Ten tons against me and you've gone
I put your favorite records on
And sit around
It spins around
And you're around again
Struck dumb while drugs run at how high reeds
Cue every memory at half-speeds
Just like....Charles, hold-me-downs
I'm-coming sounds
Cut crap, who's filling shoes like these anymore?
Past clumsy crushes beneath Thrill Pier
Hopes pinned to poses honed in men's room mirrors
A sophomore at Brown
She worked Lost & Found
I put your face on her all year
From five rows of photos when you wrote
Of posed you, dressed blue, a backyard boat
Signed at the bottom with this quote:
(#4 North Shore) a cape may address
Your new one I guess
'all's well in hell and all here's hoping'
She sends kisses
Some signed 'with Love, Beth oooooo xxxxx'
She sends kisses
Same old beth - some signed 666
Our shore town knockdown sure was fun
Yeah, white trash, what have you
I fired replies back gun by gun
Past Seven Wrecks I read your four answers: 1. your move 2. I'm tres involved 3. move on 4. love, Beth
I walk it down
This tourist town
'just thought I'd' calls
Just friends
She sends kisses
And all at once back doors blow open
She sends.... in envelopes stamped w/ 'Hope & Hearts' - ripped right open
She sends...
But I'm corrupt - I wrote back good luck

Overall Meaning

The Wrens' song "She Sends Kisses" is a nostalgic yet melancholic reflection on a past relationship. The singer is trying to cope with the aftermath of a breakup and the memories that come with it. The opening lines set the tone, portraying the weight of the past: "Ten tons against me and you've gone." The singer puts on their ex-partner's favorite records and reminisces about their time together. However, the memories are bittersweet and swirled with confusion and pain. The reference to "drugs" suggests that perhaps intoxication played a role in the dissolution of the relationship.

The song shifts between reminiscing and processing. The nod to "clumsy crushes" and "poses honed in men's room mirrors" speaks to the youthfulness of the relationship and the self-indulgent behavior that often accompanies young love. The mention of a "sophomore at Brown" suggests a certain level of privilege, perhaps questioning whether there are more significant things to worry about than heartbreak.

The "She sends kisses" refrain is haunting and speaks to the unresolved feelings that linger after a split. The different signatures, including the ominous "666," illustrate the mixed messages that can come with communication with an ex. The singer is trying to move on and writes back with "good luck," but the song's final sentiments, "I'm corrupt," suggest that they are not quite over the relationship.

Line by Line Meaning

Ten tons against me and you've gone
I am feeling weighed down and defeated since you left me.

I put your favorite records on
I am trying to immerse myself in your memories and feel closer to you by listening to the music you love.

And sit around
I spend my days doing nothing, longing for your return.

It spins around
The record player keeps playing the same songs, reminding me of you.

And you're around again
Through the memories and the music, I can almost feel like you're with me again.

Struck dumb while drugs run at how high reeds
I feel overwhelmed and speechless, as if drugs are clouding my mind and preventing me from processing my emotions.

Cue every memory at half-speeds
Every memory of you plays in my mind, but it feels like it's happening in slow motion.

Just like....Charles, hold-me-downs
Just like Charles, who used to hold me down, I feel trapped and powerless.

I'm-coming sounds
I hear sounds that make me think you might be coming back, but it's just my imagination.

Cut crap, who's filling shoes like these anymore?
I don't believe anyone else can fill the void you left in my life and in my heart.

Past clumsy crushes beneath Thrill Pier
I have tried to move on from you, but my attempts at love have been clumsy and unsuccessful.

Hopes pinned to poses honed in men's room mirrors
I have unrealistic hopes and expectations, shaped by the images of masculinity that I see in public restrooms.

A sophomore at Brown
I remember a girl I knew who was a sophomore at Brown University.

She worked Lost & Found
She worked at the lost and found, where people go to retrieve things they have lost.

I put your face on her all year
I projected your image onto this other girl, pretending she was you.

From five rows of photos when you wrote
I have five rows of photos that you sent me.

Of posed you, dressed blue, a backyard boat
The photos show you in different poses, wearing blue clothes, and sitting in a backyard boat.

Signed at the bottom with this quote:
You signed the photos with a quote.

(#4 North Shore) a cape may address
The quote gives your new address, which is in North Shore, Cape May.

Your new one I guess
I assume this is your new address.

'all's well in hell and all here's hoping'
The quote is a witty remark about your current situation, implying that all is not well and that you're hoping for better things.

She sends kisses
You send me kisses in your letters.

Some signed 'with Love, Beth oooooo xxxxx'
Some of the letters you send me are signed with love and many kisses.

Same old beth - some signed 666
Other letters you send me are signed with the number 666, which is often associated with the devil.

Our shore town knockdown sure was fun
We had fun in our town by the shore, even though it was not perfect.

Yeah, white trash, what have you
We were not rich or fancy people, and we know that we are perceived as being lower than others.

I fired replies back gun by gun
I responded to your letters with the same passion and intensity as a gunfight.

Past Seven Wrecks I read your four answers: 1. your move 2. I'm tres involved 3. move on 4. love, Beth
I remember reading four of your replies, in which you gave me different answers about how you feel and what you want from me.

I walk it down
I walk around town, thinking of you and our past together.

This tourist town
I live in a town that is popular with tourists.

'just thought I'd' calls
I occasionally call you just to let you know that I'm thinking about you and missing you.

Just friends
We try to convince ourselves that we're just friends, but we both know that we want more than that.

She sends kisses
You keep sending me kisses, even though we are not officially together.

And all at once back doors blow open
Suddenly, all the doors that I have closed on my past with you are reopened.

She sends.... in envelopes stamped w/ 'Hope & Hearts' - ripped right open
You send me letters with the words 'Hope & Hearts' stamped on them, and I tear them open with eagerness and longing.

She sends...
You keep writing to me, reminding me of our love and what we used to have together.

But I'm corrupt - I wrote back good luck
I know that I am not entirely innocent, and that I have been complicating things by responding to your letters. I finally respond with a simple message of good luck.

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