On the Mend
Neal Casal Lyrics


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You can say what you want to
About the life that I have lived
And you can tell me that we're through
And that we just can't meet again
You've always been my getaway girl
But now you say that you're going away
Into a cold and fragile world
And what you'll find there, you can't say (*2)

Lately the roof has been caving in
On everything that I've believed
But I just can't go through that pain again
It's best left for somebody other than me

I've always seen that warm dark eye
Down in the bottomlands of my dreams
I've only walked white roads at night
Beats anything I've ever seen (*2)

Oh to be back home again
To spend my time there On The Mend

If I were to sit right down
To tell you how I think and feel
You would hear the loneliest sound
To ever fall across your ears

You spend your money with both of your hands
It's the kind of thing I remember well
You turn around and call this happenstance
It's the kind of thing I remember well (*2)

Oh to be be back home again
To spend my time there On The Mend





You can say what you want to
About the life that I have lived

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of Neal Casal's song "On the Mend" seem to be an address to someone who is about to leave or break up with him. The singer is telling his love that she is free to say whatever she wants about his life and to leave him if she wishes to do so. He recalls her as the one who has always been his "getaway girl," but now she says that she is leaving him for a cold and fragile world whose outcome is uncertain. The singer seems to be resigned to this fact, although it seems to be causing him pain, as he states that "lately, the roof has been caving in" on everything he has believed in. However, he feels that he cannot go through the pain and disappointment of losing his love again.


The second verse begins on a slightly more hopeful note. The singer describes how he has always seen a "warm dark eye" in the bottomlands of his dreams, and walking down white roads at night is something that beats anything he has ever seen. He longs to be back home again and spend his time "on the mend." However, the singer acknowledges that he is unable to express how he truly thinks and feels, as this would create a sense of loneliness that would be hard for others to bear. The final lines of the song bring the beginning and the end full circle, with the singer repeating his opening lines: "You can say what you want to about the life that I have lived."


Line by Line Meaning

You can say what you want to
I am aware that people have different opinions about how I have lived my life


About the life that I have lived
Everyone has their own interpretation of what my life has been like


And you can tell me that we're through
You have the freedom to end our relationship


And that we just can't meet again
You believe that we cannot reconcile and continue to be in each other's lives


You've always been my getaway girl
You were the person I could go to for comfort and escape from reality


But now you say that you're going away
Unfortunately, you have decided to leave me


Into a cold and fragile world
You are heading into a world that is unforgiving and tough to navigate


And what you'll find there, you can't say (*2)
You are unsure about what you will encounter in the future and how it will change you and your outlook on life


Lately the roof has been caving in
Recently, I have been experiencing major hardships and struggles


On everything that I've believed
My faith in things I once believed in has been shaken


But I just can't go through that pain again
I cannot endure that kind of pain and heartbreak again


It's best left for somebody other than me
It's better for someone else to handle those challenges and not me


I've always seen that warm dark eye
In my dreams, there is always a dark and warm presence that I sense


Down in the bottomlands of my dreams
In the deepest and most profound parts of my subconscious


I've only walked white roads at night
I have only experienced smooth and easy paths in life so far


Beats anything I've ever seen (*2)
It's still an experience that surpasses anything else I have encountered in my life so far


Oh to be back home again
I wish I was back in the place where I find comfort and joy


To spend my time there On The Mend
The time spent there would be used to heal and recover from the breakdowns and struggles occurring in my life


If I were to sit right down
If I took the time to explain my true feelings and thoughts


To tell you how I think and feel
To be honest with you about my thoughts and emotions


You would hear the loneliest sound
What I have to tell you would be incredibly depressing and would make you feel bad for me


To ever fall across your ears
You would hear a profound sadness that you have never heard before


You spend your money with both of your hands
You are very generous with your spending habits


It's the kind of thing I remember well
Your generosity is something that stands out to me and is memorable


You turn around and call this happenstance
You believe that your spending habits are just a coincidence and not a reflection of your character


It's the kind of thing I remember well (*2)
I remember your generous spirit and hope to find that trait in others too


Oh to be be back home again
I really long to go back to a place where I have comfort and security


To spend my time there On The Mend
I hope to use my time productively to heal and bounce back from my current struggles




Writer(s): NEAL CASAL

Contributed by Aria R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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