Can't Break Her Fall
Mat Kearney Lyrics


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She says today is gonna be the last one
I know there's never gonna be an easy way out
She's rolling round the town with a fast gun
And I know I can't be there to catch her when she falls
Well half way down is half way out of here
We're either halfway drowned or half way â??round the pier
When you're that far gone
I walked the steps to her apartment with the window by the shore
And saw her curled on the tile through a crack in the door
I've been searching for the words I don't know how to say
I've been searching for the words to make it go away
I spent all of last night and the night before that
With my feet in the sand and the wind on my back

Watching a ship sail out to a blue wide sea
There must be more than this with a kiss we can't see
Well half way down is half way out of here
We're either half way drowned or half way round the pier
I can't break her, I can't break her fall
She's lying in the back room, crying on the bathroom floor
Singing I can't take it, I can't take any more
Just one reason, one to believe in
That's not that far gone
Not that far gone

I held the back of her head and laid her in the bed
And watched the sheets raise and fall to the rhythm of her breath
Turn the lock on the handle and slipped down the stairs
To the cover of the night with diamonds in the air
I'll say a prayer in my breath and take a left at the water
To the rhythm of my feet a sister and a daughter
To the rhythm of the sea with the breeze in the autumn
As it blows through the trees my hands into the water
Well half way down is half way out of here
We're either half way drowned or half way round the pier
I can't break her, I can't break her fall
She's lying in the back room, crying on the bathroom floor
Singing I can't take it, I can't take any more
Just one reason, one to believe in
That's not that far

I can't break her, I can't break her fall
She's lying in the back room, crying on the bathroom floor
And I can't take it, I can't take anymore




She says today is gonna be the last time
And I know there's never gonna be an easy way out

Overall Meaning

The song "Can't Break Her Fall" by Mat Kearney is a poignant and emotional reflection on the struggle of trying to save someone who seems determined to self-destruct. The lyrics are full of vivid imagery and powerful metaphor, creating a sense of urgency and desperation.


In the first stanza, the singer seems resigned to the fact that the person they are trying to help is beyond their reach. They know that there is no easy way out of the situation, and that the person is "rolling round the town with a fast gun". The line "I know I can't be there to catch her when she falls" is particularly heartbreaking, as it suggests that the singer has tried and failed to help this person before.


The second stanza provides more detail about the singer's relationship with the person in question. They have been spending time together, trying to find the right words to say, and watching ships sail out to sea. The final lines of the stanza - "I can't break her, I can't break her fall / She's lying in the back room, crying on the bathroom floor / Singing I can't take it, I can't take any more" - again emphasize the singer's feelings of helplessness and frustration.


In the final stanza, the singer seems to be saying goodbye to the person they have been trying to help. They lay her down in bed, turn a lock on the handle, and slip away into the night. The closing lines - "She says today is gonna be the last time / And I know there's never gonna be an easy way out" - are a haunting reminder of the tragic nature of the situation.


Overall, "Can't Break Her Fall" is a moving and deeply affecting song that speaks to the struggles of trying to help someone who seems determined to self-destruct. Through vivid imagery and powerful metaphor, Mat Kearney captures the raw emotion and desperate urgency of the situation.


Line by Line Meaning

She says today is gonna be the last one
She has decided that today is the day that she will try to end her life.


I know there's never gonna be an easy way out
I know that there is no easy way to stop her or to help her through this.


She's rolling round the town with a fast gun
She is driving recklessly around town, possibly with a loaded gun.


And I know I can't be there to catch her when she falls
I am afraid that I will not be able to save her if she tries to hurt herself.


Well half way down is half way out of here
If you are halfway down a dangerous path, you might as well be all the way down or out of here altogether.


We're either halfway drowned or halfway 'round the pier
We are either halfway submerged in our troubles or halfway along a dangerous path.


I walked the steps to her apartment with the window by the shore
I walked up to her apartment which looked out over the shore.


And saw her curled on the tile through a crack in the door
I saw her curled up on the bathroom floor through a small opening in the door.


I've been searching for the words I don't know how to say
I have been trying to find the words to help her, but I don't know what to say.


I spent all of last night and the night before that
I spent two whole nights thinking about how to help her.


With my feet in the sand and the wind on my back
I was on the beach, standing in the sand, feeling the wind on my back as I tried to come up with a way to help her.


Watching a ship sail out to a blue wide sea
I watched a ship sail out to sea, wondering if there is something more to life than the problems we face.


There must be more than this with a kiss we can't see
There must be something better in life that we can't see or experience right now.


I can't break her, I can't break her fall
I feel powerless to help her and stop her from hurting herself.


She's lying in the back room, crying on the bathroom floor
She is alone in the back room, crying on the bathroom floor.


Singing I can't take it, I can't take any more
She is expressing that she has reached her limit and can't take the pain anymore.


Just one reason, one to believe in
She needs just one reason to hold on, to believe in something that will help her get through this.


That's not that far gone
She is not too far gone to be helped, there is still hope.


I held the back of her head and laid her in the bed
I held her head and helped her lie down in the safety of her bed.


And watched the sheets raise and fall to the rhythm of her breath
I watched her sleep peacefully, the sheets moving up and down with each breath.


Turn the lock on the handle and slipped down the stairs
I quietly left her apartment, locking the door behind me, and walked down the stairs.


To the cover of the night with diamonds in the air
I walked outside, into the dark night sky filled with shining stars.


I'll say a prayer in my breath and take a left at the water
I will say a small prayer and walk along the water, taking the direction she needs me to go in.


To the rhythm of my feet a sister and a daughter
As I walk, I think of myself as both a sister and a daughter, and how much would be lost if she were to leave us.


To the rhythm of the sea with the breeze in the autumn
As I walk along the shore, I feel the rhythm of the sea and the cool breeze of autumn calming me down.


As it blows through the trees my hands into the water
The wind blows through the trees, and I reach my hands into the water, feeling the healing power of nature around me.


She says today is gonna be the last time
She feels like today is her last chance to end her pain for good.


And I know there's never gonna be an easy way out
I know that there is no easy solution, it will take hard work to get through this.


So I can't break her, I can't break her fall
I know that I don't have the power to stop her or to fix everything for her.


She's lying in the back room, crying on the bathroom floor
She is still alone, crying on the bathroom floor.


And I can't take it, I can't take anymore
I am overwhelmed and don't know what to do or say to help her.




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MATHEW KEARNEY

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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