She is known for her sense of humor, which is expressed in both her music and her onstage performances. Many of her songs alternate between emotional reflections on romance and outright comedy. Two of her more famous songs include "Sensitive New Age Guys" and "Bald Headed Men".
The Bends
Christine Lavin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
shadows growing longer
the temperature is falling
his resolve is growing stronger
he closes all the curtains
shuts the windows tight
throws an extra log into the fireplace tonight
he falls asleep while reading books
in the morning goes to work
a job he hates but he's learned to pretend
The nights are getting longer
the days are growing short
again she had that dream about
the child she aborted
standing in a penthouse
waiting for the elevator
it opened, there he stood
she was so afraid he'd hate her
He wrapped his arms around her said
'you did not have a clue what you had done
after all the years gone by
who knew that you would be the lonely one'
The longer that you live
the less you want to hide
but you keep on gazing straight ahead
and keep most of it inside
people who look at you
assume you have conformed
they judge you by your politics
and by your uniform
then one night you dream you're knocking
on the cathedral door
you want to confess to someone
but you don't trust the clergy anymore
The darkness is approaching
the light is growing dim
you swim the line of demarcation
humming ancient hymns
the more you see things clearly
the less you understand
and all of your ambition
amounts to a grain of sand
you hold your breath and close your eyes
and wonder if the best is yet to be
or have dreams morphed to nightmares
rolling out into the angry sea
Days are getting shorter
night is growing longer
the acorns are falling
he brews his coffee stronger
closes all the curtains
locks the windows tight
throws an extra log into
the fireplace tonight
Christine Lavin's song The Bends is a complex and thought-provoking commentary on the human experience. The first verse describes a man who is becoming more resolute in the face of the changing seasons. He is trying to shut out the outside world, perhaps to avoid the pain that it can bring. He is reading about scuba divers who suffer from 'the bends', a condition where nitrogen bubbles form in the bloodstream due to decompression sickness. The man seems to be living a life that he hates, but he has learned to pretend. This verse is a metaphor for people who try to escape their problems by shutting out the outside world, but who are ultimately unable to escape their own inner turmoil.
The second verse describes a woman who is haunted by a decision that she made many years ago. She had an abortion and is tormented by dreams about the child that she might have had. In her dream, she meets the child's father in a penthouse, and he forgives her for what she did. This verse is a powerful commentary on the challenges that women face when they make difficult choices about their bodies. The woman is grappling with feelings of guilt and regret, which are amplified by a society that might judge her for her decision.
The final verse is a meditation on the human condition. The singer suggests that the longer we live, the less we feel the need to hide our true selves. However, this does not mean that we are understood by the people around us. We are judged by our appearance and our politics, and we might feel that we cannot be honest with anyone. This verse suggests that we are all seeking absolution, but we cannot find it in the places that we expect. The idea of swimming the line of demarcation and humming ancient hymns suggests that we are all searching for something spiritual or transcendent, but it might be beyond our reach.
Line by Line Meaning
The days are getting shorter
As the days get shorter with the onset of winter, time seems to slip by rapidly
shadows growing longer
As daylight decreases and nights grow long, the darkness and shadows of the night-time hours appear to grow longer
the temperature is falling
As autumn unfolds into winter, temperatures drop, the cold penetrating the fibers of the home
his resolve is growing stronger
As the cold descends, so does his determination to be equipped for winter
he closes all the curtains
He takes careful measures to seal off his habitat
shuts the windows tight
He automatically shuts out the inclement weather by closing the windows tight
throws an extra log into the fireplace tonight
He ensures warmth by adding more wood to a blazing fire
he falls asleep while reading books
As he tries to relax, he falls asleep whilst reading books on scuba divers suffering from 'the bends' - a serious diving illness
in the morning goes to work
He must face the daily grind of a job he does not necessarily relish due to financial necessity
a job he hates but he's learned to pretend
Day in, day out, he goes about his mundane routine, pretending to be content in order to make ends meet
the nights are getting longer
As autumn's cold darkness descends, the nights stretch out even further
the days are growing short
As the sun seems to rise later, and set earlier, each day becomes shorter
again she had that dream about the child she aborted
She is tormented by her subconscious mind over her decision to terminate her pregnancy, and this subjects her to repetitive, powerful dreams
