The I Follow You Into The Dark Songfacts states that Gibbard told VH1's Storytellers that Gibbard penned the song in a burst of creativity in 15 miniutes at a Seattle studio, which he kept solely for songwriting.
I Will Follow You Into The Dark
Death Cab for Cutie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Someday you will die
But I'll be close behind
I'll follow you into the dark
No blinding light
Or tunnels, to gates of white
Just our hands clasped so tight
If Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs
If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark
In Catholic school, as vicious as Roman rule
I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black
And I held my tongue as she told me
"Son, fear is the heart of love," so I never went back
And if Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs
If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark
You and me have seen everything to see
From Bangkok to Calgary
And the soles of your shoes are all worn down
The time for sleep is now
But it's nothing to cry about
'Cause we'll hold each other soon
In the blackest of rooms
And if Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs
If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Then I'll follow you into the dark
The song "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" by Death Cab for Cutie is a poignant and powerful meditation on the nature of love and mortality. The song confronts head-on the inevitability of death and the depths of love that persist beyond it. The lyrics paint a picture of a love that transcends even the afterlife, with the singer pledging to follow their loved one into the darkness of death if necessary.
The opening lines of the song - "Love of mine / Someday you will die / But I'll be close behind / I'll follow you into the dark" - immediately set the tone for the rest of the song. The singer acknowledges the inevitability of their loved one's death, but refuses to be separated from them. The imagery of "the dark" is ambiguous, but it is clear that the singer sees it as a place of finality and loss.
The second verse provides a contrast to the open declaration of the first. The singer describes the harsh realities of their past, including violence and fear, and seems to suggest that their love has been hard-won. Yet despite this struggle, they are willing to follow their loved one even into the unknown of death. The final verse brings the focus back to the present moment, with the lyrics "You and me have seen everything to see / From Bangkok to Calgary / And the soles of your shoes are all worn down." The wear and tear on their loved one's shoes is a sign of the journey they have taken together, and the conclusion is clear: "we'll hold each other soon / in the blackest of rooms."
Overall, "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" is a testament to the power of love and the human need for connection, even in the face of death.
Line by Line Meaning
Love of mine
Addressing a deeply cherished person
Someday you will die
Acceptance of the inevitability of death
But I'll be close behind
Intensifying the depth of their bond and assuring to be there throughout the journey
I'll follow you into the dark
Promising to overcome fears and follow them to the end even if it leads to darkness
No blinding light
Dismissing the idea of an afterlife filled with bright lights and such
Or tunnels, to gates of white
Rejecting the concept of a physical path leading to heaven
Just our hands clasped so tight
Interweaving this life they share together
Waiting for the hint of a spark
Hoping that something good lies on the other side of life
If Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied
Referring to a supernatural external judgement determining one's fate
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs
Literal description of vacancy signs lighting up to indicate some sort of completion reached
If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks
Confirming that this is a journey to be taken together
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Echoing the title's ultimate promise again emphatically
In Catholic school, as vicious as Roman rule
A descriptive reference of how cruel the singer's experience was
I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black
Elaborating on the aforementioned harshness
And I held my tongue as she told me 'Son, fear is the heart of love,' so I never went back
Describing how the fear tactic instilled into the singer as a youth has lingered, shaping their present beliefs
You and me have seen everything to see
Boasting a sense of completeness from shared experiences
From Bangkok to Calgary
Listing a spread of global destinations that they have travelled together
And the soles of your shoes are all worn down
A sign of a life that has been lived fully and actively
The time for sleep is now
Here, sleep serves as a stand-in for death, a final resting period
But it's nothing to cry about
Striving to not view death as something sorrowful
'Cause we'll hold each other soon
Focusing on the bond that holds them together
In the blackest of rooms
Giving emphasis to the ultimate darkness that matches the tone of the rest of the song
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Final reassurance that the singer will always choose to be with their loved one
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Benjamin Gibbard
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Frank
This song sucks
@TrickyDaFolf
7 years ago, i lost my boyfriend, and even though it was long distance, i still loved him alot.. and i thought because he had abusive parents.. i thought he offed himself honestly and.. i miss him deeply, i heard this song and... it fit perfectly.. anytime i miss him i just.. listen to this song and it helps me cope, because i always told him id be by his side.. wherever you are, i miss you, i wish you weren't gone, you had such an impact on my life and.. i wont forget you.
tiny add on here: He was... he had such a bright hope in him, he wanted to be a game designer someday and well, he was also known by his friends as a good pixel artist and an even greater person, and although me and his friends dont talk anymore, i.. i hope they atleast remember him, because they don't really remember me anymore, but i made a sort of vow to keep his name alive, make him always remembered.
I appreciate the kind words everyone.. i was just expecting it to be lost in the sea of comments.. so.. thank you..
Update: i have now graduated... i made it Dusk.. i hope you're proud of me..
