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 is a hauntingly beautiful reflection on love, loneliness, and the fear of losing someone dear. As the song begins, we find the singer sharing his time with someone he loves, despite his own misery. He tells his story step by step, explaining how he ended up on an island and swam across the sea. However, he can't shake off the fear that he might wake up one day to find a knife in his back. The anxiety is palpable in the lyrics, as he expresses the dread of losing his love.
The second verse is a conversation between the singer and his lover. She tells him that he is building a wall around himself, higher than both of them. She encourages him to live his life instead of hiding in his bedroom. She promises not to leave him if he shows her a smile. The lyrics describe the singer's struggle with loneliness and his own anxieties, which are causing him to push his lover away.
The final verse is a reflection on the pain and loneliness of love. The singer and his lover have slept in a small bed, and he has found her souvenirs and forgotten fears. He describes his anxiety, drinking tea, and walking around the block, pretending his lover is with him. He doesn't want to die without her. And so he keeps her as a medicine bottle, swallowing her slowly to last him a lifetime. He doesn't want to lose the thrill of scowling at the houses from his bedroom window.
Overall, the song is a poignant reflection on the complexities of love and the anxieties that come with it. It speaks to the fear of loss and the struggle to connect deeply with another person.
Line by Line Meaning
Giving into love and sharing my time
Opening up to love and giving someone my time
Letting someone into my misery
Allowing someone to be a part of my struggles and pain
I told it all step by step
Sharing my story in detail
How I landed on the island
Describing my experiences that led me to where I am
And how I swam across the sea
Overcoming obstacles to get here
And it crosses my mind
I can't help but think
That I may wake to a knife in me
Feeling scared and vulnerable
No more breath in my hair
No more intimacy and closeness
Or ladies' underwear
No more playful moments and shared experiences
Tossed up over the alarm clock
A symbol of past moments of joy and shared intimacy
Blood dripping from the bed
A violent ending to a relationship
To a neatly written poem
Reflecting on the relationship and its ending
A heartfelt last line reading
The final message of the poem
There is no more mystery
Accepting that the relationship is over
It it going to happen my love
Maybe the end is inevitable
It's all in your head she said
Someone trying to reassure me that my fears are unfounded
Morning after nightmare
Waking up from a bad dream
You're building a wall she said
Being closed off emotionally
Higher than the both of us
Protecting myself at all costs
So try living life
Encouragement to be more present and enjoy life
Instead of hiding in the bedroom
Not isolating myself from the world
Show me a smile
A plea to be happy and positive
And I'll promise not to leave you
A commitment to stay together
It happened under a rainy cloud
Recalling a past memory
Passing through the dark south
Traveling to a new location
We went into a big house
Entering a new space
And slept in a small bed
Being close and intimate with someone
I didn't know you then
Not knowing someone as well as I do now
As well as you of me
Not realizing how much someone else knows about me
We talked of our sad lives
Discussing our struggles and sorrows
And we went off separately
Going our separate ways after the conversation
I found your overseas souvenirs
Discovering mementos from someone's travels
Holiday greeting cards
Finding sentimental messages from the past
And some long forgotten high school fears
Uncovering old anxieties
It's all in my head I said
Acknowledging my own mental struggles
Banging a piano
Coping through music
I've not been so alone I thought
Feeling lonely despite being with someone else
Since kicking in the womb
Feeling alone and vulnerable like when I was a baby
I drank so much tea
Coping through drinking tea
I wrote my letters in kanji
Communicating in a different language
Around the block I walked and walked
Trying to clear my head and find peace
Pretending you were with me
Imagining being with someone else
Not wanting to die out here
Feeling vulnerable without someone else
The hurting never ends
Pain can linger for a long time
Like birthdays and old friends
Pain is a familiar part of life
We forget what is flesh blood and bone is human
Forgetting the humanity in ourselves and others
Turning phone lines to airlines
Communicating and staying connected from a distance
Unwilling to face
Avoiding something difficult
The love is found on the inside not the outside
Realizing the importance of inner beauty
And like a medicine bottle
Comparing love to medicine
In the cabinet I'll keep you
Keeping love close and accessible
And in my hand I will hold you
Holding onto love tightly
And swallow you slowly
Taking in love slowly and savoring it
As to last me a lifetime
Wanting love to last forever
Without holding too tight
Balancing the need for love with the need for space and independence
I do not want to lose
The fear of losing something precious
The thrill that it gives me
The excitement and joy that love brings
To look out from my window
Reflecting on my surroundings
And scowl at the houses
Feeling disconnected from my surroundings
From my world in the bedroom
Feeling isolated and stuck in one place
It's all in my head she read
Someone else recognizing the struggles in my mind
In her girlfriend's self-help book
Finding help and guidance from others
It's all his own making
Taking responsibility for my own struggles
A war with himself
Fighting against myself
Like two sides of a wall
Feeling myself and others are separated
That separates two countries
Seeing the divide between people
He shuts out the world
Feeling disconnected from the world around me
And wants only to love you
Focusing on the importance of love in my life and relationships
Not wanting to die out here
Feeling vulnerable without someone else
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Mark Edward Kozelek
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind