I always thought that I'd move further from
Further and further and further and even further from
The very people closest to me
I see these in daydreams

And like so many other things
It happened
Slowly happened
And without notice I've become someone who's out of reach
I'm as much to blame

But I don't want to sound as though I'm wishing
Always wanting
Always hoping
I had not made the choices I have made
Because what's in that?
One is gained
One lost

And still to say I've made grave mistakes
And every upon every upon every
I think about and hope it's all worked out to either end
What acts
What cost

Cannot be destroyed with a friend's ring at the side
Don't break ties that hold them round the ring
Don't break

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Panda Bear's song Friendship Bracelet speaks about the distance or disconnect that can occur within friendships over time. The first few lines suggest that the singer has moved away from the people closest to them, both physically and emotionally. However, they still have daydreams about them, which could indicate that they are not completely disconnected or indifferent. The following lines suggest that this disconnection happened gradually and without warning. It also implies that the singer is somewhat responsible for the distance that has formed between them and their friends.

The next few lines are introspective and hint at regret for the choices that the singer has made that led to the disconnection. They also acknowledge the inevitability of losing and gaining things in life. However, these losses and gains are not reason enough to wish to undo past choices. The singer seems to be grappling with the idea that they have made mistakes, but they also understand that every decision comes with both advantages and disadvantages. The last two lines of the lyrics refer to a friendship bracelet, which serves as a symbol of the ties that bind friends together. The lines suggest that these ties should not be broken, and that friends should hold onto each other, even when they are physically apart.

Line by Line Meaning

I always thought that I'd move further from
I once believed that distance was the best solution to my problems

Further and further and further and even further from
I thought that by moving away, I would eventually escape all of my issues

The very people closest to me
Ironically, I was trying to escape from the people who cared about me most

I see these in daydreams
These thoughts would constantly occupy my mind, even when I was sleeping

And like so many other things
This pattern of behavior is common among many people

It happened
I gradually distanced myself from my loved ones, without even realizing it

Slowly happened
This process took place over a long period of time

And without notice I've become someone who's out of reach
As a result, I became an unapproachable person, cut off from those who cared about me

I'm as much to blame
I acknowledge that I am partly responsible for the situation

But I don't want to sound as though I'm wishing
However, I don't want to appear as though I regret my decisions

Always wanting
I constantly desire to be somewhere else, or to have made different choices

Always hoping
I am optimistic that things will eventually work out, even though I have not taken the right steps to make that happen

I had not made the choices I have made
If I could go back in time, I might have made different decisions

Because what's in that?
However, it's impossible to know with certainty whether different choices would have led to a better outcome

One is gained
By making the choices I did, I have gained some things

One lost
But I have also lost important things

And still to say I've made grave mistakes
Looking back, I realize that I have made significant errors in judgment

And every upon every upon every
I constantly reflect on these mistakes, and their impact on my life

I think about and hope it's all worked out to either end
I wonder whether these mistakes have ultimately led to a positive or negative outcome

What acts
The things that I have done

What cost
The price that I have paid for those choices

Cannot be destroyed with a friend's ring at the side
No amount of material possessions or friendship bracelets can undo the damage that I have caused

Don't break ties that hold them round the ring
It is important to preserve relationships with loved ones and not allow distance or mistakes to permanently damage those bonds

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