Skinny Love
Bon-Iver Lyrics
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Pour a little salt, we were never here
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my
Staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer
I tell my love to wreck it all
Cut out all the ropes and let me fall
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my
And I told you to be patient
And I told you to be fine
And I told you to be balanced
And I told you to be kind
And in the morning I'll be with you
But it will be a different kind
And I'll be holding all the tickets
And you'll be owning all the fines
Come on, skinny love, what happened here?
Suckle on the hope in light brassieres
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my
Sullen load is full, so slow on the split
And I told you to be patient
And I told you to be fine
And I told you to be balanced
And I told you to be kind
And now all your love is wasted
And then who the hell was I?
And I'm breaking at the britches
And at the end of all your lines
Who will love you?
Who will fight?
Who will fall far behind?
Ooh, ooh
Woo, oh ooh
The lyrics of Skinny Love by Bon Iver are filled with raw emotions and paint a vivid picture of a relationship that has undergone a painful transformation. The song talks about a love that is fading away, and the singer is trying to come to terms with it. The opening lines "Come on skinny love just last the year, Pour a little salt we were never here" imply a plea for the relationship to last, though it seems doomed to fail. The imagery is striking as the singer is staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer. The mention of blood and veneer suggests that the relationship was violent and fake, built on a foundation of superficial things.
The repetition of "my, my, my, my, my, my, my, my" highlights the despair and hopelessness the singer feels. The lines "And I told you to be patient, And I told you to be fine, And I told you to be balanced, And I told you to be kind" show that the singer had been trying to make things work but to no avail. The lines "And now all your love is wasted, And then who the hell was I? And I'm breaking at the britches, And at the end of all your lines" further highlight the pain and confusion the singer is experiencing. The last lines 'Who will love you? Who will fight? Who will fall far behind?' suggest that the person the singer was in love with has moved on, leaving the singer in a state of trying to come to terms with the end of the relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Come on skinny love just last the year
Let's make a promise to hold onto our 'skinny love' for just one year, and no longer.
Pour a little salt we were never here
To avoid the pain of acknowledging the inevitable end of our relationship, let's pretend that we were never together. Let's just move on.
My, my, my, my, my, my, my, my
The repetition of 'my' is an expression of the singer's deep emotions and personal feelings. It conveys a sense of pain, longing, and sadness.
Staring at the sink of blood and crushed veneer
The singer is feeling overwhelmed, lonely, and depressed. He is staring at a sink filled with blood and broken wood, perhaps as a symbol of his own broken heart.
I tell my love to wreck it all
The singer is aware that his relationship is doomed, and he wants to end it before it causes more pain. He's willing to destroy his own love in order to prevent further hurt.
Cut out all the ropes and let me fall
He's asking his partner to stop holding onto him, to let go of the ropes that bind them together, and allow him to fall freely into the unknown.
Right in this moment this order's tall
The singer sees the situation clearly, and he knows that the 'order' of their relationship is too high to manage. He wants to take control of the situation before it's too late.
And I told you to be patient
The singer has given advice to his partner on how to manage the relationship, to be patient, and trust in the love they share.
And I told you to be fine
He urged his partner to maintain stability in the midst of chaotic emotions and to be 'fine' even when things get tough.
And I told you to be balanced
The singer has also preached the importance of balance and harmony in their relationship. He wants them to work together to find the right equilibrium, even in the face of adversity.
And I told you to be kind
The singer values kindness and compassion in a relationship. He has advised his partner to be gentle and caring towards him.
And in the morning I'll be with you
He promises to be there for his partner in the morning, but not in the same way as before. He foresees a change in their relationship.
But it will be a different kind
He knows that their love will never be the same again. There will be a shift in the dynamic of their relationship.
And I'll be holding all the tickets
The singer is in charge of the direction of their relationship, and he's holding all the 'tickets'. He's making the decisions now.
And you'll be owning all the fines
His partner will bear the consequences of the singer's decisions. They will experience the 'fines', meaning the payment of consequences from their actions.
Come on skinny love, what happened here?
The singer is questioning what went wrong in their relationship. He's asking his partner to explain why they've reached this point.
Suckle on the hope in light brassieres
He's telling his partner to hold onto hope, even when things seem uncertain and unwelcoming. They should look for the light in difficult situations, like a brassiere shining in the dark.
Sullen load is full, so slow on the split
The singer is feeling weighed down by the emotional burden of their relationship. The 'load' is heavy and slow-moving, making it difficult to split off from his feelings.
And now all your love is wasted
The singer feels like his partner's love has been wasted on him. He's caused too much hurt, and she deserves better than he can offer.
And then who the hell was I?
The singer is questioning who he really is in this relationship. Does he deserve the love and attention of his partner? Or is he a fraud who's caused too much damage?
And I'm breaking at the britches
He's feeling overwhelmed and under pressure to perform in the relationship. The 'britches' are failing, and he's breaking under the weight of the situation.
And at the end of all your lines
The singer is feeling like he's reached the end of his partner's patience and understanding. There is no more forgiveness, and he's at the end of the 'line'.
Who will love you?
The singer is asking his partner who will love her once he's gone. He's concerned for her future without him.
Who will fight?
He's concerned about who will stand up for and defend his partner in his absence. Who will fight for her when she's alone?
Who will fall far behind?
The singer is wondering who will be left behind when he's gone. Will his partner be able to move on from him, or will she be left in the dust?
Ooh, ooh
The repetition of 'ooh' is a continuation of the singer's expression of deep emotions from earlier in the song. It represents his anguish, pain, and sadness.
Woo, ohh ooh
The final phrase is a combination of the singer's exasperation as well as a lingering sense of hope. The 'woo' represents the initial feeling of despair, and the 'ohh ooh' signifies the beginning of a new emotional state - a willingness to move on.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Justin Deyarmond Edison Vernon
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind