Swallow the Sea
Matthew Perryman Jones Lyrics

Something's in the air, empty as smoke that won't clear
Something intangible is present and pervasive, much like smoke that cannot be physically grasped or dispersed.

Lowly burn, filled up car where you disappear
A subtle, slow-burning fire consumes the singer, leading to a sense of non-existence in a space that should provide freedom and mobility.

Secrets are a stain that mess up your mind
Keeping concealed truths is a burden that causes mental and emotional distress.

That we love to play
Despite the negative effects, humans are drawn to the thrill of keeping secrets close to the chest.

Take your time, waste your time
One is advised to use time at their leisure, with the understanding that it is ultimately fleeting and irretrievable.

While life slips away
The singer is aware of the preciousness of time, and the importance of making the most of it.

Oh, what do you want to hear?
The singer is searching for a message, a solution, or anything that can help them make sense of their current state.

What do you want?
A direct challenge to the artist to clarify their desires and goals.

Where can you go?
An existential question of where one can hope to escape to, if they are unhappy with their current situation.

Stuck in the undertone.
The artist is mired in a sense of underlying sadness or emotional heaviness that permeates everything they do.

Won't let you go
The sense of being trapped in negative emotions or states is perpetual.

Hold it with your hands, all of your hopes are in this one
An injunction to the artist to hold onto their aspirations, since they rely entirely upon them.

The silent stare that won't be there after you're done
The singer is aware of their own mortality, and understands that any accomplishments or affirmations they get from life won't be with them in death.

The sun is coming up, shining on top
Despite internal struggles, external and objective reality continues to move forward and progress amidst the cycle of the day.

Of dying wheat
A somber note underneath the surface positivity, emphasizing the organic and cyclical nature of life and death.

Lonely love, those tangled sheets
A reference to loneliness in bed, where physical intimacy does nothing to remedy a deeper sense of isolation.

Won't stop the bleed
Despite attempts to address pain and loneliness, they remain ever-present and cannot be fully healed.

Where can you go? Can you swallow the sea?
A final, desperate query at the end, suggesting that the singer has no idea how to move forward, and may even have to make impossible sacrifices to try and find a way out of their emotional difficulties.