Held
Smog Lyrics
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I let myself be held
Like a big old baby
I surrender to your charity
I lay back in the tall grass
And let the ants cover me
I let the jets fly, I'm wishing for their destruction
Born to black in a perfect blue sky
For the first time in my life
I am moving away, moving away, moving away
From within the reach of me
And all the wild being held like a big old baby
The lyrics to Smog's song "Held" express a significant moment of surrender and vulnerability. The singer confesses that, for the first time in their life, they've allowed themselves to be held by another person, akin to being held as a baby. This metaphorical return to infant hood represents a relinquishing of control and a surrender to whatever the other person's "charity" may be. The singer continues to describe how they lay in the tall grass, allowing ants to crawl over them, symbolizing a further surrender of control and desire for oblivion. The singer then takes an abrupt turn and states that they are "wishing for destruction," showing a nihilistic attitude towards life. This pessimism is heightened by the description of being "born to black in a perfect blue sky," suggesting an inherent bleakness in the world.
The second half of the song continues the idea of moving away from oneself. The singer states that they are moving away from within the reach of themselves, suggesting that the act of being held has allowed them to disconnect from their ego and identity. They describe this as a "wild" feeling, as if being held energizes and excites them. Ultimately, the song conveys a sense of resignation to fate and a desire to give oneself over to something bigger.
Line by Line Meaning
For the first time in my life
This is a new experience for me
I let myself be held
I allowed someone to comfort me
Like a big old baby
I felt vulnerable and helpless
I surrender to your charity
I am accepting your kindness and generosity
I lay back in the tall grass
I was in a relaxed state
And let the ants cover me
I allowed myself to be consumed by nature
I let the jets fly, I'm wishing for their destruction
I am experiencing conflicting emotions, wanting to destroy the things that bring comfort and convenience
Born to black in a perfect blue sky
I feel like an outsider in a perfect world
For the first time in my life
This is a new experience for me
I am moving away, moving away, moving away
I am distancing myself emotionally
From within the reach of me
I am distancing myself from my own emotions
And all the wild being held like a big old baby
I am experiencing a contradiction of wanting to be embraced and nurtured while also wanting to break free from confinement
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING
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