After learning that Justin said this song is about the pain of past relationships making their way into new ones brings a whole new perspective to the song for me!
I almost feel like he's talking to himself. Both people that are living inside of his heart, the broken one and the one that is trying to hard to move on. So often we let the broken one lead our lives and sabatoge future happiness so he's trying to hold onto his small ability to love, skinny love, and get through the hurt that still harbors in his heart.
"pour a little salt, we were never here" is a defense mechanism just trying to erase someone from your mind, the past love still haunting you.
"i tell my love to wreck it all, to cut all the ropes and let me fall" again a self-sabatoging act. So stuck on the fact that the former lover couldn't love you that you push away anyone else that might come close to making you so vulnerable again.
I hear the chorus as a self-mantra, said in the mirror:
I told you to be patient
I told you to be fine
I told you to be balanced
I told you to be kind
In the morning I'll be with you
But it will be a different "kind"
I'll be holding all the tickets
And you'll be owning all the fines
He is talking to both people inside. Asking himself to be patient, fine, balanced, and kind even though the hurt part usually wins out. He will wake up and be better and he will own up to the past yet leave the hurt or "fines" behind. He wants to be stronger....
The most gripping part of the song is "Now all your love was wasted? Well then who the hell was I?" Almost like a flashback to this past love.....that one thought we have that makes us cringe immediately with hurt.....Bringing him back to that sad vulnerable place
and it ends with him still wounded....hopeless...afraid he'll always be his own worst enemy as he pushes away love because of the past. Because some won't fight too hard for love, after awhile most will just fall far behind:
Who will love you?
Who will fight?
Who will fall far behind?
Brilliant song, brilliant lyrics, amazing all together
May I first start my expressing my entire love for this song - truly fantastic in everyway.... I'm afraid that I don't have anything to add to the meaning of the song, simply because I believe all points have been covered.
May I first start my expressing my entire love for this song - truly fantastic in everyway.... I'm afraid that I don't have anything to add to the meaning of the song, simply because I believe all points have been covered.
One small point that I do have to say is this....
One small point that I do have to say is this....
Skinny love has received 45 posts from people obviously passionate about Bon Iver's lyrics. Fair shout, the man is clearly incredible.
Skinny love has received 45 posts from people obviously passionate about Bon Iver's lyrics. Fair shout, the man is clearly incredible.
However, I recently searched Bonnie "Prince" Billie's song, Cursed Sleep, to find a mere 2 posts...
However, I recently searched Bonnie "Prince" Billie's song, Cursed Sleep, to find a mere 2 posts...
Now I'm from England and I find artists like Bon Iver and Bonnie "Prince" Billie to be clear foundations of what America truly has to present to the world, completely contradicting all the small-minded peasants that happily follow an ignorant fraternity of people that find America to be a threatening country and therefore some sort of enemy.
Bon Iver has a wonderful story surrounding a truly amazing album... However, Bonnie "Prince" Billie has a wonderful album developing into an amazing story....
So my rather drawn out point is this.... PLEASE listen to Cursed Sleep by Bonnie "Prince" Billie and comment on his song.
I'm sure it seems so ridiculous that one man can be so passionate about a seemingly trivial fact, but this man's music has affected me in a big way and I would really like to see the backing from his home country that he truly deserves.
I absolutely love this song! definately my favourite this year.
I absolutely love this song! definately my favourite this year.
Alot of people have put what they think the song is about, usually about relationship troubles and the term 'skinny love' is refering to the amount of love in the relationship, or it is the nickname for the mans partner.
Alot of people have put what they think the song is about, usually about relationship troubles and the term 'skinny love' is refering to the amount of love in the relationship, or it is the nickname for the mans partner.
When i first heard the song i thought it was about suicide, i know a bad thought, but the lyrics 'Sink of blood' gave me that idea, silly really. But i also thought that it might be about a fathers daughter who is suffering from an eating disorder, maybe, and it could have been about their parents being woried about them. just an idea.
The Skinny Love refers to his own inability to love completely (which is why it is skinny). He says in the interview posted by djfrisk that the song is not about who you think its about. He is pleading with himself to be able to hold on to this other person enough to "last the year." But, as he says later, "In the moment, this order's tall."
The Skinny Love refers to his own inability to love completely (which is why it is skinny). He says in the interview posted by djfrisk that the song is not about who you think its about. He is pleading with himself to be able to hold on to this other person enough to "last the year." But, as he says later, "In the moment, this order's tall."
The chorus is so sad because he is showing how he has led this other person on a wild goose chase, telling her (presumably) that if she is patient, if she fixes this or that about herself, things will work out. But the brilliant line "I'll be holding all the tickets/ You'll be owing all the fines" shows that he knows that he is the one who will screw up, and she is the one who will pay. Startlingly honest, but I think that is the quality that makes these songs so great.
Yes, I also interpreted the "pour a little salt" line as evoking an image of salting the land so that it would infertile, thus killing any memory of the relationship and any memory of it, so "we were never here".
Yes, I also interpreted the "pour a little salt" line as evoking an image of salting the land so that it would infertile, thus killing any memory of the relationship and any memory of it, so "we were never here".
Yes it is all about the pain we get from relationships, but I feel like this is an experience based on his dad or to someone who is really close with him.
Yes it is all about the pain we get from relationships, but I feel like this is an experience based on his dad or to someone who is really close with him.
He was trying to tell us their part of the story. I felt such sad vibe in this song but for some reason, I don't believe that its coming from him but from someone else rather.
He was trying to tell us their part of the story. I felt such sad vibe in this song but for some reason, I don't believe that its coming from him but from someone else rather.
@lyriclover81
I really like your interpretation. Something you may find interesting though is why Vernon begs himself to be patient, fine, balanced, and kind. In the Bible, in Corinthians, love is defined:
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud"
It matches up nicely with the chorus, so maybe Vernon wishes he could feel a true love for another.
@lyriclover81
I really like your interpretation. Something you may find interesting though is why Vernon begs himself to be patient, fine, balanced, and kind. In the Bible, in Corinthians, love is defined:
"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud"
It matches up nicely with the chorus, so maybe Vernon wishes he could feel a true love for another.
After learning that Justin said this song is about the pain of past relationships making their way into new ones brings a whole new perspective to the song for me!
I almost feel like he's talking to himself. Both people that are living inside of his heart, the broken one and the one that is trying to hard to move on. So often we let the broken one lead our lives and sabatoge future happiness so he's trying to hold onto his small ability to love, skinny love, and get through the hurt that still harbors in his heart.
"pour a little salt, we were never here" is a defense mechanism just trying to erase someone from your mind, the past love still haunting you.
"i tell my love to wreck it all, to cut all the ropes and let me fall" again a self-sabatoging act. So stuck on the fact that the former lover couldn't love you that you push away anyone else that might come close to making you so vulnerable again.
I hear the chorus as a self-mantra, said in the mirror: I told you to be patient I told you to be fine I told you to be balanced I told you to be kind In the morning I'll be with you But it will be a different "kind" I'll be holding all the tickets And you'll be owning all the fines
He is talking to both people inside. Asking himself to be patient, fine, balanced, and kind even though the hurt part usually wins out. He will wake up and be better and he will own up to the past yet leave the hurt or "fines" behind. He wants to be stronger....
The most gripping part of the song is "Now all your love was wasted? Well then who the hell was I?" Almost like a flashback to this past love.....that one thought we have that makes us cringe immediately with hurt.....Bringing him back to that sad vulnerable place
and it ends with him still wounded....hopeless...afraid he'll always be his own worst enemy as he pushes away love because of the past. Because some won't fight too hard for love, after awhile most will just fall far behind:
Who will love you? Who will fight? Who will fall far behind?
Brilliant song, brilliant lyrics, amazing all together
Hello all,
Hello all,
May I first start my expressing my entire love for this song - truly fantastic in everyway.... I'm afraid that I don't have anything to add to the meaning of the song, simply because I believe all points have been covered.
May I first start my expressing my entire love for this song - truly fantastic in everyway.... I'm afraid that I don't have anything to add to the meaning of the song, simply because I believe all points have been covered.
One small point that I do have to say is this....
One small point that I do have to say is this....
Skinny love has received 45 posts from people obviously passionate about Bon Iver's lyrics. Fair shout, the man is clearly incredible.
Skinny love has received 45 posts from people obviously passionate about Bon Iver's lyrics. Fair shout, the man is clearly incredible.
However, I recently searched Bonnie "Prince" Billie's song, Cursed Sleep, to find a mere 2 posts...
However, I recently searched Bonnie "Prince" Billie's song, Cursed Sleep, to find a mere 2 posts...
Now I'm from England and I find artists like Bon Iver and Bonnie "Prince" Billie to be clear foundations of what America truly has to present to the world, completely contradicting all the small-minded peasants that happily follow an ignorant fraternity of people that find America to be a threatening country and therefore some sort of enemy.
Bon Iver has a wonderful story surrounding a truly amazing album... However, Bonnie "Prince" Billie has a wonderful album developing into an amazing story....
So my rather drawn out point is this.... PLEASE listen to Cursed Sleep by Bonnie "Prince" Billie and comment on his song.
I'm sure it seems so ridiculous that one man can be so passionate about a seemingly trivial fact, but this man's music has affected me in a big way and I would really like to see the backing from his home country that he truly deserves.
Feel free to comment/shoot me down where I stand.
D.
OOPS
OOPS
Before getting on my soapbox, I really should learn how to spell Bonnie "Prince" BillY...
Before getting on my soapbox, I really should learn how to spell Bonnie "Prince" BillY...
My apologies, please don't let my lack of attention to detail defer you from the point in hand.
My apologies, please don't let my lack of attention to detail defer you from the point in hand.
X
X
I absolutely love this song! definately my favourite this year.
I absolutely love this song! definately my favourite this year.
Alot of people have put what they think the song is about, usually about relationship troubles and the term 'skinny love' is refering to the amount of love in the relationship, or it is the nickname for the mans partner.
Alot of people have put what they think the song is about, usually about relationship troubles and the term 'skinny love' is refering to the amount of love in the relationship, or it is the nickname for the mans partner.
When i first heard the song i thought it was about suicide, i know a bad thought, but the lyrics 'Sink of blood' gave me that idea, silly really. But i also thought that it might be about a fathers daughter who is suffering from an eating disorder, maybe, and it could have been about their parents being woried about them. just an idea.
The Skinny Love refers to his own inability to love completely (which is why it is skinny). He says in the interview posted by djfrisk that the song is not about who you think its about. He is pleading with himself to be able to hold on to this other person enough to "last the year." But, as he says later, "In the moment, this order's tall."
The Skinny Love refers to his own inability to love completely (which is why it is skinny). He says in the interview posted by djfrisk that the song is not about who you think its about. He is pleading with himself to be able to hold on to this other person enough to "last the year." But, as he says later, "In the moment, this order's tall."
The chorus is so sad because he is showing how he has led this other person on a wild goose chase, telling her (presumably) that if she is patient, if she fixes this or that about herself, things will work out. But the brilliant line "I'll be holding all the tickets/ You'll be owing all the fines" shows that he knows that he is the one who will screw up, and she is the one who will pay. Startlingly honest, but I think that is the quality that makes these songs so great.
I agree with you, lyriclover81! :)
I agree with you, lyriclover81! :)
Yes, I also interpreted the "pour a little salt" line as evoking an image of salting the land so that it would infertile, thus killing any memory of the relationship and any memory of it, so "we were never here".
Yes, I also interpreted the "pour a little salt" line as evoking an image of salting the land so that it would infertile, thus killing any memory of the relationship and any memory of it, so "we were never here".
Yes it is all about the pain we get from relationships, but I feel like this is an experience based on his dad or to someone who is really close with him.
Yes it is all about the pain we get from relationships, but I feel like this is an experience based on his dad or to someone who is really close with him.
He was trying to tell us their part of the story. I felt such sad vibe in this song but for some reason, I don't believe that its coming from him but from someone else rather.
He was trying to tell us their part of the story. I felt such sad vibe in this song but for some reason, I don't believe that its coming from him but from someone else rather.
@lyriclover81 I really like your interpretation. Something you may find interesting though is why Vernon begs himself to be patient, fine, balanced, and kind. In the Bible, in Corinthians, love is defined: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud" It matches up nicely with the chorus, so maybe Vernon wishes he could feel a true love for another.
@lyriclover81 I really like your interpretation. Something you may find interesting though is why Vernon begs himself to be patient, fine, balanced, and kind. In the Bible, in Corinthians, love is defined: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud" It matches up nicely with the chorus, so maybe Vernon wishes he could feel a true love for another.