Conrad
Ben Howard/Musicfire.in Lyrics

In "Conrad", Ben Howard uses allegorical language to tell the story of a relationship that has ended. The song opens with the lines "climb out, out to where you see, the curl of the world." The singer is addressing his former lover, inviting her to see the bigger picture and gain perspective on their relationship. The next verse talks about being alone in a cold, harsh world and the importance of learning a lesson before life ends. The chorus repeats the phrase "you were the boat that bridged, in the tale of Conrad," which is a reference to the Joseph Conrad novel "Lord Jim".

In the novel, the character Jim is a sailor who abandons a ship full of passengers in a moment of cowardice, leading to their deaths. He spends the rest of his life trying to redeem himself and make up for his mistake. The phrase "you were the boat that bridged" refers to the idea that the former lover helped the singer cross a difficult passage or moment in his life, but ultimately, like Conrad, he is still plagued by his past actions. The line "we will never be the change to the weather and the sea" indicates the futility and powerlessness of their situation. The singer still loves his former lover, but realizes that their relationship was not enough to overcome the challenges of life.

Overall, "Conrad" speaks to the universal themes of regret, loss, and the struggle to navigate a world that is often hostile and unpredictable.