Though born in Dayton, Ohio, Barlow was raised in Jackson, Michigan and then Westfield, Massachusetts. He is widely considered to be among the most prolific and ground-breaking indie musicians of the 1990's. He's best known for his work with Sebadoh, The Folk Implosion and Dinosaur Jr.'s original and current lineup. Many labels have been applied to his unique brand of acoustic rock, including lo-fi, folk-pop and folkcore. Barlow's latest album, his second official solo effort under his own name, is titled Goodnight unknown.
Puzzle
Lou Barlow Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I think you're funny and you love my smell
Not enough, a lifetime of stuff we could want
We were simply buried alive
Trapped in rapture, tied to the sky
Cuddle on the couch, tranquilize
And then you left me, if only in your eyes
Rusted halo, use your wings
Hands on your hips, miss
Didn't miss a thing, you're not mine
Though you wear that ring, on your finger
One crush had me crawling away
You crush me, brush me aside
But how could I be surprised?
That in between your shadow and your light
I did lose you
Fly without, never be denied
Let happen, fall, you'll be alright
I will catch you
Fly without, never be denied
If you love me, tell me with your eyes
They never lie
It's been a long year this year
Good or bad, I can't tell from here
What a thrill, mop up the spill with my heart
There's a puzzle in your angel eyes
A piece we may never find
A piece we may never find, at the same time
In between your shadow and your light
There's an answer
In between your shadow and your light
Lou Barlow's song "Puzzle" is a poignant examination of a loving relationship that slowly turns distant and leaves the singer feeling lost and confused. The opening lines convey the sense of comfort that two people find in each other's company, and the mutual appreciation of their quirks and smells. However, the next lines hint at the possibility of unfulfilled desires and a sense of ennui that infects even the best of relationships.
The lines "We were simply buried alive, Trapped in rapture, tied to the sky" suggest that the couple's love may have felt like a prison or an overwhelming weight that they could not escape from, even as they were soaring high with each other. The following lines further suggest that the singer's partner has grown distant or even left him, perhaps metaphorically. The image of the "rusted halo" and "wings" suggests that the person whom the singer loved was an angelic figure who has now flown away from him. The final lines of the song hint at the impossibility of fully understanding or resolving the puzzle of love, but also offer a glimpse of hope and redemption in the simple gesture of catching someone who falls.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a puzzle that served us well
Our relationship was complex, but it worked for us
I think you're funny and you love my smell
I find you amusing and you enjoy my natural scent
Not enough, a lifetime of stuff we could want
Despite having a lot of things in common, we still lacked something important
We were simply buried alive
We were overwhelmed and suffocated by our problems
Trapped in rapture, tied to the sky
We were captivated by each other, but also felt trapped and restricted
Cuddle on the couch, tranquilize
We found comfort in each other's company, but also used it to escape our issues
And then you left me, if only in your eyes
You emotionally withdrew from the relationship, even if physically present
Don't you want me?
I'm questioning whether you still desire me
Rusted halo, use your wings
You were once an angel, but now you need to leave
Hands on your hips, miss
You're ready to part ways
Didn't miss a thing, you're not mine
You noticed everything, but you no longer belong to me
Though you wear that ring, on your finger
You're still committed to someone else, despite our connection
One crush had me crawling away
One infatuation with you made me retreat
You crush me, brush me aside
You hurt me and dismiss me without a second thought
But how could I be surprised?
I shouldn't be shocked, as this has happened before
That in between your shadow and your light
In the middle of your good and bad sides
I did lose you
I have definitely lost you now
Fly without, never be denied
You should move on and not be held back
Let happen, fall, you'll be alright
You should let life take its course and trust everything will be okay
I will catch you
I'll be here for you, to support and catch you if you fall
If you love me, tell me with your eyes
Show me through your actions that you still have feelings for me
They never lie
Your eyes reveal the truth, unlike your words
It's been a long year this year
This past year has been challenging and tiring
Good or bad, I can't tell from here
I can't distinguish if this year has been overall positive or negative
What a thrill, mop up the spill with my heart
It's exhilarating to pour my heart out to you, despite the uncertainty of your response
There's a puzzle in your angel eyes
There's something puzzling and mysterious in the way you look at me
A piece we may never find
We may never figure out what's missing in our relationship
A piece we may never find, at the same time
This missing piece may remain a mystery, always
In between your shadow and your light
In the middle of your good and bad sides
There's an answer
There's a solution, but we have to find it first
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Cooper Davidson
Such an amazingly beautiful but sad song!
jazz master
I'm so stoned right now and this is perfect.
GEOpz838
You're Welcome!