Atlantic
Neighbourhood Youth Lyrics

The lyrics to Neighbourhood Youth's "Atlantic" are filled with metaphorical language that depicts the singer's transition from life to death. The lines "Well I've lived too long, and it's hard to swim" illustrate a sense of weariness with life, and the thought of swimming becomes a metaphor for the struggle to keep going. The lines "I might ask what for, I'm here to breed, that's all I'm for" highlight the singer's realization that his purpose in life may have been solely biological, to reproduce and pass on his genes.

The next set of lyrics "My children love me after all, eat my flesh so they grow tall, the river bed will take me in, the water warm will take my skin" further illustrate the singer's connection to his offspring, even in death as his flesh sustains them. The singer seems to find solace in the riverbed and the warm water, as a place of transition, from life to afterlife, from land to sea.

The lines "Above the water it's too cold, it's nice down here so I am told, when you grow alone, it's all my fault, but I made you strong" depict the comfort and safety found in the water, and the singer's acknowledgement of his contribution to his children's strength.

As the song progresses, the lyrics "Bless my lucky stars, children gonna break my heart, Atlantic tides will keep me warm, and rain will fall, after all" continue to highlight themes of transition and the cyclical nature of life and death. The final lines "I let them leave, I couldn't come, I was the sea" suggest a final acceptance of the singer's role in life as a transmitter of life and genes, and his final release into the water as he becomes one with the sea.