Josh Ritter’s song One More Mouth is a melancholic and introspective piece that explores themes like loneliness, isolation, and self-sufficiency. The song starts on a rhetorical note as the singer questions his lover's ability to survive alone in the city. The repeated phrase “Honey how you gonna make it on your own?” amplifies the nature of the struggle that the protagonist is undergoing in a hostile and challenging environment. The subsequent lines “And you can't find home?” establishes that the protagonist's longing for a sense of belonging to a place or a person is profound.

In the next verse, the singer highlights the protagonist's self-reliance and non-conformist attitude. The lines “You act like you don't need nobody else / And you dance like you don't need nobody else” are a nod to the protagonist's individualistic and defiant nature. The use of “moths” as a metaphor for humans may imply that everyone needs some form of external stimulation to function. The protagonist, however, is an exception and she prefers to depend only on her innate strength and expression.

The final verse of the song turns the attention back to the singer's perspective. As he watches his love interest from afar, he finds himself unable to understand her. The imagery of “I try to see what you're about / But even my candles are down and out” depicts his helplessness in deciphering her motives and desires. The lines “Will I starve in this eclipse while you treat every hungry kiss / Like one more mouth to feed?” suggest that the protagonist, who seeks self-sufficiency and independence, may perceive love, affection, and intimacy as liabilities that she cannot afford.