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Closer To Fine
Indigo Girls Lyrics


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I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
Maybe give me insight between black and white
And the best thing you've ever done for me
Is to help me take my life less seriously
It's only life after all, yeah

Well darkness has a hunger that's insatiable
And lightness has a call that's hard to hear
I wrap my fear around me like a blanket
I sailed my ship of safety 'til I sank it
I'm crawling on your shores

And I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountains
There's more than one answer to these questions
Pointing me in a crooked line
And the less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine, yeah
The closer I am to fine, yeah

And I went to see the doctor of philosophy
With a poster of Rasputin and a beard down to his knee
He never did marry or see a B-Grade movie
He graded my performance, he said he could see through me
I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind
Got my paper and I was free

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountains
There's more than one answer to these questions
Pointing me in a crooked line
And the less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine, yeah
The closer I am to fine, yeah

I stopped by the bar at three A.M.
To seek solace in a bottle, or possibly a friend
And I woke up with a headache like my head against a board
Twice as cloudy as I'd been the night before
And I went in seeking clarity

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountains
We go to the doctor, we go to the mountains
We look to the children, we drink from the fountain
Yeah, we go to the Bible, we go through the work out
We read up on revival, we stand up for the lookout
There's more than one answer to these questions
Pointing me in a crooked line
And the less I seek my source for some definitive
The closer I am to fine
The closer I am to fine
The closer I am to fine, yeah

Overall Meaning

The Indigo Girls song "Closer To Fine" is about the search for meaning and understanding in life, and the realization that there may not be a single answer or definitive source of truth. The song's narrator has tried various avenues for self-discovery, including going to the doctor, going to the mountains, looking to children for inspiration, and seeking solace in a bottle or a friend. Despite all these efforts, the singer shares that they have come to the realization that life is not always clear-cut and that the search for answers can be a winding path.


The lyrics express the idea that life is full of contradictions and dichotomies, as seen in lines like "Maybe give me insight between black and white" and "Well darkness has a hunger that's insatiable / And lightness has a call that's hard to hear." The singer has previously clung to a sense of safety, but has since realized that this approach is not always fruitful. Instead, they have learned to take life less seriously and seek out various forms of wisdom without expecting a concrete solution.


Overall, "Closer To Fine" is an expression of the human condition and the search for understanding and fulfillment. It encourages listeners to embrace the journey of self-discovery and realize that there is no one right answer.


Line by Line Meaning

I'm tryin' to tell you somethin' 'bout my life
I want to share with you some insights about my life.


Maybe give me insight between black and white
Perhaps you can provide me with a better understanding of the grey areas in life.


And the best thing you've ever done for me
The greatest gift you have given me is helping me to not take life too seriously.


Is to help me take my life less seriously
You have helped me to not stress over the small things and enjoy life more fully.


It's only life after all, yeah
At the end of the day, life is just life and we shouldn't let our worries consume us.


Well darkness has a hunger that's insatiable
The negative aspects of life can feel all-consuming and never satiated.


And lightness has a call that's hard to hear
Finding joy and positivity can be difficult amidst life's many struggles and challenges.


I wrap my fear around me like a blanket
I tend to hold onto my fears and insecurities as if they provide me with some level of comfort.


I sailed my ship of safety 'til I sank it
I played it too safe and ultimately let myself down by not taking more risks and opportunities for growth.


I'm crawling on your shores
I am seeking help and guidance from someone I trust.


And I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I tried various methods and sought out different perspectives to try and find the answers I was looking for.


I looked to the children, I drank from the fountains
I found inspiration and clarity from the innocence of children and the natural world.


There's more than one answer to these questions
Life is complex and there are many different solutions to the problems we face.


Pointing me in a crooked line
The path to finding those answers is not always straightforward and can be filled with twists and turns.


And the less I seek my source for some definitive
The less I look for one set answer, the closer I come to finding my own unique solutions and sense of peace.


The closer I am to fine, yeah
The more I let go of my worries and embrace the complexities of life, the closer I come to finding contentment and happiness.


I went to see the doctor of philosophy
I consulted an expert in the field of philosophy to try and gain more insight into the nature of life.


With a poster of Rasputin and a beard down to his knee
The doctor I consulted was unconventional and not what I expected.


He never did marry or see a B-Grade movie
He had a unique personality and lifestyle that set him apart from societal norms.


He graded my performance, he said he could see through me
He saw through my facade and evaluated me honestly and objectively.


I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind
I dedicated a significant amount of time and effort to self-reflection and personal growth.


Got my paper and I was free
I achieved a sense of liberation and newfound clarity after all my hard work.


I stopped by the bar at three A.M.
I tried to numb my worries and find comfort in alcohol and socialization.


To seek solace in a bottle, or possibly a friend
I was hoping to find a sense of comfort and relief from my troubles through either alcohol or social support.


And I woke up with a headache like my head against a board
Unfortunately, the coping mechanisms I used only led to more pain and discomfort.


Twice as cloudy as I'd been the night before
My problems only seemed to multiply and worsen the more I tried to escape them.


