Big Thief's music, rooted in the songs of Adrianne Lenker, paints in vivid tones "the process of harnessing pain, loss, and love, while simultaneously letting go, looking into your own eyes through someone else's, and being okay with the inevitability of death," says Adrianne.
Masterpiece, Big Thief's debut album, is filled with characters and visceral narratives, songs that pivot in the space of a few words. Adrianne's voice and guitar playing speak of rich emotional territory with grace and insight. In her words, the record tracks "the masterpiece of existence, which is always folding into itself, people attempting to connect, to both shake themselves awake and to shake off the numbness of certain points in their life. The interpretations might be impressionistic or surrealistic, but they're grounded in simple things."
Two hands
Big Thief Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Both hands
And a gentleman
You could not take me through
New plans
Tell me whose
New friends
I can make some too
You somehow took me in
Both arms
The marked-up skin
Two hands
Places you have been
That I needed
And the more that we try
To figure through the answers
To repeat ourselves
To deny, deny
Now you call my bluff
All clear
And you get so rough
Stone-faced in the light
The air
And the jagged bite
Cold air
The wisdom of the night
Between us
And the more that we try
To figure through the answers
To repeat ourselves
To deny, deny
To deny, deny, deny
Somehow we exist
In the folds
And now we'll kiss
Both hands
The mystery before us
She's reaching
But I could not take you through
New plans
I'll tell you
New friends
You can make some too
I know
The song "Two Hands" by Big Thief is a reflective and introspective exploration of a past relationship. The opening lines "You somehow let me down, both hands, and a gentleman, you could not take me through" sets the stage for the theme of betrayal and disappointment. The singer is disillusioned and hurt by the partner's failure to live up to their expectations; they needed support and guidance, but the partner could not provide it. However, there is a hint of forgiveness and understanding in the next lines, "New plans, tell me whose, new friends, I can make some too, I know". The singer acknowledges that they are not powerless in the situation and can move forward, perhaps creating a new life for themselves.
The song then shifts to a reflection on the positive aspects of the relationship, indicated by the lines "You somehow took me in, both arms, the marked-up skin, two hands, places you have been that I needed". The marked-up skin may imply that the partner had been through difficult times, and that their past experiences were valuable to the singer. The chorus reiterates the sense of frustration and confusion that the singer feels, "And the more that we try, to figure through the answers, to repeat ourselves, to deny, deny".
The final verse leaves the listener with a sense of hope, using the metaphor of existing in the folds, kissing both hands, and the mystery before us. The singer admits that they could not take the partner through new plans, but they can each make new friends. The song ends with a sense of resolution and acceptance.
Line by Line Meaning
You somehow let me down
I feel disappointed with you
Both hands
Completely, totally or with full commitment
And a gentleman
You tried to act politely and kindly
You could not take me through
You couldn't guide me or support me
New plans
Different strategies or ideas
Tell me whose
Who are the people you are discussing your plans with?
New friends
It's okay for me to make new friends
I can make some too
I also have the freedom to make new friends
I know
I understand
You somehow took me in
You accepted me, took me under your care
Both arms
Completely, totally or with full effort
The marked-up skin
The scars or bruises you had, which showed your strength and resilience
Two hands
Completely, totally or with full commitment
Places you have been
The experiences you went through in life
That I needed
Those experiences that I needed to go through or understand
And the more that we try
The harder we try
To figure through the answers
To find solutions for our problems
To repeat ourselves
To say or do the same things over and over again
To deny, deny
To refuse or reject something that we don't want to face
Now you call my bluff
You caught me lying or being dishonest
All clear
Everything is obvious, there's no more hiding
And you get so rough
You become aggressive or confrontational
Stone-faced in the light
Showing no emotion or feelings in a situation where it should be expected
The air
The atmosphere, the vibe
And the jagged bite
The pain or hurt felt after someone else's harsh words or actions
Cold air
A chilly, uncomfortable feeling or atmosphere
The wisdom of the night
The knowledge or insight gained from difficult experiences or time spent alone
Between us
In our relationship or interaction
Somehow we exist
We are here, we matter
In the folds
In the intersections, the hidden parts
And now we'll kiss
We will show affection or closeness
The mystery before us
The unknown future or what's yet to come
She's reaching
Someone is trying to connect or communicate
But I could not take you through
I couldn't support or guide you
New plans
Different strategies or ideas
I'll tell you
I want to share my thoughts and opinions with you
You can make some too
You also have the freedom to make new plans or decisions
I know
I understand
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Adrianne Lenker
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind