Mike has released six studio albums - 2010's Learning, 2012's Put Your Back N 2 It, 2014's Too Bright, 2017's No Shape, 2020's Set My Heart On Fire Immediately and his most recent, 2022's Ugly Season, all of which have received praise from music critics.
Dark Parts
Perfume Genius Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But still he broke the elastic on your waist
But he'll never break you, baby
But he'll never break you, baby
The hands of God were bigger than Grandpa's eyes
But he's long gone
The love you feel is strong
The love you feel is stronger
I will take the dark part
of your heart into my heart
I will take the dark part
of your heart into my heart
In Perfume Genius's song "Dark Parts," the lyrics divulge deeply personal and nuanced feelings of pain and vulnerability. The opening line, "The hands of God were bigger than Grandpa's eyes / but still, he broke the elastic on your waist," suggests the singer has experienced trauma that threatens to overpower even the intervention of a higher power. The phrase "hands of God" connotes both love and power, while the reference to Grandpa's eyes renders the experience familiar and familial. The imagery of "breaking the elastic on your waist" in such a situation is especially evocative, as it implies a metaphorical snapping of the bonds of safety and security.
However, despite the pain of experiencing such a violation, the chorus provides a sense of solace, as the singer promises, "But he'll never break you, baby." This refrain takes on an almost mystical quality with repetition, empowering the listener to resist and endure despite external forces. The lines "The love you feel is strong / The love you feel is stronger" reinforce this motif of inner strength, with perhaps a hint of a sardonic tone in the repetition of "strong" to make the idea of love's strength seem ironic or self-evident.
Line by Line Meaning
The hands of God were bigger than Grandpa's eyes
Despite having a grandfather who couldn't see well, God's power was still greater and could be felt by the singer
But still he broke the elastic on your waist
Despite God's power, the singer experienced harm and trauma from a loved one
But he'll never break you, baby
Despite the harm caused by the loved one, the singer is still resilient and won't be completely broken
The love you feel is strong
The love the artist feels is powerful and significant
The love you feel is stronger
The love the artist feels is even stronger than expected, surpassing all boundaries
I will take the dark part
of your heart into my heart
The singer is willing to take on the emotional baggage and pain of their loved one because they care for them deeply
Contributed by Jordyn P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@hendrabp8234
"I will take the dark parts of your heart into my heart" the most tragic yet beautiful lyric i've ever heard.❤️
@lucila5466
Of misleading simplicity but loaded with meaning
@jayprice6559
♥
@vvVv-df6gc
yes, yes
@kae1737
I always loved this song... but I have reached a point where I understand it deeply. And it made me cry for the first time. Beautiful song, more than I had once thought it to be...
@youlose122
but how can it be? this song is so powerful, when I first listened to her, tears started pouring from my eyes, and I didn't understand why. Its wonderful to know i'm not alone in feeling and loving this song. btw listen to Hero from Family of the year, for me it has a similar ring.
@alen464
The hands of God were bigger than grandpa's eyes But still he broke the elastic on your waist But he'll never break you, baby But he'll never break you, baby Oh oh oh oh oh oh... The hands of God were bigger than grandpa's eyes But he's long gone The love you feel is strong The love you feel is stronger I will take the dark part Of your heart into my heart I will take the dark part Of your heart into my heart
@peachycranberry
reading the lyrics as the song plays makes this more emotional and vivid. Disturbing, honestly. It’s horrible that many people have gone through something as horrendous as this. Thank you for this. Have a wonderful day, I hope is well. Stay safe! <3
@sthlm6o
this makes me feel sad, but a good, calm, hopeful kind of sad. not the kind of sad that makes you cry and scream so loudly and painfully that can't make another sound, but the kind of sad you feel when you're lying in bed looking up at the ceiling, tearing up but only silently.. not making a sound, just focusing on his words and trusting them wholeheartedly. it feels extraordinary to have something so beautiful to believe in. thank you, mike.
@Japantiem
This song makes me fucking cry