And I went in seeking clarity
I realized that I needed to seek out healthier and more productive ways of finding a sense of clarity and comfort.


We go to the doctor, we go to the mountains
As humans, we seek out different experiences and viewpoints to try and understand our place in the world.


We look to the children, we drink from the fountain
We find beauty and simplicity in the natural world and often gain new perspectives from the innocence of children.


Yeah, we go to the Bible, we go through the work out
Some people turn to religion or exercise to help them find a sense of purpose or hope.


We read up on revival, we stand up for the lookout
Others are inspired by historical movements or social causes that encourage change and progress.


And the less I seek my source for some definitive
Ultimately, the closer we come to finding contentment and happiness, the less we rely on external sources for answers and meaning.


The closer I am to fine
When we embrace the complexities of life and let go of our worries, we come closer to finding peace and contentment.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Amy Elizabeth Ray, Emily Ann Saliers

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@landyachtfan79

Lyrics:

I'm trying to tell you something about my life
Maybe give me insight between black and white
And the best thing you've ever done for me
Is to help me take my life less seriously
It's only life after all
Yeah

Well darkness has a hunger that's insatiable
And lightness has a call that's hard to hear
I wrap my fear around me like a blanket
I sailed my ship of safety till I sank it
I'm crawling on your shores

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountains
There's more than one answer to these questions
Pointing me in a crooked line
And the less I seek my source for some definitive
(the less I seek my source)
The closer I am to fine
The closer I am to fine

And I went to see the doctor of philosophy
With a poster of Rasputin and a beard down to his knee
He never did marry or see a B-grade movie
He graded my performance, he said he could see through me
I spent four years prostrate to the higher mind
Got my paper and I was free

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountains
There's more than one answer to these questions
Pointing me in a crooked line
The less I seek my source for some definitive
(The less I seek my source)
The closer I am to fine
The closer I am to fine

I stopped by the bar at 3 a.m.
To seek solace in a bottle or possibly a friend
And I woke up with a headache like my head against a board
Twice as cloudy as Id been the night before
And I went in seeking clarity.

I went to the doctor, I went to the mountains
I looked to the children, I drank from the fountains
Yeah we go to the doctor, we go to the mountains
We look to the children, we drink from the fountains
Yeah we go to the bible, we go through the workout
We read up on revival and we stand up for the lookout
Theres more than one answer to these questions
Pointing me in a crooked line
The less I seek my source for some definitive
(The less I seek my source)
The closer I am to fine
The closer I am to fine
The closer I am to fine



@Logan-wv8qf

@@Raven-yj5pp Wow, ok then. Hey I’m just offering 25 years of experience with many, many, people experiencing bi-polar disorder. I will try to break it down for you, with compassion. Maybe you will be able to help someone.
Being bi-polar means having “changing brain chemistry.”
All of our perceptions of the world are based on that brain chemistry (which for most of us is “non-changing.”
If I am bi-polar, and my brain chemistry begins to change, the change is so subtle that I will not be aware of the change.
That means my perception of everything and everyone around me is quietly, subtly changing too (without my awareness). My judgement is changing, without my awareness.
I will not notice my slowly increasing change in perception and slow loss of judgement. It will all look normal to me.
My family and friends will begin to see the changes first. They are seeing my degraded judgement in my attitudes and actions, from outside of me.

If they can catch me and connect me with treatment early enough, with help, I can get medication to bring my brain chemistry back to the normal range.
Left unchecked, my perception and judgement begins to rapidly erode and I become increasingly irrational, with no awareness of my loss of judgement. This could have potentially disastrous social, relationship, financial and even legal consequences. I see many bi-polar people in prison, connected to things they did while their judgement was gone.

That’s why having a therapist and friends and family, who will tell you what you need to hear, and insist that you take action immediately, is critical, whether you want to hear it or not.
As my judgement erodes, l will have a tendency to reject therapists and/or family and friends who are giving me honest and important feedback about how I am actually degrading in judgement (as they can see it in my increasing hostility and rejection of feedback).As I lose more judgement, I will become increasingly angry, and hostile, with anyone who tries to give me feedback that disagrees with my “altered perception.” Eventually, as my brain chemistry continues to shift, I completely lose touch with reality, possibly leading to a forced hospitalization (5150), or possibly an arrest.
There you go, 25 years experience, no charge, friend.



All comments from YouTube:

@theiammike123

Brace yourselves, Indigo Girls. The Barbie wave is coming.

@damaracarpenter8316

I was just about to comment the same!

@jessicac4751

Lordy, I'm not sure we can prepare for that, lol! :)

@AdelineCowgirl

Yep. All of the top comments will say "Barbie brought me here." And "Thanks Barbie for introducing me to this gem." And then everyone who already knew this song before Barbie will be defensively and proudly declaring their superior fandom status lmao.

@2degucitas

​@@AdelineCowgirl Nailed it

@chrisezelle

😎🤘🏼

121 More Replies...

@davidnussbaum4639

Indigo Girls are getting some well deserved shine thanks Barbie.

@spankynater4242

Not just because of the movie though, more because of their amazing racks.

@lisacarmack6113

About time!

@dawncrowe2076

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