Been 7 years, around this time today he.. he left... 9-18-15.
@sleeplessnight216
Lyrics:
Love of mine
Someday you will die
But I'll be close behind
I'll follow you into the dark
No blinding light
Or tunnels, to gates of white
Just our hands clasped so tight
Waiting for the hint of a spark
If Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs
If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark
In Catholic school, as vicious as Roman rule
I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black
And I held my tongue as she told me
"Son, fear is the heart of love, " so I never went back
And if Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs
If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark
You and me have seen everything to see
From Bangkok to Calgary
And the soles of your shoes are all worn down
The time for sleep is now
But it's nothing to cry about
'Cause we'll hold each other soon
In the blackest of rooms
And if Heaven and Hell decide that they both are satisfied
Illuminate the no's on their vacancy signs
If there's no one beside you when your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Then I'll follow you into the dark
@Justin-hv7eu
Get some help with that. It’s no way to live.
What’s the point of life if you’re constantly consumed with the thought that you’re gonna die one day?
We all die. It’s unavoidable. It’s also nothing to be afraid of.
Most people that grow old are far more accepting of that fact. Some even long for the release.
I’d like to believe that when I’m old as dirt and am on my way out I won’t be afraid. I’ll be ready to go. I’ll have lived my life, raised my children and accomplished what I wanted. What more could a person desire?
I’ve always thought death will be a lot like it was before I was born. The absence of everything. No consciousness, no feelings, no thoughts, nothing. You wouldn’t even be aware of it. It’s really nothing to be scared of. You won’t have the ability to be afraid of it. So why let it control your life?
I assume you’re young. Deal with your fear now so you can enjoy what time you have left.
I’d bet if you do you’ll be ready and willing to go when your time comes.
@matt-oo6fu
@@Justin-hv7eu that's a lot of wasted words (all of which i've either heard before or thought of myself at least a thousand times) all to add up to the ultimate stupid asshole advice: "lol just get over it!!!!!!!"
I'm 26. This started when I was 7. stop for a single second, pull yourself out of your little savior-complexed ass and think about that. Nearly 20 years of constant awareness of your mortality. for nearly 20 years, you go to bed every single night and think "Another day is gone that I will never get back. I'm another day closer now."
And just try to imagine nothingness. Can you? Can you really? Can you imagine not existing? Everything just being gone, forever, and none of it mattered?
Can you honestly say it doesn't scare you at all?
I've been to therapy. I've been to church. I've meditated. I've worked around dead and dying things. I've done just about everything that I've ever heard anyone say helped them "come to terms" with morality, and it's all been bullshit.
But sure, Genius Stranger On The Internet. I'll just Get Over It because you said so.
@sammgualberto
I can't believe it's been 15 years. I still remember being a young teenager, headphones in ears...crying listening to everything death cab. Now I'm double the age, still crying.
@beezybeez7231
This is so good but you must hear “Winding Road” or “Live Not Survive” by SLT 🤘🎹
@Tormund_Giantsbrain
SAME!!
@vicm23
same...
@user-ch5qd3uz3l
i remember being in my early 20s thinking i was too cool for death cab for cutie and what a fool i was
finally discovered death cab and MCR in the past couple years and feel like an idiot for not listening sooner
@goobles64
Man I love death cab and their songs, wonderful music but this really isn't good for us. The music is dark
@TrickyDaFolf
7 years ago, i lost my boyfriend, and even though it was long distance, i still loved him alot.. and i thought because he had abusive parents.. i thought he offed himself honestly and.. i miss him deeply, i heard this song and... it fit perfectly.. anytime i miss him i just.. listen to this song and it helps me cope, because i always told him id be by his side.. wherever you are, i miss you, i wish you weren't gone, you had such an impact on my life and.. i wont forget you.
tiny add on here: He was... he had such a bright hope in him, he wanted to be a game designer someday and well, he was also known by his friends as a good pixel artist and an even greater person, and although me and his friends dont talk anymore, i.. i hope they atleast remember him, because they don't really remember me anymore, but i made a sort of vow to keep his name alive, make him always remembered.
I appreciate the kind words everyone.. i was just expecting it to be lost in the sea of comments.. so.. thank you..
Update: i have now graduated... i made it Dusk.. i hope you're proud of me..
Been 7 years, around this time today he.. he left... 9-18-15.
@maryreneereuter7226
My boyfriend committed suicide a week after my 19th birthday the same year that this song came out. I used to hear it and burst into tears every time. Now I have the sheet music and play it. 15 years later I can actually get through it from start to finish, but only some of the time. It takes me right back to that feeling. I didn’t want him to be alone when his soul embarked. There are some types of pain that can never be fixed. This song takes me right back to that feeling.
@meghabiswas8359
Oh my god I'm so sorry for you😭 I'm sure he's fine 😇🥺