LOSING ALL SENSE
Grizzly Bear Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To a memory cut long ago
I could hear all your words echo on down
And then my heart rate dropped to a crawl
Move too fast
Here we are
Can't let go
Take the past
Own your scars
Let it show
Could I ask of you not to cut into me
Dividing all of my body for me
I was left here to go through all the pieces
Nothing more to spare
I keep looking for reasons to come 'round
To make sense of your internal row
It's a maze and there's nothing to be found
It just leads me away from my end goal
Move too fast
Here we are
Can't let go
Take the past
Own your scars
Let it show
Like a rogue wave you
Wash right over me
Losing all sense of what my body could feel
I was able to drift away from here
I have lost all control
The cipher walks alone
The cipher lies so long awake
She can't help
One night to lie so long awake
Just thinking
Just thinking
It's too late
The lyrics of "Losing All Sense" by Grizzly Bear speak to the pain of trying to move on from a past relationship while still feeling tethered to memories of that person. The opening lines, "When I woke up today I was so bound / To a memory cut long ago" express a feeling of being trapped by the past, unable to fully escape the emotional weight of a relationship that has ended. The line "Could I ask of you not to cut into me / Dividing all of my body for me" creates a vivid image of a painful separation, leaving the singer feeling disconnected and fragmented.
The chorus of the song ("Move too fast / Here we are / Can't let go / Take the past / Own your scars / Let it show") seems to be both an exhortation to move forward and a reminder of the difficulty of doing so. The repeated line "Move too fast / Here we are" suggests that the singer is struggling to keep up with the pace of life and has been left behind by the person they are still thinking about. The idea of "owning your scars" indicates a willingness to acknowledge and embrace the pain of the past rather than trying to bury it.
The final lines of the song ("The cipher walks alone / The cipher lies so long awake / She can't help / One night to lie so long awake / Just thinking / Just thinking / It's too late") take on an elegiac quality, using the metaphor of a cipher to suggest a sense of emptiness or erasure. The repetition of "just thinking" underscores the inescapability of one's thoughts, no matter how hard one tries to move on. Ultimately, the song ends with a sense of resignation, suggesting that the singer has accepted that the past cannot be changed or forgotten.
Line by Line Meaning
When I woke up today I was so bound
Started the day feeling trapped and unable to break free
To a memory cut long ago
Haunted by a past experience that still affects me
I could hear all your words echo on down
Mentally replaying hurtful words from a former lover
And then my heart rate dropped to a crawl
Feeling the physical effects of emotional pain
Move too fast
Acknowledging the danger of rushing into things
Here we are
Present in the moment despite past hardships
Can't let go
Struggling to detach from past experiences
Take the past
Accepting that the past cannot be erased
Own your scars
Acknowledging and embracing the wounds of the past
Let it show
Not hiding the scars, but rather letting them be visible
Could I ask of you not to cut into me
Requesting the other person not to cause further emotional damage
Dividing all of my body for me
Feeling emotionally shattered and fragmented
I was left here to go through all the pieces
Being forced to confront the pain and pick up the pieces alone
Nothing more to spare
Feeling emotionally depleted with no reserves
I keep looking for reasons to come 'round
Trying to rationalize and make sense of the past
To make sense of your internal row
Attempting to understand the other person's inner turmoil
It's a maze and there's nothing to be found
Feeling lost and frustrated with no clear resolution
It just leads me away from my end goal
Realizing that seeking closure may not be helpful or productive
Like a rogue wave you
Comparing the other person to a sudden and unpredictable force
Wash right over me
Feeling overwhelmed and powerless in their presence
Losing all sense of what my body could feel
Becoming numb and disconnected from one's physical sensations
I was able to drift away from here
Escaping from the emotional pain by disconnecting from reality
I have lost all control
Feeling helpless and unable to manage emotions
The cipher walks alone
Feeling isolated and misunderstood
The cipher lies so long awake
Struggling to sleep due to racing thoughts and emotional turmoil
She can't help
Feeling powerless to change the situation
One night to lie so long awake
Enduring sleepless nights with no relief
Just thinking
Lost in thought, reflecting on the past
It's too late
Accepting that some things cannot be undone or fixed
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Edward Droste, Daniel Rossen, Christopher Michael Taylor, Christopher Bear
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Dane Wiley
Honestly there is no bad Grizzly Bear song. Literally every single one is amazing
Lotus Globe
Now you know why Jonny Greenwood loves this band.
Anthony Me
So glad these guys are still making good new stuff. With all the crazyness of the world you can still count on their music.
Lkc Tom
This aged poorly 😭
Cameron Garretson
Grizzly Bear always has me thinking "I get it" until the last few seconds of their videos.
Lotus Globe
Yeah. You can say that again. WTF just happened during the last few seconds of THIS video? It's like everything about the imagery of this song is so lush and then that piano falling on that guy and crushing him made me have narrative whiplash!
(And yes I was aware of the fighting in the nightclub scene but I just ignored the dialogue and sang to the lyrics because they're so beautiful to sing).
pontfolid
Its crazy to believe this album is already so old. I can’t wait for more in the future!
screampilot
Unfortunately, I doubt that will happen. Ed left the band in 2020, and they're on a timeless hiatus (aka unofficially split up)
Patricio Martinotti
@screampilot I read somewhere that he is in a sort of university life, this is a fact?
Marbles
@Patricio Martinotti Wiki says hes going to school to become a therapist.