Helpless
Nick Cave Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds Lyrics
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And I take comfort from memories there
And in my mind I still need a place to go
All my best changes were there
Blue, blue windows behind the stars
Yellow moon on the rise
Big birds flying across the sky
Leave us helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless
Baby, heal me now
The chains are locked and tied across the door
They seem to help me somehow
The song "Helpless" by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds is a hauntingly beautiful and melancholic tribute to the memories and nostalgia of a town in North Ontario. The singer takes comfort from his memories of this place which he still needs to go to in his mind. But even amidst the fond recollections, there is a sense of helplessness and vulnerability that pervades the lyrics. The blue windows behind the stars and the yellow moon on the rise underscore the wistful longing of the singer, while the big birds flying across the sky throw shadows on the eyes of the people watching them, making them feel helpless. The repeated refrain of "helpless, helpless, helpless" and the plea to "heal me now" are an expression of the singer's vulnerability and a desperate need for comfort and solace.
In many ways, "Helpless" is a song about the human condition and the sense of powerlessness that we all experience at some point in our lives. The chains locked and tied across the door serve as a metaphor for the feelings of confinement and limitation that we often encounter, but they also seem to help the singer somehow, perhaps by providing a sense of structure and order amidst the chaos of life. Ultimately, the song is a tribute to the power of memory and the ways in which it can provide solace and comfort in times of need.
Line by Line Meaning
There is a town in north Ontario
The singer recalls a particular town located in northern Ontario.
And I take comfort from memories there
The singer feels emotionally safe when thinking back to their memories of the town.
And in my mind I still need a place to go
The singer feels a need to return to the town, even if it is just in their imagination.
All my best changes were there
The artist feels they underwent positive transformative experiences in the town.
Blue, blue windows behind the stars
The stars in the sky are symbolic of windows, appearing almost as if they were behind them.
Yellow moon on the rise
As the song was written in the past, the line references the moon rising in the sky at that particular moment.
Big birds flying across the sky
Birds soar high in the sky, and their flight patterns appear majestic to the singer.
Throwing shadows on our eyes
The birds' flight movements cast shadows that obscure the view in front of the artist.
Leave us helpless, helpless, helpless, helpless
The birds' shadows and spectacle leave the artist feeling overpowered and powerless.
Baby, heal me now
The artist seeks someone's affection to cater for their inner pain.
The chains are locked and tied across the door
The singer feels trapped and unable to free themselves.
They seem to help me somehow
Despite the artist feeling trapped, there is comfort in the familiarity of their surroundings and helplessness.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Neil Young
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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All my best changes were there.
@mgillies63
Bonny Billy, van the man, l Cohen, s McGowan, n young, n cave,