Para
Calexico Lyrics

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I hold your wrist
You bite your lip
The push becomes an embrace

I touch your face
You close your eyes
The embrace becomes a shove

I walk away
You follow too close
The shove takes hold
And there's no where to go

Take it down
Take it all the way
Take it down
Take it all the way down below the waterline

I see you now
Through a glass wall
All that is you stays with you
All that is me stays with me
But we see it all
We feel it all
And there is no place we can't go

Take it down
Take it all the way

Take it down
Take it all the way down below the waterline

Overall Meaning

The opening lyrics of Calexico's "Para" is a journey through the ups and downs of a relationship. Initially, the singer is holding the wrist of their partner, while the partner bites their lip indicating some sort of tension between them. This is followed by a push that turns into an embrace, and then the singer touches their partner's face leading to close eyes that again turn into a shove. The singer then walks away, with the partner following too close. This pushes the singer to a point of uncertainty where there is a feeling of being trapped and nowhere to go.

However, there is a change of scenery in the second half of the song. The singer is now seeing the partner as someone beyond a mere physical connection, almost like a voyeur watching them through a glass wall. They both exist separately, with all their emotions and thoughts. They are not bound by any physical limitations and can see and feel everything. The song takes on an introspective note, with the final lines pushing to take it all the way down below the waterline, almost as if it is an invitation to explore the emotional depths of the relationship.

Overall, the song is a powerful commentary on the intricacies of love and the emotional turbulence that comes with it. It delves into the physical and emotional angles of a relationship, with a keen sense of observation and self-awareness.

Line by Line Meaning

I hold your wrist
I reach out to touch you physically and show you that I am here with you right now.

You bite your lip
You are nervous or anxious and expressing it through a physical action of biting your lip.

The push becomes an embrace
The tension between us transforms into a moment of connection and closeness as we draw near to each other.

I touch your face
I seek to comfort or reassure you by gently touching your face, signaling that I am here for you.

You close your eyes
You entrust yourself to me and allow yourself to be vulnerable, closing your eyes in trust and surrender.

The embrace becomes a shove
Unfortunately, our moment of closeness turns violent or aggressive, and the shove reflects a loss of control and an outburst of emotion.

I walk away
I am hurt or frustrated and decide to remove myself from the situation to regain composure and perspective.

You follow too close
You refuse to let me go and continue to pursue me, seeking to reconcile or make things right between us.

The shove takes hold
The violent or aggressive behavior persists, and it is clear that we are unable to resolve our issues and move past them.

And there's no where to go
We are stuck in this cycle of pain and hurt, with no clear path forward or resolution in sight.

Take it down
We need to lower the intensity of our emotions and find a way to communicate more effectively and calmly.

Take it all the way
We need to be fully committed to working through our issues and finding a way to move forward together.

Take it all the way down below the waterline
We need to delve deeper into our emotions and feelings, exploring the root causes of our conflicts and working through them together.

I see you now
I have gained a fuller and deeper perspective on who you are as a person and what your needs and desires are.

Through a glass wall
Despite our new understanding and empathy towards each other, there is still an emotional distance between us that we need to bridge in order to fully connect.

All that is you stays with you
You are a unique and valuable individual with your own identity and perspective, and I recognize and honor that.

All that is me stays with me
I too am a unique and valuable individual with my own identity and perspective, and I assert my own needs and desires while working to understand yours.

But we see it all
We are able to see and appreciate each other's complexities and individuality, without trying to change or control one another.

We feel it all
We are willing to experience the full range of emotions and feelings that come with being in a relationship, both the joys and the challenges.

And there is no place we can't go
With a commitment to open communication and mutual respect, we are able to explore and navigate any obstacle or challenge that comes our way.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: JOHN CONVERTINO, JOSEPH G BURNS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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