At Ease
Jenny Dalton Lyrics
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Of the black and white stills
All frozen in frames
I cannot picture you
Do you want to go back, do you want to be free
Or get away from me?
I just want to be safe, and I'm wearing your tags
Like an undercover you
Disguised as an angel
Now I look at you babe when you're safely asleep
Like an undercover me
Disguised as an angel
Oh, at ease
Out on my own in the year
Of the black and white stills
All frozen in frames
I cannot picture you
What has that place done to you?
Do you want to go back, do you want to be free
Or get away from me?
I just want to be safe, and I'm wearing your tags
Like an undercover you
Disguised as the devil
Now I look at you babe when you're safely asleep
Like an undercover me
Disguised as the devil
I just want to be safe, and I'm wearing your tags
Like an undercover you
Disguised as a soldier
Now I look at you babe when you're under my sheets
Like an undercover me
Disguised as a soldier
Oh, at ease
The lyrics of "At Ease" by Jenny Dalton express the singer's mistrust and uncertainty towards the person she's with. The opening line indicates that she's alone in a year when memories seem frozen in black and white pictures. She implies that she's unable to picture or understand the person she's with- their past or intentions. The lyrics "What has that place done to you?/ Do you want to go back, do you want to be free/ Or get away from me?" showcase her insecurity and confusion. She's not sure if her partner wants to leave her, escape from their past or stay in the relationship. The chorus lyrics "I just want to be safe, and I'm wearing your tags/ Like an undercover you/ Disguised as an angel/ Now I look at you when you're safely asleep like an undercover me/ Disguised as an angel/ Oh, at ease" convey her desire to be in a safe relationship and the constant struggle to trust her partner, who she thinks might be wearing a facade.
The rest of the lyrics repeat this theme but in starkly different contexts. The line "I'm wearing your tags like an undercover you/ Disguised as the devil/ Now I look at you babe when you're safely asleep/ Like an undercover me/ Disguised as the devil" distinctly shifts the imagery of the partner from an angel to the devil. The opening question, "What has that place done to you?" seems now to be answered. Dalton suggests that the place has transformed her partner into someone she does not trust- a devil in disguise. The last verse continues this idea when Dalton characterizes herself and her partner as soldiers disguising themselves. The lyrics "I just want to be safe, and I'm wearing your tags/ Like an undercover you/ Disguised as a soldier/ Now I look at you babe when you're under my sheets/ Like an undercover me/ Disguised as a soldier/ Oh, at ease" create a metaphor for how love and relationships can feel like warzones, and both partners often have to protect themselves by disguising their true selves.
Line by Line Meaning
Out on my own in the year
Alone in a time defined in gray-scale photographs
Of the black and white stills
Pictures that capture the past without the colors of today
All frozen in frames
Every memory and every moment encapsulated in time
I cannot picture you
I can't imagine what you're thinking or what has transpired in your life
What has that place done to you?
How has the environment shaped you and changed your outlook?
Do you want to go back, do you want to be free
Do you want to return to the place that spawned these thoughts or depart entirely from it?
Or get away from me?
Or is it me that you're trying to escape?
I just want to be safe, and I'm wearing your tags
I desire only security and I carry remnants of the one I trust
Like an undercover you
As if I'm in cooperation with a spy feigning concern for me
Disguised as an angel
One who could deceive me since an angel represents purity and innocence
Now I look at you babe when you're safely asleep
Only when you're lost in slumber am I able to freely examine you
Like an undercover me
In the same way I hide my true motives while observing you
Disguised as an angel
Simultaneously maintaining the façade of a trustworthy guardian
Oh, at ease
Finally, I can relax
Disguised as the devil
Like a malevolent figure, concealing your identity
Disguised as a soldier
Like a warrior or fighter, masked from sight
Now I look at you babe when you're under my sheets
I observe you when we're closest, but also when I'm most vulnerable
Contributed by Nicholas M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.