I Will Follow You Into The Dark
Jasmine Thompson Lyrics


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Love of mine, some day 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

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

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

Overall Meaning

The song "I Will Follow You Into The Dark" by Jasmine Thompson is a beautiful and emotional tribute to love and death. The lyrics describe the singer's devotion to their loved one, even beyond death. The first verse acknowledges the inevitability of death, but the singer promises to be there until the very end, no matter what the afterlife may hold. The second verse tells of a traumatic experience in Catholic school where the singer was taught that fear is at the heart of love, but this trauma did not deter the singer's love and devotion. The final verse is a beautiful summary of the couple's journey through life together, from world travels to the wear and tear on their shoes, and now the time has come for them to rest together in the "blackest of rooms."


The repeated refrain of "If Heaven and Hell decide, That they both are satisfied, Illuminate the 'No's on their vacancy signs" implies that the afterlife is not as important as the love between the two people. The song's message is that love is eternal and transcendent, and that even in death, the bond between two people can never be broken. Overall, this song is a powerful testament to the universal human experience of love, loss, and devotion.



Line by Line Meaning

Love of mine, some day you will die
The singer is addressing their lover, acknowledging that death is an inevitable part of life


But I'll be close behind
The singer promises to be with their lover every step of the way, even after death


I'll follow you into the dark
The singer is willing to follow their lover into death and beyond


No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white
The singer does not expect any typical heavenly afterlife and is prepared for whatever may come


Just our hands clasped so tight
The singer and their lover will face death together, holding onto each other tightly


Waiting for the hint of a spark
The pair are waiting for a sign of life or something to guide them through the unknown


If Heaven and Hell decide That they both are satisfied Illuminate the "No"s on their vacancy signs
If both heaven and hell refuse to take in the singer and their lover, they are resigned to staying in the dark and continuing their journey


If there's no one beside you When your soul embarks Then I'll follow you into the dark
Once again, the singer confirms they will never abandon their lover, even when they pass on


You and me have seen everything to see From Bangkok to Calgary And the soles of your shoes are all worn down
The singer and their lover have experienced so much together and have traveled far and wide throughout their lives, as evidenced by the wear and tear on their shoes


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
The singer sees death as a peaceful sleep, and reminds their lover that they will be together in the end, even if it's in darkness


Then I'll follow you into the dark
This final line reiterates the singer's devotion to their lover, and their willingness to brave the unknown with them




Writer(s): Benjamin Gibbard, Christopher Walla, Jason Mc Gerr, Nicholas Harmer

Contributed by Jordan J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Shai Gluskin

Beautiful. I love the intensity around 2:55. You are so present.

However you continue to evolve, I hope you keep doing these simply produced videos. 

When I say "simple" I don't mean to imply it isn't a lot of hard work by you and your producers. Sometimes simple is even more work.

I just mean you, singing with passion, one camera, you NOT looking at the camera (except for maybe a smile at the end), simple instrumentation, and no or very sparing harmonies/background vocals.

It is a winning combination and powerfully brings out your interpretation, your owning of the song, your full living within the song and how you let your special voice ring out in response.



All comments from YouTube:

The Soul of Wind

Beautiful voice ^^

Shawna Castano

I got chills multiple times while watching this. She has a very nice voice.

Alraisen Avecesdario

Thank you for always writing the lyrics in the description. I know it sounds petty, but I really like you take the effort to do it, no matter whether you copy and paste it from the Internet or you write it yourself.
There will be a time when there is nothing else I want to thank you for. But that day is far, far away :D.

Jasmine Thompson

Alraisen Avecesdario Thank you for the comment! I am glad that some of you find it useful :)

Raphael Garcia

Easily my favorite Death Cab for Cutie track! Works perfectly with your voice :)

Ag Johnson

I can't get enough of her voice its so unique! Xxx

PixelSheep

It's been almost 3 years since I first discovered this - I still do love it so much! <3

PixelSheep

still true

Keks Tube

That was really amazing!
I love your voice so much <3 <3
And u've sung it so emotional that it's indescribable.

:*

Jasmine Thompson

Thank you :)

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