standing in a penthouse
In her dream, she finds herself in a luxurious high building apartment
waiting for the elevator
In the dream, the woman is often waiting for the elevator, signalling something important to happen
it opened, there he stood
Her ex-boyfriend, the father of the child, steps out of the elevator
she was so afraid he'd hate her
Fearing his wrath and potential anger over aborting their child, she feels panicked, anxious and helpless
He wrapped his arms around her said 'you did not have a clue what you had done
In the dream, he holds her, and speaks kindly to her, forgiving her for her mistakes over their termination. He points out that she had no idea how this would impact her and wonders about the huge figments of fate that led them to this point of time
after all the years gone by
The dream seems to be reminding her that a long time has passed and they have both moved on from this traumatic event
who knew that you would be the lonely one'
She realizes in her dream that he isn't spiteful, and she wishes he could have kept her company through the hard times of having an abortion - a decision that not only affected her, but also the man she loved
The longer that you live
As life continues to move forward, albeit chaotically and randomly, the more one wishes to reveal secrets
the less you want to hide
As one gets older, one realizes that holding back and hiding things only propagates more problems
but you keep on gazing straight ahead
Even though one wants to share all the hidden secrets of life, one realizes how bleak and isolated the world can be, and so one continues moving forward despite the lack of trust and communication with others
and keep most of it inside
Despite this longing to reveal more, one realizes that most of life's secrets are kept deeply hidden within oneself, and not necessarily revealed to others due to lack of trust
people who look at you assume you have conformed
Society tends to view people as conformists despite challenges individuals face in life, due to lack of openness and rigorous communication techniques
they judge you by your politics
People are judged by their political beliefs despite other aspects of a person's identity
and by your uniform
People tend to characterise others by their appearance, such as by their rather standard and universally visible uniform
then one night you dream you're knocking on the cathedral door
In the areas unknown and out of sight, such as in the sacred church, one may find comfort, wisdom and solace.
you want to confess to someone
You wish that your deepest thoughts and confessions can be revealed to someone else without fear of being judged
but you don't trust the clergy anymore
Despite the need to confide and confess, people are disillusioned with traditional religious institutions due to scandals and cynicism
the darkness is approaching
The approaching darkness portends an uncertain future of potential issues
the light is growing dim
As the darkness approaches, the light that once shone is waning away
you swim the line of demarcation
Symbolically, this refers to moving from one realm of thought to another, but not quite arriving anywhere, one treads water in a transitional phase
humming ancient hymns
As one moves through this transitional phase, one may ground oneself through the repetition and incorporation of sacred or traditional hymns, invoking a sense of timeless wisdom
the more you see things clearly
As one finds clarity in life, revealing hidden truths, one's perception of the world changes and evolves
the less you understand
Ironically, as things become more exposed, one may realise that the true nature of life is more enigmatic, perplexing and mysterious than previously thought
and all of your ambition
Despite one's goals and aspirations, life is full of twists and turns: unfulfilling jobs, missed opportunities, and shattered dreams
amounts to a grain of sand
What one strives for, amounts to nothing compared to everything else in life
you hold your breath and close your eyes
As you face the uncertainty of life, it may seem overwhelming and daunting. So, you gather your strength and bravery by closing your eyes, and taking a deep breath
and wonder if the best is yet to be
You quietly hope, whilst hiding anxieties and fears, that the best is yet to come in life
or have dreams morphed to nightmares
That hope could be premature, the future could become worse, darker or more surreal than the current state, turning even the best of your dreams into a dark and ominous nightmare
rolling out into the angry sea
Emotions can become severe like stormy seas, with turbulence, thrashing and confusion. The metaphorical nightmare could easily consume and overpower you completely
the acorns are falling
The inevitability of autumn and winter comes sharply into focus with the sound of falling acorns
he brews his coffee stronger
As the cold days drag on, he requires more caffeine to awaken his senses
closes all the curtains
He shuts the world out, hibernating in his cave of warmth
locks the windows tight
He closes himself off, locking himself and his troubles indoors to avoid possible disturbance
throws an extra log into the fireplace tonight
He is making sure that his sanctuary is fortified with more heat to keep him enveloped in faux protection
Contributed by Caden T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.