This song has become a bittersweet addiction to me. My read on "Love is All" seems to deviate from what most of you are saying. Here's hoping that doesn't make me dumb!
I think the song is from the perspective of a person struggling with either an intelligent sociopathy or mild psychopathy. He tries being a valid and innocuous member of society, but with little sustained success. He's introspective and currently in touch with some of his empathy before losing it again. He's experiencing the last moments of the the calm before another period of mental turmoil. Perhaps my interpretation does overlap with those of you who are saying it's about a breakup. I think perhaps the song is being sung to the one person who was able to help him think he could be better, but no longer has that ability as he becomes more consumed in his more real connection with hopelessness and destruction.
"I walk upon the river like it's easier than land"
When he's trying to, accomplishing things that appear impressive is easier for this person than the simple day-to-day things he see others doing with ease. He gets credit for being an extraordinary individual, but struggles with what should be natural to him (connection, relationships, love).
"Evil's in my pocket and your will/strength is in my hand"
He will always have it in him to be a bad person, but he's trying, hard, to be good because of the person he's singing to.
"Love is all, from what I've heard, but my heart's meant to kill"
He has to take the best part of being human on faith because he does not experience the same joys everyone else seems to. What he feels is the darkness which makes him harmful.
"And now spikes will keep on falling from the heavens to the floor
The future was our skin and now we don't dream anymore"
We are disillusioned. We were idealistic and optimistic when we were young and inexperienced. Life is filled with more pain than we had realized.
"Like a house made from spider webs and the clouds rolling in
I bet this mighty river's both my savior and my sin"
His version of the security others have in a relationship/ties to others is flimsy and won't withstand his next period of depression or violence, which he feels coming on. Perhaps ending it all could be both his best and worst moves at once.
"And I'll throw it/you in the current that I stand upon so still"
The current = violence and destruction, either physical or emotional. He can navigate situations where he is attacking, assaulting or destroying something without the madness of the action disquieting his mind.
Stand upon so still = not phased by what he's doing/experiencing.
Throwing it/you in the current = How he deals with the things that bring him struggle. The person he's singing to is no longer sacred by the end of the song, despite his/her former good influence. Where s/he may have tried to bring the singer over to the side where a normal life feels good, things have transitioned to a perspective wherein the singer destroying the person he's singing to could feel just as normal.
His submission to the crying is the most powerful part of this song to me. He doesn't try to control them because from his experience there's no way to stop them, even if he did understand them fully.
Titling the entire narrative "Love is All" makes it sound even more hopeless, if truly he cannot feel any of it. If love is everything, and he cannot make himself feel love, he knows he exists and struggles for nothing.
So sad, from my point of view. Thanks, Mr. Birbiglia.
oh my god, i have never been able to put into words what i feel like some of the times, but u have made that for me.
the explanation u give to "I walk upon the river like it's easier than land" is amazing, its like you have known me forever .
thank you.
oh my god, i have never been able to put into words what i feel like some of the times, but u have made that for me.
the explanation u give to "I walk upon the river like it's easier than land" is amazing, its like you have known me forever .
thank you.
I very much enjoyed reading your perspective on the song.
I very much enjoyed reading your perspective on the song.
The part where i have a differing view is,
"Here come the tears, But like always, I let them go"
Your interpretation is that he cant hold the tears back. The use of 'But' suggests to me that he just lets the tears and the emotions pass by, because of his inability to show or feel his emotions in the normal way.
I still haven't decided which meaning i believe to be true myself.
The part where i have a differing view is,
"Here come the tears, But like always, I let them go"
Your interpretation is that he cant hold the tears back. The use of 'But' suggests to me that he just lets the tears and the emotions pass by, because of his inability to show or feel his emotions in the normal way.
I still haven't decided which meaning i believe to be true myself.
This song has become a bittersweet addiction to me. My read on "Love is All" seems to deviate from what most of you are saying. Here's hoping that doesn't make me dumb!
I think the song is from the perspective of a person struggling with either an intelligent sociopathy or mild psychopathy. He tries being a valid and innocuous member of society, but with little sustained success. He's introspective and currently in touch with some of his empathy before losing it again. He's experiencing the last moments of the the calm before another period of mental turmoil. Perhaps my interpretation does overlap with those of you who are saying it's about a breakup. I think perhaps the song is being sung to the one person who was able to help him think he could be better, but no longer has that ability as he becomes more consumed in his more real connection with hopelessness and destruction.
"I walk upon the river like it's easier than land" When he's trying to, accomplishing things that appear impressive is easier for this person than the simple day-to-day things he see others doing with ease. He gets credit for being an extraordinary individual, but struggles with what should be natural to him (connection, relationships, love).
"Evil's in my pocket and your will/strength is in my hand" He will always have it in him to be a bad person, but he's trying, hard, to be good because of the person he's singing to.
"Love is all, from what I've heard, but my heart's meant to kill" He has to take the best part of being human on faith because he does not experience the same joys everyone else seems to. What he feels is the darkness which makes him harmful.
"And now spikes will keep on falling from the heavens to the floor The future was our skin and now we don't dream anymore" We are disillusioned. We were idealistic and optimistic when we were young and inexperienced. Life is filled with more pain than we had realized.
"Like a house made from spider webs and the clouds rolling in I bet this mighty river's both my savior and my sin" His version of the security others have in a relationship/ties to others is flimsy and won't withstand his next period of depression or violence, which he feels coming on. Perhaps ending it all could be both his best and worst moves at once.
"And I'll throw it/you in the current that I stand upon so still" The current = violence and destruction, either physical or emotional. He can navigate situations where he is attacking, assaulting or destroying something without the madness of the action disquieting his mind.
Stand upon so still = not phased by what he's doing/experiencing.
Throwing it/you in the current = How he deals with the things that bring him struggle. The person he's singing to is no longer sacred by the end of the song, despite his/her former good influence. Where s/he may have tried to bring the singer over to the side where a normal life feels good, things have transitioned to a perspective wherein the singer destroying the person he's singing to could feel just as normal.
His submission to the crying is the most powerful part of this song to me. He doesn't try to control them because from his experience there's no way to stop them, even if he did understand them fully.
Titling the entire narrative "Love is All" makes it sound even more hopeless, if truly he cannot feel any of it. If love is everything, and he cannot make himself feel love, he knows he exists and struggles for nothing.
So sad, from my point of view. Thanks, Mr. Birbiglia.
oh my god, i have never been able to put into words what i feel like some of the times, but u have made that for me. the explanation u give to "I walk upon the river like it's easier than land" is amazing, its like you have known me forever . thank you.
oh my god, i have never been able to put into words what i feel like some of the times, but u have made that for me. the explanation u give to "I walk upon the river like it's easier than land" is amazing, its like you have known me forever . thank you.
I very much enjoyed reading your perspective on the song.
I very much enjoyed reading your perspective on the song.
The part where i have a differing view is, "Here come the tears, But like always, I let them go" Your interpretation is that he cant hold the tears back. The use of 'But' suggests to me that he just lets the tears and the emotions pass by, because of his inability to show or feel his emotions in the normal way. I still haven't decided which meaning i believe to be true myself.
The part where i have a differing view is, "Here come the tears, But like always, I let them go" Your interpretation is that he cant hold the tears back. The use of 'But' suggests to me that he just lets the tears and the emotions pass by, because of his inability to show or feel his emotions in the normal way. I still haven't decided which meaning i believe to be true myself.