It's a very personal song to Thom, as he wrote it during the OKC sessions, and was prompted by the depression he was suffering through, at the time.
Notice how emotive his performances are, every time he plays the song?
I have no doubt that depression was the original 'muse' behind the song.
I too (also years ago), went through a period of clinical depression, and he articulates the internal panic one feels, at the possibility of being left alone to wallow in one's own negative thoughts/emotions (in an endless, cyclical nature) in a beautifully heavy-hearted manner,
"I can't face the evening straight"
But, he is speaking to someone close to him (probably his partner), asking them to spare him from this moment of pain/weakness, by keeping him company,
"You can offer me escape"
All of his surroundings only compound his negative thoughts,
"Appliances have gone berserk
I can not keep up
Treading on people's toes
Snot-nosed little punk
/
Houses move and houses speak"
(notice how the latter line is similar to a line in Street Spirit, "rows of houses, are beraing down on me, I can feel their blue jands touching me" - recalling the types of associations he has with the things that get him down).
He pleads with his lover to embrace him, so they can share the burden (which he also imagines she can relate to herself),
"If you take me then you'll get relief"
He doesn't care what they talk about, as long as he can keep his mind busy and distracted (the subject is unimportant, he just wants her company, and to show she's there for him),
"And if I'm gonna talk
I just wanna talk
Please don't interrupt
Just sit back and listen"
It gets to the point where one becomes unable to ignore the overwhelming sensation, if left to one's own devises,
"It's too much
Too bright
Too powerful".
That was all a little rushed, but I hope you get the gist.
It's about depression.
It's a very personal song to Thom, as he wrote it during the OKC sessions, and was prompted by the depression he was suffering through, at the time. Notice how emotive his performances are, every time he plays the song?
I have no doubt that depression was the original 'muse' behind the song. I too (also years ago), went through a period of clinical depression, and he articulates the internal panic one feels, at the possibility of being left alone to wallow in one's own negative thoughts/emotions (in an endless, cyclical nature) in a beautifully heavy-hearted manner, "I can't face the evening straight"
But, he is speaking to someone close to him (probably his partner), asking them to spare him from this moment of pain/weakness, by keeping him company, "You can offer me escape"
All of his surroundings only compound his negative thoughts, "Appliances have gone berserk I can not keep up Treading on people's toes Snot-nosed little punk / Houses move and houses speak"
(notice how the latter line is similar to a line in Street Spirit, "rows of houses, are beraing down on me, I can feel their blue jands touching me" - recalling the types of associations he has with the things that get him down). He pleads with his lover to embrace him, so they can share the burden (which he also imagines she can relate to herself), "If you take me then you'll get relief"
He doesn't care what they talk about, as long as he can keep his mind busy and distracted (the subject is unimportant, he just wants her company, and to show she's there for him), "And if I'm gonna talk I just wanna talk Please don't interrupt Just sit back and listen"
It gets to the point where one becomes unable to ignore the overwhelming sensation, if left to one's own devises, "It's too much Too bright Too powerful".
Yes, I think your interpretation is spot on!
Yes, I think your interpretation is spot on!