Two hands
Big Thief Lyrics


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You somehow let me down
Both hands
And a gentleman
You could not take me through
New plans
Tell me whose
New friends
I can make some too
I know

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

Overall Meaning

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
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