In the first verse, the protagonist seems to have lost touch with reality as they cannot see the other end and their body has lost feeling. The creatures in their woken mind may represent their inner demons or the fears that they must face. Their diving activity is personified in a haunting and eerie manner, with monsters on their shoulder. This could represent the burden that comes with hunting the treasure or pursuing one's passion.
In the chorus, the protagonist is urged to dive deeper and down further as if there is still more to discover, perhaps indicating that they were never truly satisfied. The second verse seems to offer some words of wisdom. The protagonist is advised to look within themselves for happiness, and perhaps their obsessive pursuit of external things led to their downfall.
The outro repeats the opening lines, symbolically closing the loop and emphasizing the end of the protagonist's life. Overall, "Pearl Diver" suggests that the journey to happiness or valuable treasures can lead to dangerous waters, and we should be cautious of the monsters that we carry on our shoulders.
Pearl Diver
Mitski Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You cannot see the other end, your body's lost all feeling
Those creatures of your working mind, don't fear them or their hunger
Forgive the sea, follow the tide, with the monsters on your shoulder
Pearl diver
Dive, dive deeper
Pearl diver
Pearl diver
Dive, dive deeper
Pearl diver
Dive, dive down
Oh hunter, if you didn't want the beautiful so badly
Perhaps you would've found it in your spirit singing softly
But hunter, you were human, don't forget it and go safely
And I, I'll live without you, though the struggle will be daily
Pearl diver
Dive, dive deeper
Pearl diver
Dive, dive down
Pearl diver
Dive, dive deeper
Pearl diver
Dive, dive down
Treasure hunter you are dead, the light of a world is fading
The lyrics of Mitski's "Pearl Diver" delve into the human obsession with searching for precious things, be they tangible or intangible. The treasure hunter in the song is now dead, and the light of the world is fading with them. We are left to wonder if the hunter's life had any true meaning and if he ever found what he was searching for. The lyrics suggest that perhaps the beauty that the hunter was seeking could have been found within himself, but he was too consumed by his search to realize it.
The lines "those creatures of your working mind, don't fear them or their hunger" seem to imply that the hunter was battling his inner demons in his search for treasure. The final verse reveals that the singer will live without the hunter, although it won't be easy, considering the daily struggle she will face in his absence.
The repeated refrain of "Pearl diver dive, dive deeper" encourages the listeners to continue venturing deeper into themselves to find the treasures within. The sea and the monsters on our shoulder represent the obstacles we must overcome to find these treasures. The song is a reminder that while the quest for valuable items and experiences may be tempting, true fulfillment can be found within ourselves if we are brave enough to take that plunge.
Line by Line Meaning
Treasure hunter you are dead, the light of a world is fading
The singer is addressing a treasure hunter who has met their demise, and the loss of this person is causing a great sadness and despair to the world around them.
You cannot see the other end, your body's lost all feeling
As the treasure hunter has passed away, they are unable to feel or sense anything beyond this realm, and cannot see what lies beyond death.
Those creatures of your working mind, don't fear them or their hunger
The 'creatures of the mind' may represent the fears and anxieties that the treasure hunter faced in life, but in death, it is important to let go of those fears and not let them dictate one's experiences.
Forgive the sea, follow the tide, with the monsters on your shoulder
As the treasure hunter passes on, the artist advises them to forgive any worldly elements that may have caused pain or suffering, and to go with the flow of life, even if it means carrying one's own 'monsters' along the way.
Pearl diver
Dive, dive deeper
Pearl diver
Dive, dive down
Pearl diver
Dive, dive deeper
Pearl diver
Dive, dive down
These lyrics serve as a repeating chorus, urging the treasure hunter to keep diving deeper and deeper into the unknown, perhaps representing the journey of the soul beyond death.
Oh hunter, if you didn't want the beautiful so badly
The singer is addressing the treasure hunter, and suggesting that if they did not have such a strong desire for material or superficial things, they may have found a more meaningful path in life.
Perhaps you would've found it in your spirit singing softly
The singer suggests that the treasure hunter may have found more fulfillment and contentment in their life if they had listened to the gentle whispers of their own soul and followed a more authentic path.
But hunter, you were human, don't forget it and go safely
The artist acknowledges the humanity of the treasure hunter and reminds them to be mindful of their limitations, and to pass on in peace as they move beyond the present moment.
And I, I'll live without you, though the struggle will be daily
Finally, the artist reflects on the loss of the treasure hunter and pledges to continue on despite the daily challenges of moving on from such a profound loss.
Contributed by Jayce C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@uselesscomment2881
Treasure hunter you are dead, the light of a world is fading
You cannot see the other end, your body's lost all feeling
Those creatures of your working mind, don't fear them or their hunger
Forgive the sea, follow the tide, with the monsters on your shoulder
Pearl diver
Dive, dive deeper
Pearl diver
Dive, dive down
Pearl diver
Dive, dive deeper
Pearl diver
Dive, dive down
Oh hunter, if you didn't want the beautiful so badly
Perhaps you would've found it in your spirit singing softly
But hunter, you were human, don't forget it and go safely
And I, I'll live without you, though the struggle will be daily
Pearl diver
Dive, dive deeper
Pearl diver
Dive, dive down
Pearl diver
Dive, dive deeper
Pearl diver
Dive, dive down
Treasure hunter you are dead, the light of a world is fading
@tatesant4709
Mmm, mhm, mhm
Mmm, mhm, mhm
Treasure hunter you are dead, the light of the world is fading
You cannot see the other end, your body's lost all feeling
Those creatures of your working mind, don't fear them or their hunger
Forgive the sea, follow the tide with the monsters on your shoulder
Pearl diver
Dive, dive deeper
Pearl diver
Dive, dive down
Pearl diver
Dive, dive deeper
Pearl diver
Dive, dive down
Oh hunter, if you didn't want the beautiful so badly
Perhaps you would've found it in your spirit singing softly
But hunter, you were human, don't forget it and go safely
And I, I'll live without you, though the struggle will be daily
Pearl diver
Dive, dive deeper
Pearl diver
Dive, dive down
Pearl diver
Dive, dive deeper
Pearl diver
Dive, dive down
Ooh-ooh
Ooh-ooh
Oh-oh-ah-ah-ah-ah-ah
Ooh-ooh, uh
Treasure hunter you are dead, the light of the world is fading
@mitskileaks
Mitski's new album 'The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We', featuring the song "My Love Mine All Mine" is out now. Watch the music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vx4kLgnFexo
Listen to the album: https://mitski.lnk.to/TLIIASAW
@Anna-pq9iw
❤😮😅
@belleann2479
👏🏽
@rodyanimation3881
I love you so much mitski please answer me😞💗💗
@droidekamoder5455
2012: diving for pearls
2019: rolling around pearls
@nadiiia888
she just kept making more pearls
@amai9050
Don't forget "a pearl"
@sporkzzz
@@amai9050 that's the reference cause a pearl was made in 2019 and was rolling around pearls in her hand
Turns out the lyrics are head... Oops
@sillydaphne
these pearls have totally different means tho
@vero-kd8vg
HOW IS EVERY SINGLE ONE OF HER SONGS SO UNIQUE AND GREAT