I'm not sure, what this song means, but the way it sounds just makes me want to cry every time. It's such a perfect song. I think the Decemberists are probably the greatest band of all time. Anyway, here's my guess as to what it means:
I'm sure this is wrong, but I think each of the three verses as somehow relating to the relationship between the narrator and the person he loves.
I think the first stanza is a metaphor. Your ankle links two things, your foot and your leg. this allows you to walk. The narrator is saying that their relationship is like that, since it is what is joining the two of them and it keeps them going through their lives and any troubles that they have.
The second stanza could be about the way you respect someone you feel a bond with. The girl felt a strong bond with her uncle because he was a family member, even though she never knew him. Because of this, even when she found his secret hideout, her feelings of respect and admiration for her uncle led her to not reveal his secrets. This is how the narrator feels about the girl. He loves and cares for her, and would never do anything to harm her (telling secrets, etc.).
The third stanza is comparing their relationship to those she had with other people, saying that the narrator is just another one of those boys, but that he recognizes what they did wrong and that their relationship will not end the way the others did.
These are the words that led me to my conclusion: "This is the story of..." It seems to me that their relationship is metaphorically the story of her ankle, her uncle, or her previous lovers.
Anyway, this is without a doubt one of the most incredible songs I have ever heard. This is the only song that could rival Everlong by the Foo Fighters (the live, acoustic version from Skin and Bones) as the greatest love song ever written. The Decemberists definitely don't get nearly enough credit from most people.
I'm not sure, what this song means, but the way it sounds just makes me want to cry every time. It's such a perfect song. I think the Decemberists are probably the greatest band of all time. Anyway, here's my guess as to what it means:
I'm sure this is wrong, but I think each of the three verses as somehow relating to the relationship between the narrator and the person he loves.
I think the first stanza is a metaphor. Your ankle links two things, your foot and your leg. this allows you to walk. The narrator is saying that their relationship is like that, since it is what is joining the two of them and it keeps them going through their lives and any troubles that they have.
The second stanza could be about the way you respect someone you feel a bond with. The girl felt a strong bond with her uncle because he was a family member, even though she never knew him. Because of this, even when she found his secret hideout, her feelings of respect and admiration for her uncle led her to not reveal his secrets. This is how the narrator feels about the girl. He loves and cares for her, and would never do anything to harm her (telling secrets, etc.).
The third stanza is comparing their relationship to those she had with other people, saying that the narrator is just another one of those boys, but that he recognizes what they did wrong and that their relationship will not end the way the others did.
These are the words that led me to my conclusion: "This is the story of..." It seems to me that their relationship is metaphorically the story of her ankle, her uncle, or her previous lovers.
Anyway, this is without a doubt one of the most incredible songs I have ever heard. This is the only song that could rival Everlong by the Foo Fighters (the live, acoustic version from Skin and Bones) as the greatest love song ever written. The Decemberists definitely don't get nearly enough credit from most people.