On 26 September 2006, Haines released the album Knives Don't Have Your Back on Last Gang Records. The album was written and recorded in Los Angeles, Montreal, Toronto, and New York over the previous four years, and features contributors including Sparklehorse's Scott Minor, Broken Social Scene's Justin Peroff, Stars' Evan Cranley, and Metric's Jimmy Shaw.
Though it took Haines four years to complete the album, the singer says she'd been plotting this for years. "When I was a little kid," she said in a statement, "I would creep downstairs to the piano and write rudimentary songs about imaginary places. I'm told the first song I ever wrote was a love song to a cranberry tree. I always used the mute pedal. I hated the idea of anybody hearing me.
"Everywhere I've lived while working with Metric, I've written songs on the piano and played them for no one," she continued. "On the advice of a friend, I decided I'd better start recording them before they were forgotten."
Among those songs are a track that was written while Haines was studying electroacoustics in Montreal while some were recorded in Toronto, Canada in the winter of 2002, shortly after the death of Haines' father.
Official site: http://www.emilyhaines.com
Minefield of Memory
Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
So unstable then you were born
So unstable then you were born
So unstable then you were born
Just leave a light on in the window
(I'll be there, there, I'll be there)
Just leave a light on in the window
How has the song in your heart found a tune?
How is the sound strong enough to carry you?
Over the undertow
Keeping the volume low
I stay with my memories
And it's a minefield of memory
I'm going to stay with my memories
I'm in a minefield of memory
Oh it's a minefield of memory
I've been living in a hole
Everybody has to know
All the ways I didn't deal with everything right
Help me dig another hole
Everybody has to know
All the ways I didn't deal with everything right
Bury the body in the garden
(It's still there)
(It's still there)
Bury the body in the garden
(It's still there)
(It's still there)
How do the days in a row make a week?
I'm leaving a song in your heart as we speak
Keeping the volume low
No matter where I go
I stay with my memories
And it's a minefield of memory
(It's a minefield, it's a mind-fuck)
I'm going to stay (right here)
With my memories
(I know this place)
Even though it's a minefield of memory
(It's a minefield, it's a mind-fuck)
I got to stay (right here)
With my memories
(I know this place)
Oh it's a minefield of memory
(It's a minefield, it's a mind-fuck)
I'm going to stay (right here)
With my memories
(I know this place)
Even though it's a minefield of memory
(It's a minefield, it's a mind-fuck)
I want to wait (right here)
With my memories
(I love this place)
And it's a minefield of memory
(It's a minefield, it's a mind-fuck)
I'm going to wait (right here)
With my memories
(I love this place)
Even though it's a minefield of memory
(It's a minefield, it's a mind-fuck)
I'm going to stay (right here)
With my memories
(I love this place)
Even though it's a minefield of memory
Oh it's a minefield of memory
Oh it's a minefield of memory
The lyrics of "Minefield of Memory" by Emily Haines & The Soft Skeleton delve into the theme of instability and the challenges of navigating through traumatic memories. The first repeated lines, "So unstable then you were born," serve as a direct expression of the singer's own inner turmoil and emotional fragility from the moment of their birth. It suggests that instability has been a constant force throughout their life.
The recurring line, "Just leave a light on in the window," is a plea for support and understanding. The singer is asking someone to provide them with a sense of comfort and reassurance, symbolized by the light in the window. They yearn for a place of safety amidst the chaos they feel.
The metaphor of a "minefield of memory" represents the singer's struggle with their past experiences. Memories, like hidden explosives in a war zone, can be triggered unexpectedly and cause emotional harm. Despite the potential danger, the singer chooses to stay with their memories, indicating a willingness to confront and process their past rather than evade it.
The lyrics also touch upon guilt and the pressure to conform. The lines, "I've been living in a hole, everybody has to know all the ways I didn't deal with everything right," express the singer's feelings of shame and the need for others to understand their imperfections. They desire validation and acceptance even though they haven't always handled situations in the best way.
The repeated phrases throughout the song highlight the singer's determination to remain in their comfort zone, with their memories and experiences, even though it can be challenging and tumultuous. They openly acknowledge that it can be a "minefield" and a "mind-fuck," but they choose to stay in this space because it is familiar and holds a certain sense of identity and understanding.
Overall, "Minefield of Memory" captures the complex emotions surrounding instability, the need for support, the burden of past mistakes, and the struggle to find solace and acceptance within one's own memories and experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
So unstable then you were born
You have always been unpredictable and uncertain since the day you were born
Just leave a light on in the window (I'll be there, there, I'll be there)
Keep a glimmer of hope alive, and I will always be there to support you
How has the song in your heart found a tune?
How has your inner voice found harmony amidst the chaos?
How is the sound strong enough to carry you?
How does your inner strength help you overcome the challenges?
Over the undertow
Despite being pulled by strong currents of emotions
Keeping the volume low
Silencing the noise and avoiding confrontation
I stay with my memories
I choose to remain attached to the past
And it's a minefield of memory
The past is a dangerous and challenging territory
I'm going to stay with my memories
I am determined to hold onto my past experiences
I'm in a minefield of memory
I am tangled within a complex web of memories
I've been living in a hole
I have been dwelling in a dark and isolated place
Everybody has to know all the ways I didn't deal with everything right
I feel the need to expose my mistakes and shortcomings to the world
Help me dig another hole
Assist me in creating another situation where I can hide
Bury the body in the garden (It's still there)
Conceal the evidence of past transgressions and pretend they don't exist
How do the days in a row make a week?
How do the passing of time and routine create a sense of continuity?
I'm leaving a song in your heart as we speak
I am making a lasting and meaningful impact on your emotions
No matter where I go
Regardless of my physical location
I stay with my memories
I am tethered to my past experiences
Even though it's a minefield of memory
Despite the dangers and challenges it presents
I got to stay (right here) with my memories
I must remain present with my past experiences
(It's a minefield, it's a mind-fuck)
Acknowledging the treacherous and mentally agonizing nature of the past
I want to wait (right here) with my memories
I desire to patiently remain attached to my past
(I love this place)
Expressing affection and comfort towards the realm of memories
And it's a minefield of memory
The past is a hazardous landscape to navigate
I'm going to wait (right here) with my memories
I am determined to remain steadfastly connected to my past
(I love this place)
I hold a deep affection for the realm of memories
Even though it's a minefield of memory
Despite the inherent difficulties and challenges it presents
Oh it's a minefield of memory
The past is filled with explosive triggers and emotional landmines
Oh it's a minefield of memory
Navigating the past is treacherous and fraught with emotional challenges
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: Emily Haines
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind