The band initially existed as a trio consisting of Halstead, Goswell, and McCutcheon (hence the "3" in their name). After Slowdive were dropped by Creation Records, the trio decided to change musical direction to a country rock or folk music style, and were signed by 4AD. Rowe (formerly of Chapterhouse) and Forrester joined shortly after the release of their first album.
Both Halstead (the main songwriter for the band) and Goswell have released solo albums, also for 4AD. McCutcheon founded and is currently playing with his band called The Loose Salute who are signed to Heavenly Records.
The band went on hiatus in 2008, but returned to playing live gigs in 2011, including a handful of concerts supporting Band of Horses.
With Slowdive returning to live performances in 2014, Mojave 3 has been put on indefinite hiatus.
She Broke You So Softly
Mojave 3 Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Were you tired of the pain?
Is the bond now broken?
Does nothing remain?
Shoulder to shoulder
Like two stones in a bag
Did you rub one another
But still you talk soft
So desperate and kind
So pure and so pointless
So helpless and blind
And is there no anger?
Just pills for the pain
My friend you've been wasted
And you will be again
And you wait for a whirlwind
To unwind your soul
And you cry like a baby
You feel so alone
'Cause she broke you so softly
You can't see the blame
Like a dog with a bone
You refuse to let go
And still you talk soft
So desperate and kind
So pure and so pointless
So helpless and blind
And is there no anger?
Just pills for the pain
My friend you've been wasted
And you will be again
Still you talk soft
So desperate and kind
So pure and so pointless
So helpless and blind
And is there no anger?
Just pills for the pain
My friend you've been wasted
And you will be again
My friend you've been wasted
And you will be again
The song "She Broke You So Softly" by Mojave 3 talks about a broken bond between two people who were once very close to each other. The opening lines pose a series of questions, questioning the boredom of laughter, the exhaustion of pain and ultimately the breaking of the bond, implying that there is nothing left. The next few lines describe the two as being shoulder to shoulder, but likening them to being hard and destructive, just like stones in a bag that grind against each other until they turn into dust.
The refrain of the song highlights the fact that even though the bond is broken and everything seems lost, there is still hope and desperation to salvage whatever remains. The lines "Still you talk soft/ So desperate and kind/ So pure and so pointless/ So helpless and blind" highlight this fact. The song also talks about the numbness that comes after a particularly devastating loss, and how people resort to pills to ease the pain. The phrase "My friend you've been wasted/ And you will be again" suggests that this is a cyclical problem and will keep happening.
Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on the fleeting nature of human relationships and the after-effects of broken bonds. It explores themes of hope, desperation, helplessness, and possibly even regret.
Line by Line Meaning
Were you bored of the laughter?
Were you tired of pretending to be happy with her?
Were you tired of the pain?
Was the relationship causing you more agony than joy?
Is the bond now broken?
Has the relationship come to an end, leaving nothing but broken promises?
Does nothing remain?
Has everything from the relationship, including emotions, been lost completely?
Shoulder to shoulder
You once shared everything together
Like two stones in a bag
Being weighed down by a heavy load that is too hard to shake off
Did you rub one another
Did you wear each other down with no compromise or respect?
Until there was nothing, yeah, nothing but dust?
Until there was no relationship or connection left?
But still you talk soft
Despite everything, you still look for comfort
So desperate and kind
But you don't know how to leave
So pure and so pointless
You keep holding on even if it's futile
So helpless and blind
You can't seem to open your eyes and break out of the trap
And is there no anger?
Are you not mad that the situation has come to this?
Just pills for the pain
Are you using medicine to numb yourself and cope?
My friend you've been wasted
You have given everything for nothing
And you will be again
You will repeat the same mistakes
And you wait for a whirlwind
You still hope for something to shake everything up
To unwind your soul
So that you can find a way to be free again
And you cry like a baby
You feel so ashamed of the situation
You feel so alone
Nobody can understand what you are going through
'Cause she broke you so softly
She hurt you in a way that is hard to explain
You can't see the blame
You keep pointing the finger to everyone but yourself
Like a dog with a bone
You refuse to let go of the past
Still you talk soft
You still hold on to hope
So desperate and kind
You still cling to the thought of a happy ending
So pure and so pointless
You still believe in love even if it makes no sense
So helpless and blind
You still can't see the truth
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: NEIL HALSTEAD
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind