Medicine Bottle
Red House Painters Lyrics
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Letting someone into my misery
I told it all step by step
How I landed on the island
And how I swam across the sea
And it crosses my mind
That I may wake to a knife in me
No more breath in my hair
Tossed up over the alarm clock
Blood dripping from the bed
To a neatly written poem
A heartfelt last line reading
There is no more mystery
It it going to happen my love
It's all in your head she said
Morning after nightmare
You're building a wall she said
Higher than the both of us
So try living life
Instead of hiding in the bedroom
Show me a smile
And I'll promise not to leave you
It happened under a rainy cloud
Passing through the dark south
We went into a big house
And slept in a small bed
I didn't know you then
As well as you of me
We talked of our sad lives
And we went off separately
I found your overseas souvenirs
Holiday greeting cards
And some long forgotten high school fears
It's all in my head I said
Banging a piano
I've not been so alone I thought
Since kicking in the womb
I drank so much tea
I wrote my letters in kanji
Around the block I walked and walked
Pretending you were with me
Not wanting to die out here
Without you
The hurting never ends
Like birthdays and old friends
We forget what is flesh blood and bone is human
Turning phone lines to airlines
Unwilling to face
The love is found on the inside not the outside
And like a medicine bottle
In the cabinet I'll keep you
And like a medicine bottle
In my hand I will hold you
And swallow you slowly
As to last me a lifetime
Without holding too tight
I do not want to lose
The thrill that it gives me
To look out from my window
And scowl at the houses
From my world in the bedroom
It's all in my head she read
In her girlfriend's self-help book
It's all his own making
A war with himself
Like two sides of a wall
That separates two countries
He shuts out the world
And wants only to love you
Not wanting to die out here
Without you
The song "Medicine Bottle" by Red House Painters explores the vulnerability of opening up to someone in a romantic relationship. The singer shares their past struggles with the person they love, opening up about their pain and fears. However, in doing so, they also expose themselves to the possibility of being hurt. The lyrics touch upon the fear of being betrayed by someone whom you've let into your life and the subsequent struggle to trust again. The singer's thoughts are consumed by the idea that their partner will ultimately leave them or cause them harm.
The song emphasizes the importance of communication in relationships and how trust can be built by actively sharing your feelings with your partner. The line "Try living life instead of hiding in the bedroom" urges the singer to open up and do things outside of their comfort zone, something that may strengthen the relationship. While the song deals with painful emotions such as fear and mistrust, it ends on a hopeful note, with the singer holding onto the love they share and hoping for a bright future together.
Line by Line Meaning
Giving into love and sharing my time
Deciding to open up to someone and spend time with them in my state of misery
Letting someone into my misery
Allowing someone to be a part of my struggles and sadness
I told it all step by step
I shared my entire story and journey with them
How I landed on the island
How I ended up in this difficult place in my life
And how I swam across the sea
The struggles I faced and overcame to get to where I am now
And it crosses my mind
I can't help but think
That I may wake to a knife in me
I fear that I will be hurt or betrayed by the person I opened up to
No more breath in my hair
No more intimacy or closeness between us
Or ladies' underwear
No more playful or romantic moments between us
Tossed up over the alarm clock
No more waking up to these moments of joy and happiness
Blood dripping from the bed
The aftermath of a violent or tragic event occurring in our relationship
To a neatly written poem
A final goodbye or farewell
A heartfelt last line reading
A sincere and meaningful final statement
There is no more mystery
Leaving nothing more to wonder or speculate about
It it going to happen my love
Accepting that the possibility of our relationship ending is inevitable
It's all in your head she said
Someone reassuring me that my worries and fears are not based in reality
Morning after nightmare
The residual effects of a bad dream or experience
You're building a wall she said
Someone recognizing that I am hiding from the world and isolating myself
Higher than the both of us
A wall that is difficult to break down, and separates us from others
So try living life
Encouragement to live fully and experience all that life has to offer
Instead of hiding in the bedroom
Rather than staying stagnant and becoming trapped in my own thoughts and fears
Show me a smile
A request for a sign of hope or happiness
And I'll promise not to leave you
An assurance that if I try to change, they will stick around and support me
It happened under a rainy cloud
Recalling a moment in the past that was difficult or emotional
Passing through the dark south
A time when I was in a dark or troubled place
We went into a big house
Entering into a new and uncertain situation
And slept in a small bed
Finding comfort in a simple and familiar thing
I didn't know you then
Reflecting on how little I knew about the person at the time
As well as you of me
Realizing that the other person had their own struggles and secrets, just like me
We talked of our sad lives
Sharing stories and experiences of our respective struggles and hardships
And we went off separately
Going our separate ways after sharing and connecting with each other
I found your overseas souvenirs
Discovering items that represent memories and experiences from their travels
Holiday greeting cards
Reminders of the happiness and warmth of the holiday season
And some long forgotten high school fears
Old memories and insecurities that had been buried deep within them
It's all in my head I said
Acknowledging that my thoughts are not realistic or grounded in reality
Banging a piano
Taking out my emotions on a musical instrument
I've not been so alone I thought
Feeling incredibly isolated and alone in my struggles
Since kicking in the womb
A metaphor for the feeling of being completely alone and vulnerable
I drank so much tea
Finding comfort and solace in a simple routine
I wrote my letters in kanji
Changing up my routine and trying something new to distract myself from my thoughts
Around the block I walked and walked
Going on walks to clear my head and try to find solace in my surroundings
Pretending you were with me
Imagining the presence of the person I care about to help me cope with my feelings
Not wanting to die out here
Not wanting to feel completely hopeless or overwhelmed by my situation
Without you
Because I need the support and companionship of the person I care about
The hurting never ends
Feeling like the pain and hurt will never go away
Like birthdays and old friends
A reminder that certain things will always be a part of us
We forget what is flesh blood and bone is human
Forgetting the value of human connection and relationships in our lives
Turning phone lines to airlines
Focusing too much on distance and separation, rather than the importance of communication
Unwilling to face
Avoiding difficult or uncomfortable situations
The love is found on the inside not the outside
Realizing that true love comes from within and is not superficial
And like a medicine bottle
Comparing the person to something that brings comfort and relief
In the cabinet I'll keep you
Holding onto the person and their memory
And like a medicine bottle
Once again, making the comparison to something that brings comfort and relief
In my hand I will hold you
The person's memory is something that I can physically cling to
And swallow you slowly
Taking each moment and memory in slowly, savoring it for as long as possible
As to last me a lifetime
Hoping that the memories and feelings will stay with me forever
Without holding too tight
Being careful not to cling too tightly to something that is only a memory
I do not want to lose
The fear of losing something so precious and valuable
The thrill that it gives me
The joy and excitement that comes with the memories
To look out from my window
Reflecting on my life and experiences
And scowl at the houses
Feeling bitter and angry towards others who may not understand my pain
From my world in the bedroom
My life and struggles feel contained and isolated
It's all in my head she read
Someone else recognizing that my worries and fears are not based in reality
In her girlfriend's self-help book
The advice or insight is coming from an outside source, rather than from my own thoughts
It's all his own making
Acknowledging that I am responsible for my own happiness and wellbeing
A war with himself
Being in conflict with my own thoughts and feelings
Like two sides of a wall
Feeling trapped and isolated by my own thoughts and emotions
That separates two countries
A metaphor for how my own thoughts and fears separate me from the rest of the world
He shuts out the world
Deliberately avoiding situations or people that may be helpful or supportive
And wants only to love you
Realizing that the love and support of the person I care about is the most important thing in my life
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Mark Edward Kozelek
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind