To me, this song tells the tale of someone who gives so much of her self to another that her own essence is eventually lost.
The story starts by describing previous relationships in which her partners seem to have been abusive and coercive, and/or tried to win her love with material things. She feels no deep connection to any of these people, and her relationship with each of them fails.
She does, however, meet someone at last that she feels is worthy of her love and devotion. Without realizing it, she comes to exist only for and through this person-- blind to his flaws, and so completely and unquestioningly committed to helping him "shine" that she loses all sense of her own identity.. her value as an individual. And so, when this person ends up leaving her, she is merely an empty husk with no purpose; no energy left to sustain her.
Incidentally, it reminds me a bit of poet Shel Silverstein's story of The Giving Tree. So very, very sad...
I really like your interpretation of this song. I heard it ever since I was a kid and didn't think much about the lyrics. Now it is making me think of how people usually either have someone fall in love with them, or fall in love with someone, and how rarely it's reciprocal.
I really like your interpretation of this song. I heard it ever since I was a kid and didn't think much about the lyrics. Now it is making me think of how people usually either have someone fall in love with them, or fall in love with someone, and how rarely it's reciprocal.
And The Giving Tree. It always bothered me that people thought it was a happy story, when it's about someone who takes and takes and doesn't even really think of the one who gives them so much.
And The Giving Tree. It always bothered me that people thought it was a happy story, when it's about someone who takes and takes and doesn't even really think of the one who gives them so much.
To me, this song tells the tale of someone who gives so much of her self to another that her own essence is eventually lost.
The story starts by describing previous relationships in which her partners seem to have been abusive and coercive, and/or tried to win her love with material things. She feels no deep connection to any of these people, and her relationship with each of them fails.
She does, however, meet someone at last that she feels is worthy of her love and devotion. Without realizing it, she comes to exist only for and through this person-- blind to his flaws, and so completely and unquestioningly committed to helping him "shine" that she loses all sense of her own identity.. her value as an individual. And so, when this person ends up leaving her, she is merely an empty husk with no purpose; no energy left to sustain her.
Incidentally, it reminds me a bit of poet Shel Silverstein's story of The Giving Tree. So very, very sad...
I really like your interpretation of this song. I heard it ever since I was a kid and didn't think much about the lyrics. Now it is making me think of how people usually either have someone fall in love with them, or fall in love with someone, and how rarely it's reciprocal.
I really like your interpretation of this song. I heard it ever since I was a kid and didn't think much about the lyrics. Now it is making me think of how people usually either have someone fall in love with them, or fall in love with someone, and how rarely it's reciprocal.
And The Giving Tree. It always bothered me that people thought it was a happy story, when it's about someone who takes and takes and doesn't even really think of the one who gives them so much.
And The Giving Tree. It always bothered me that people thought it was a happy story, when it's about someone who takes and takes and doesn't even really think of the one who gives them so much.