There are no words to describe my feelings when I listen to this song, it's just so damn perfect, man. And I think the reason why it's so perfect is because its lyrics are so simple, so repetitive, yet the meaning still resonates deeper than you can imagine.
So, the literal meaning would probably be this: in some random interview I came across a couple of days ago, zach Condon said he wrote this album when he finally felt like he settled somewhere for the first time in his life after his adventure in Europe (where beiruts previous albums were written in). And this song and the central meaning of the entire album is about just that, finding the rip tide and just finally finding a true home. I'm pretty sure he settled in new York, and that's where the song "east Harlem" comes from, which is also from this album.
However, I'm pretty sure Zach Condon nor most artists want the lyrics of a song to be confined to their own personal experiences, but instead want the listeners to relate to the lyrics in their own unique way--that's why most lyrics are so obscure. So, I feel like it's especially important to make your own personal meaning when listening to this song, since the lyrics are so open-ended. Mine would be feeling like I've finally found an internal meaning or purpose in life. When he talks about feeling alone in a house, I personally take it as a non-literal manner since I literally do feel alone everyday since my sister left for college this year. And, you know I have a history of chronic depression and I have been feeling down for a while now. But when I first listened to this song and felt his vocals just seep deep inside of me, I felt an odd peace of some kind, like I knew something more. And that's what the rip tide is for me, that internal place of knowing.
but that's just me.
also, on a side note, I'm pretty sure some of lyrics are wrong: it's supposed to be "so the waves and i....." not "soon the waves and i....''
There are no words to describe my feelings when I listen to this song, it's just so damn perfect, man. And I think the reason why it's so perfect is because its lyrics are so simple, so repetitive, yet the meaning still resonates deeper than you can imagine. So, the literal meaning would probably be this: in some random interview I came across a couple of days ago, zach Condon said he wrote this album when he finally felt like he settled somewhere for the first time in his life after his adventure in Europe (where beiruts previous albums were written in). And this song and the central meaning of the entire album is about just that, finding the rip tide and just finally finding a true home. I'm pretty sure he settled in new York, and that's where the song "east Harlem" comes from, which is also from this album. However, I'm pretty sure Zach Condon nor most artists want the lyrics of a song to be confined to their own personal experiences, but instead want the listeners to relate to the lyrics in their own unique way--that's why most lyrics are so obscure. So, I feel like it's especially important to make your own personal meaning when listening to this song, since the lyrics are so open-ended. Mine would be feeling like I've finally found an internal meaning or purpose in life. When he talks about feeling alone in a house, I personally take it as a non-literal manner since I literally do feel alone everyday since my sister left for college this year. And, you know I have a history of chronic depression and I have been feeling down for a while now. But when I first listened to this song and felt his vocals just seep deep inside of me, I felt an odd peace of some kind, like I knew something more. And that's what the rip tide is for me, that internal place of knowing. but that's just me.
also, on a side note, I'm pretty sure some of lyrics are wrong: it's supposed to be "so the waves and i....." not "soon the waves and i....''