Bathing in the Ganges
Izaak Opatz Lyrics
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Or is it everlasting
Is it just a lie I want to believe is true?
Is it strength to forget it
Or is it strength to admit it
This unexpungeable love I have for you.
Spackling cracks and keeping out the remember when
You came at me with a feather and a wedge
Paper planing these thoughts into my head
It's not pretty
It's like bathing in the Ganges
Wading into this old, sick water
Hoping it's gonna save me
Something about this love of mine
Pushes and persuades me
To just lean back and float downstream
I think you saw me filling in again
Spackling cracks and keeping out the remember when
You came at me with a feather and a wedge
Paper planing these thoughts into my head
You called me, I guess looking for that old desperation
You knew you'd find in my eyes
You picked me like a scab, and like a scab, I bled
I've burned, peeled, healed, and still I can't believe
How much I just want to feel you again
I think you saw me filling in again
Spackling cracks and keeping out the remember when
You came at me with a feather and a wedge
Paper planing these thoughts into my head
The lyrics of "Bathing in the Ganges" by Izaak Opatz are reflective of a complicated, intense love that the singer is struggling with. The opening lines ask whether this emotion is just a temporary feeling or something that will persist over time. The singer is not sure whether their love for the partner is something they want to believe in, despite possibly knowing that it is a lie. The ambiguity of this emotion is further reinforced by contrasting emotions of forgetting and admitting it. The love is unexpungeable, and the singer is trapped in it.
The chorus likens this love to "bathing in the Ganges," which is the holy river in India known for its unique healing properties. However, this feat is not easy, given the filth and pollution in the river. The act of wading is a metaphor for the singer's attempt to navigate through turbulent love and their hope that it will somehow redeem them.
The song is an exploration of themes such as love, heartbreak, and the complexities of human relationships. The third verse illustrates the singer's vulnerability and desperation, and how easily their partner can manipulate them. The vivid imagery of "picking a scab" highlights how much the singer is hurting, and how their partner's actions only compound this pain. The repeated lines of the chorus emphasize the singer's yearning to be saved from this overwhelming emotion.
Line by Line Meaning
Is it just left over
Is this feeling just a remnant of the past?
Or is it everlasting
Or is this feeling here to stay?
Is it just a lie I want to believe is true?
Or am I deceiving myself into thinking that this feeling is real?
Is it strength to forget it
Is it better to forget this feeling altogether?
Or is it strength to admit it
Or is it better to acknowledge and face this feeling head-on?
This unexpungeable love I have for you.
This love that I can't seem to shake off.
I think you saw me filling in again
You noticed that I'm trying to cover up my emotions once again.
Spackling cracks and keeping out the remember when
I'm trying to patch up the holes in my heart and escape memories of the past.
You came at me with a feather and a wedge
You tried to pry into my emotions and open me up.
Paper planing these thoughts into my head
You planted thoughts into my mind that I can't ignore.
It's not pretty
It's not a beautiful feeling.
It's like bathing in the Ganges
It feels like immersing myself in dirty, polluted water.
Wading into this old, sick water
Diving into this unhealthy and unpleasant feeling.
Hoping it's gonna save me
Hoping that this feeling will somehow rescue me.
Something about this love of mine
There's something about this feeling that's hard to describe.
Pushes and persuades me
It urges and convinces me.
To just lean back and float downstream
To give in to this feeling and let it take me wherever it goes.
You called me, I guess looking for that old desperation
You reached out to me, perhaps hoping to rekindle our past feelings of desperation and longing.
You knew you'd find in my eyes
You knew that you could see those emotions reflected in my eyes.
You picked me like a scab, and like a scab, I bled
You opened up old wounds and I still feel the pain.
I've burned, peeled, healed, and still I can't believe
I thought I had moved on from this feeling, but I realize I haven't.
How much I just want to feel you again
How much I long to experience those feelings once more.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Izaak Opatz
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Elijah Dueck
A wonderful song through and through.
Austin Mohr
This is really a great song.