Destinations
Gesaffelstein Lyrics
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I shoulda seen it coming from miles away
Open-armed in a thick coat of structure
Shielding me from my own blades and dagger
There was a purpose upon the horizon
A destination
Tangible and fragrant
And I marched as I knew
And I marched as I knew
And I marched as I knew
And I marched with a thousand
It's not surprising I should find myself flailing
Having crossed the bridge of certainty
Back behind enemy lines with no work 'til Tuesday
I didn't even buckle to temptation
Guard down with little to do
I welcomed old habits like a long lost friend
To spite you
Egged on by weakening days
Giving themselves up to the strengthening menace of darkness
The shrinking hours of light are grey and feeble
The soggy trees sigh, dropping their leaves in defeat
The temperature falls
The big lights switch on
And from time to time
Fireworks frightened the cats
The lyrics in Gesaffelstein's song "Destinations" are complex and layered, depicting the struggles of the singer as he deals with the ups and downs of life's many journeys. The opening lines, "It's just a temporary slide back in the abyss, I shoulda seen it coming from miles away," convey a sense of resignation and disappointment. The singer seems to have fallen back into old habits or patterns that he thought he had overcome.
The following lines, "Open-armed in a thick coat of structure, shielding me from my own blades and dagger," suggest that the singer had previously constructed a set of coping mechanisms or a support system that helped him stay on track. But even this wasn't enough to spare him from slipping back into old ways.
The chorus, "There was a purpose upon the horizon, a destination, tangible and fragrant, and I marched as I knew, and I marched with a thousand," speaks to the idea that the singer previously had a clear goal in mind and knew what he needed to do to get there. However, he seems to have lost his way and is now flailing, "back behind enemy lines with no work 'til Tuesday." The final lines of the song, with their vivid imagery of "soggy trees" and "fireworks frightened the cats," add a sense of melancholy resignation to the song.
Line by Line Meaning
It's just a temporary slide back in the abyss
Momentary descent into a state of misery and distress
I shoulda seen it coming from miles away
Hindsight makes it evident that it was predictable
Open-armed in a thick coat of structure
Clothed in an organized and systematic approach
Shielding me from my own blades and dagger
Protecting oneself from self-harm and destructive tendencies
There was a purpose upon the horizon
A clear and tangible objective in the distance
A destination
A specific and concrete endpoint
Tangible and fragrant
Palpable and perceptible
And I marched as I knew
Progressing towards the direction I intended with certainty
And I marched with a thousand
Moving forward in harmony and solidarity with others
It's not surprising I should find myself flailing
Expected result of encountering adversity and setbacks
Having crossed the bridge of certainty
Having overcome previous doubts and insecurities
Back behind enemy lines with no work 'til Tuesday
Returning to an unfavorable situation with no immediate opportunities
I didn't even buckle to temptation
Resisting the urge to succumb to negative influences
Guard down with little to do
Being vulnerable with a lack of occupation or purpose
I welcomed old habits like a long lost friend
Reverting to familiar patterns to relieve stress and comfort oneself
To spite you
Out of resentment or defiance towards someone else
Egged on by weakening days
Encouraged by negative experiences and circumstances
Giving themselves up to the strengthening menace of darkness
Submitting to the growing threat of despair and gloom
The shrinking hours of light are grey and feeble
The remaining moments of positivity and hope are scarce and weak
The soggy trees sigh, dropping their leaves in defeat
Nature itself exhibits discouragement and surrender
The temperature falls
The weather gets colder
The big lights switch on
Urban areas come to life during the night
And from time to time
Occasionally
Fireworks frightened the cats
The sudden explosions cause fright to animals nearby
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Mike Levy, Chloe Raunet
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind