other. You need to be together but not with anyone else because you're doing the nasty. Although this seems like a silly idea to be frank, there have been creepier songs.

I think it's about a woman and her child who died from an abusive husband and father, respectively. They died and the woman has not found peace but her child might have, thus the lyrics " if you go, please let me know." so she could follow or find how to move on as well as the child. She also grew very much protective of the child and finds a place for them to hide every now and again.