To date, Olsen has released six studio albums: Half Way Home (2012), Burn Your Fire for No Witness (2014), My Woman (2016), All Mirrors (2019), Whole New Mess (2020) and Big Time (2022).
High & Wild
Angel Olsen Lyrics
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You're with me but you're gone
A feeling once so strong
Is now an old and forgotten song
That you don't sing so high and wild
You don't sing so high and wild
You're here, you're here
But your spirit's disappeared
Some human thing has squashed your soul
And I don't recognize you
I wish that this could turn our thing to bliss
And we could put our fears aside
And learn to laugh and be alive
And let our bodies be revived
But you can't
Say that you want me
What am I supposed to think? That's the truth?
Well, has it ever been easy for you?
To stand behind the things that I do
I wait for this to pass
For us to both say at last
On this dark and narrow path
The sun is shining and we remember what it is we're living for
I'm neither innocent or wise when you look me in the eyes
You might as well be blind
You might as well be blind
Cause you don't see me anymore
And you
You can't tell me that you love me
When I'm standing in your way
Well this would all be so much easier
If I had nothing more to say
Well this would all be so much easier
If I had nothing more to say
Oh, if only, if only
I had nothing more to say
Oh, if only, if only
I had nothing more to say
In the lyrics to Angel Olsen's song "High & Wild," the singer is grappling with a relationship in which their partner has changed dramatically. They are still physically present, but their spirit seems to have disappeared, replaced with a sense of sadness or even numbness. The singer longs for things to go back to the way they were, to a time when their love was "high and wild," but they know deep down that this might not be possible. The relationship has become difficult to navigate, with both parties struggling to communicate their feelings honestly and effectively.
As the song progresses, the singer becomes increasingly frustrated with their partner's apparent lack of interest or investment in the relationship. They want to be able to connect on a deep level, to rediscover the passion that they used to share, but they feel like they are always hitting a wall. The lines "You might as well be blind / Cause you don't see me anymore" express this sense of isolation and disconnection, as if the singer is being ignored or overlooked by the person they love.
Despite the frustrations and difficulties, the singer still holds out hope that things can get better. They want to be able to laugh and be alive together, to "let our bodies be revived." But in the end, they are left with a feeling of longing and regret. The final lines express a sense of resignation, as if the singer has accepted that the relationship may not work out: "Well this would all be so much easier / If I had nothing more to say / Oh, if only, if only / I had nothing more to say."
Line by Line Meaning
You're gone, you're gone
You are absent both physically and emotionally
You're with me but you're gone
You are physically present but emotionally detached
A feeling once so strong
The intense emotion we once shared
Is now an old and forgotten song
Has faded and is now obsolete
That you don't sing so high and wild
You no longer express yourself the way you used to
You're here, you're here
You are present
But your spirit's disappeared
Your essence has vanished
Off to some place that I don't know
Unknown destination
Some human thing has squashed your soul
Human struggles have oppressed and overwhelmed you
And I don't recognize you
You have changed so much that I can hardly recognize you
I wish that this could turn our thing to bliss
I hope it could end up a desireable or blissful situation for both of us
And we could put our fears aside
Cast off and forget our worries
And learn to laugh and be alive
Discover again how to be happy and alive
And let our bodies be revived
Relax and allow our bodies to renew
But you can't
However, you are not capable
Say that you want me
Declare that you need me
What am I supposed to think? That's the truth?
Is it the truth or should I think otherwise?
Well, has it ever been easy for you?
Have you ever found it to be easy?
To stand behind the things that I do
Support and approve of my actions
I wait for this to pass
I anticipate the moment when everything will be fine
For us to both say at last
For both of us to declare what we really feel
On this dark and narrow path
In this gloomy and uncomfortable journey
The sun is shining and we remember what it is we're living for
However, in that instant, we find a glimpse of hope and remember our purpose
I'm neither innocent or wise when you look me in the eyes
I am neither naive nor knowledgeable when you make eye contact
You might as well be blind
You could also be blind for all you perceive of me
Cause you don't see me anymore
Because you no longer pay attention to me
You can't tell me that you love me
You can't profess your love for me
When I'm standing in your way
When I'm one of your roadblocks
Well this would all be so much easier
This situation would be much simpler
If I had nothing more to say
If I had nothing more to express
Oh, if only, if only
Expressing a wish
I had nothing more to say
If I had nothing more to express
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing
Written by: ANGEL L. OLSEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind