After the split-up of Hederos & Hellberg, Hellberg went into the studio in September 2003 together with some fellow musicians forming Hellberg's backup band Healing Hand. Hellberg started recording his own songs, and ended up with ten songs about the melancholy of life released on his self-titled debut album.
You Don't
Mattias Hellberg Lyrics
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And I don't ask you anyhow
We just keep on going on
Like an old machine we slowly rust
Talking less and drinking more
Anything to keep us from
The truth that's hidden in these words
Encapsulated in our heads
With helmets made of darkened thoughts
I wish that we could find a way
But we don't even have the strength to try
It didn't use to be this way
I didn't use to think like this
But something makes us interfere
With how it was and how it all could be
(And)
I think I love you more
Than I ever done before
But I don't know what to do
To change our ways
In Mattias Hellberg's song You Don't, the lyrics convey a sense of distance and emotional disconnection between two individuals in a relationship. The song speaks to the difficulty of communicating one's feelings honestly and openly. The verse "You don't ever let it out, and I don't ask you anyhow" speaks to the unspoken understanding that the two individuals have, where neither of them feels comfortable revealing their true emotions. The song suggests that this unspoken agreement to avoid discussing their feelings ultimately leads to a sense of complacency and diminishing passion, represented by the line "like an old machine we slowly rust."
The song speaks to a longing for connection and intimacy that the two individuals seem to have lost. They "talk less and drink more" in order to distract themselves from confronting the reality of the situation. The phrase "encapsulated in our heads with helmets made of darkened thoughts" further highlights how isolated and trapped they feel in their own minds. The chorus "I think I love you more than I ever done before, but I don't know what to do to change our ways" speaks to the frustration and helplessness that both parties feel towards the situation.
Overall, the lyrics of You Don't convey a sense of emotional disconnect and frustration, speaking to the challenges of maintaining honesty and connection in a relationship over time.
Line by Line Meaning
You don't ever let it out
You never express your feelings or share your thoughts
And I don't ask you anyhow
And I don't bother asking you about it either way
We just keep on going on
We just keep moving forward in our lives
Like an old machine we slowly rust
We are like an old machine that is gradually deteriorating over time
Talking less and drinking more
We communicate less and drink more alcohol to avoid confronting our issues
Anything to keep us from
We do anything to avoid facing
The truth that's hidden in these words
The underlying truth that is hidden in our conversations, feelings and interactions
The words that we don't dare to speak out loud
The things we want to express but are afraid to say outright
Encapsulated in our heads
Our thoughts and emotions are imprisoned in our minds
With helmets made of darkened thoughts
Our thought patterns are negative and reinforced by cognitive distortions
I wish that we could find a way
I wish there was a way for us to solve our problems and communicate better
But we don't even have the strength to try
However, we lack the willpower to make an active effort to change
It didn't use to be this way
Our relationship used to be different in the past
I didn't use to think like this
I used to be more optimistic about our relationship and believed that we could work things out
But something makes us interfere
Now, something gets in the way for us and we are unable to communicate effectively
With how it was and how it all could be
We struggle to accept our present circumstances and imagine a better future
I think I love you more
Despite these problems, I still believe my love for you is strong
Than I ever done before
Perhaps, even more than I have loved you in the past
But I don't know what to do
Unfortunately, I am unsure about how to fix things
To change our ways
To change our negative patterns of communication and build a healthier relationship
Contributed by Jordan D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.