Maybe I'd be better off in Berlin
Or as an artists muse in London
Drifting from hand to hand
Maybe I was born to be a sailor
Drop my anchors in Antigua as a travelling fisherman

But I am home wherever you are near
There's no life in anything when you're not here

What could take my love away?

Maybe I was destined for philosophy
Leading leftist ideologies
At the Paris-Sorbonne
Dreaming up the splendid demise
Of the societies we despise
At Cafe de Flore

But these things lose all their meaning and allure
If you're not there to witness the grandeur

What could take my love away?

Maybe we'll be missionaries in the Congo
Revolutionaries in Cuba
Perhaps we'll build a home
In the shadows of the forest
Along the east coast, or the west coast
I forget where we decided

As long as I'm with you when we do it
I could trade the views in for any pallet

Nothing can take my love away
No, nothing can take my love away

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Yellow House's song Love in the Time of Socialism convey the idea that the singer's love for their significant other is unwavering and supersedes any desires to travel or pursue a career in philosophy or politics. The first stanza presents various potential paths the singer could take, such as living as an artist in London or working as a fisherman in Antigua, but ultimately concludes that being with their loved one is what truly feels like home. The second stanza explores the possibility of becoming a philosopher or political leader and envisions doing so in Paris, but again expresses that without their partner to witness the moments of grandeur, these accomplishments lose their meaning. The final stanza imagines the possibility of living in different parts of the world and embarking on various adventures, but emphasizes that as long as they are together, the location or view does not matter.

Overall, the song highlights the idea that although life can take us on different paths and present varying opportunities, our love for someone can remain constant and fulfilling. It also touches on the importance of having someone to share life's experiences with and emphasizes the idea that love is a powerful force that can override other desires and ambitions.

Line by Line Meaning

Maybe I'd be better off in Berlin
Perhaps I would be happier living in Berlin

Or as an artists muse in London
Or perhaps I was meant to be an inspiration to artists in London

Drifting from hand to hand
Going from one person to another, with no real sense of belonging

Maybe I was born to be a sailor
Perhaps my destiny was to be a sailor, constantly traveling the sea

Drop my anchors in Antigua as a travelling fisherman
Settle down temporarily in Antigua while still continuing to work as a fisherman

But I am home wherever you are near
However, I feel at home wherever I am with you

There's no life in anything when you're not here
Nothing seems very enjoyable or fulfilling when you're not around

What could take my love away?
What could possibly make me stop loving you?

Maybe I was destined for philosophy
Perhaps my true calling lies in the study of philosophy

Leading leftist ideologies
Promoting political views that lean towards the left

At the Paris-Sorbonne
Attending the prestigious Sorbonne University in Paris

Dreaming up the splendid demise
Imagining the beautiful downfall

Of the societies we despise
Of the societies we strongly dislike or hate

At Cafe de Flore
Perhaps discussing these ideas at the famous Cafe de Flore in Paris

But these things lose all their meaning and allure
All these things become meaningless and uninteresting

If you're not there to witness the grandeur
If I don't have you to share these experiences with

Maybe we'll be missionaries in the Congo
Perhaps we'll become missionaries in the Congo

Revolutionaries in Cuba
Possibly even revolutionaries in Cuba

Perhaps we'll build a home
Maybe we'll settle down somewhere

In the shadows of the forest
In a quiet, secluded area surrounded by trees

Along the east coast, or the west coast
Potentially on either side of the country

I forget where we decided
I can't remember where we agreed to live

As long as I'm with you when we do it
As long as we're together making these decisions

I could trade the views in for any pallet
I would be happy with any surroundings as long as I'm with you

Nothing can take my love away
No matter what happens, my love for you will never diminish

No, nothing can take my love away
It's absolutely certain that nothing can take my love away from you

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