Josephine Sleeper
Sabachthani Lyrics


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Sweet Josephine
Collapsed against the wooden wall
And no one could hear
All the poems she read to him
Barefeet and all
Every splinter a different dream
Josephine never slept
She denied it all

In the night - she would rage against the heaven
Silently - slide across the dust and rubble
Where he lay - open doors like words are spoken
Still her fears - She has sealed this room forever

She had a love for death
It was the taste of it
In every single breath
Where he would sing a song to live
With many hours left
And countless sorrow too
She could not feel bereft
And still she lost it all to him
Always at war with night
That brought the walls too close
As when the days took flight
And trembling legs were still too strong
She could not weep for him
But touch him through the wall
He might be listening
And they would lay together

It's all the same to her
For she had waited much too long

There was a crack in the bed
Where Josephine Sleeper hid away
And no one could see
Whatever games she would play there
And she would pretend
Those were his fingers that she felt
One final sigh
And they would touch death

All gone now - all her lust and love forgiven
Josephine - fold around her own endeavours
She'd cast herself
Down unto the floor
All to feel his breath again
Warm against her neck
Sweet Josephine
There are no dreams for her
Fingers braded through eachother
She sings a lullaby
He cannot hear
And throws her arms around
Dancing with her only lover
It's what she cannot feel
That frightens her




The things she might reveal
Stirring up the darkness of him...

Overall Meaning

The song "Josephine Sleeper" by Sabachthani tells the story of a woman named Josephine who is madly in love with a man who is terminally ill. Josephine spends her time reading poems to him and denying herself sleep. She has a love for death, which is reflected in the taste of it she feels with every breath. In contrast, the man sings a song to live, with many hours left to experience but also countless sorrows to endure. Despite this, Josephine cannot feel bereft and has lost herself to him.


The song also describes Josephine's fear of the night and the walls closing in around her. She has sealed the room forever, raging silently against the heavens, sliding across the dust and rubble. In the end, she throws her arms around herself, dancing with her only lover, even though she cannot feel what frightens her. The one thing she cannot feel is what he has left behind, stirring up the darkness of him.


Overall, the lyrics of "Josephine Sleeper" by Sabachthani are hauntingly beautiful and tell a poignant story of love, loss, and the fear of what we cannot feel.


Line by Line Meaning

Sweet Josephine
Introducing the singer of the song, Josephine, as a woman with a name as sweet as her persona.


Collapsed against the wooden wall
Describing Josephine's physical state while seated against a wooden wall, conveying her exhaustion.


And no one could hear
Emphasizing the solitude of Josephine's despair, as there was no one to share or sympathize with her pain.


All the poems she read to him
Implying that Josephine had previously shared her poetry with someone she loved, suggesting the person may have died or left her.


Barefeet and all
Clarifying Josephine's physical state as she is described seated against a wooden wall in bare feet.


Every splinter a different dream
Metaphorically expressing Josephine's inner turmoil and distress as every splinter from the wooden wall represented different dreams.


Josephine never slept
Highlighting Josephine's inability to sleep, possibly due to her heartbreak.


She denied it all
Suggesting that Josephine was in denial about her feelings or perhaps her loss.


In the night - she would rage against the heaven
Depicting Josephine's emotional state as being angry, helpless, and lashing out against the heavens.


Silently - slide across the dust and rubble
Describing Josephine's actions as she moved across the floor without making any sound.


Where he lay - open doors like words are spoken
Intimating that Josephine's destination was where her loved one had passed away, as if the open doors were his final words spoken to her.


Still her fears - She has sealed this room forever
Conveying Josephine's fear of losing her loved one or even the memories surrounding him, leading to her sealing the room.


She had a love for death
Suggesting that Josephine had an unhealthy fascination or desire for death, possibly to be reunited with her loved one.


It was the taste of it
Further elaborating on Josephine's connection to death or possibly her tendency to engage in self-destructive behavior.


In every single breath
Implying that Josephine finds the idea of death in everything around her, even in her breaths.


Where he would sing a song to live
Imagining a scenario where Josephine's loved one sang to keep himself alive, illustrating his love for life.


With many hours left
Highlighting that Josephine's loved one had many hours left to live, implying that he may have been ill.


And countless sorrow too
Suggesting that Josephine's loved one not only had many hours left to live but was also in great pain or suffering.


She could not feel bereft
Implying that Josephine was unable to process her emotions or sadness at the impending loss of her loved one.


And still she lost it all to him
Indicating that despite the pain and the sacrifices Josephine made, she still lost everything to her loved one.


Always at war with night
Suggesting that Josephine is unable to find peace or solace during the night as it represents darkness and despair.


That brought the walls too close
Metaphorically expressing Josephine's emotional pain as the night seems to close in around her, making her feel trapped.


As when the days took flight
Relaying the idea that the daytime offered some form of escape or respite from Josephine's pain.


And trembling legs were still too strong
Possibly expressing Josephine's fear of death and her realization that despite her pain and sorrow, she was still strong enough to continue.


She could not weep for him
Conveying Josephine's inability to cry over the loss of her loved one, possibly due to being too numb or in shock.


But touch him through the wall
Suggesting Josephine finds some comfort in touching the wall, as if she is touching her loved one on the other side.


He might be listening
Expressing Josephine's hope that her loved one can hear her even though he has passed away.


And they would lay together
Imagining a scenario where Josephine and her loved one could be together again, even if only in death.


It's all the same to her
Conveying the idea that everything is meaningless to Josephine, except her loved one.


For she had waited much too long
Highlighting the length of time Josephine has waited for her loved one, increasing her frustration and desperation.


There was a crack in the bed
Describing the bed in the room between Josephine and her loved one, emphasizing a crack representing the physical distance and separation between them.


Where Josephine Sleeper hid away
Revealing the name of the song, and indicating that Josephine sought refuge in the bed, perhaps as a way to be closer to her loved one.


And no one could see
Suggesting that Josephine's pain and suffering were invisible to others, emphasizing her loneliness and solitude.


Whatever games she would play there
Pondering the notion of what Josephine's actions were in the bed, conveying her emotional distress and perhaps some self-destructive behavior.


And she would pretend
Emphasizing Josephine's tendency to engage in escapism or fantasy as a way to cope with her pain.


Those were his fingers that she felt
Suggesting that Josephine imagined the presence of her loved one, perhaps by thinking that his fingers were running through her hair or caressing her skin.


One final sigh
Imagery of a final breath, revealing that Josephine was possibly planning on harming herself as a way to be reunited with her loved one.


And they would touch death
Indicating that Josephine wishes to be reunited with her loved one in death, as a way to escape the pain and suffering of life.


All gone now - all her lust and love forgiven
Conveying the idea that Josephine's pain is now gone, and with her own passing, her loved one's forgiveness is also gained.


Josephine - fold around her own endeavours
Addressing Josephine directly, suggesting that she is now at peace with her own decisions and actions.


She'd cast herself
Elaborating on Josephine's self-harm, highlighting that she was the one that caused her own passing.


Down unto the floor
Describing the moment that Josephine fell to the floor due to her self-inflicted wound.


All to feel his breath again
Indicating that Josephine's motivation for self-harm was to be reunited with her loved one and to experience his breath again.


Warm against her neck
Describing the sensation Josephine wishes to feel again, emphasizing her physical longing for her loved one.


Sweet Josephine
Bringing the song to a close with the same phrase as the beginning, signifying the end of Josephine's suffering.


There are no dreams for her
Conveying that Josephine's passing means that she no longer wishes to dream or imagine a life without her loved one.


Fingers braded through eachother
Metaphorically expressing the reunion of Josephine and her loved one, with their fingers intertwined and united.


She sings a lullaby
Implying that Josephine is at peace and perhaps even joyful, singing a lullaby to her loved one and to herself.


He cannot hear
Emphasizing that even though Josephine is singing to her loved one, he cannot hear her, as they have both passed away.


And throws her arms around
Depicting Josephine as embracing her loved one, relishing the warmth and tactile sensation of being close to him again.


Dancing with her only lover
Suggesting that in death, Josephine and her loved one can be together and dance as if they were alive.


It's what she cannot feel
Highlighting Josephine's emotionlessness in death, suggesting that she is at peace, or possibly that death had taken away the pain.


That frightens her
Conveying the idea that even though Josephine is at peace, the thought of feeling nothing still scares her.


The things she might reveal
Emphasizing the fact that Josephine's emotions and thoughts are hidden within her, with the implication that in death, she might reveal them.


Stirring up the darkness of him...
Concluding the song with the implication that in Josephine's passing, she might stir up or awaken something within her loved one.




Contributed by Brody G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Julia Abelle

Awesome stuff! Still tears at heart many years after...

Andrej Peters

beautiful one!

Shadow Knight

what a fucking good vocalist and able to stretch his voice soooo well

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