Lead singer Matt Berninger told Spinnermusic.co.uk that the song is about, "being overwhelmed by this emotion of love, whatever that is, or if you did something wrong to someone you love." (Source Terrible Love Songfacts).
Terrible Love
The National Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
This quiet company
This quiet company
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
This quiet company
This quiet company
This quiet company
And I can't fall asleep
Without a little help
It takes a while to settle down
My shivered bones
Until the panic's out
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
Company
This quiet company
This quiet company
But I won't follow you
Into the rabbit hole
I said I would but then I saw
Your shivered bones
They didn't want me to
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
The National's song Terrible Love begins with the repetition of the line "It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders." The line represents the singer's fear and discomfort as they navigate a complicated relationship. The presence of spiders suggests the presence of danger and the feeling of being trapped in a web of emotions. The following line "It's a terrible love and I'm walking in" suggests a sense of surrender, the idea that the singer is willingly walking deeper into this love despite the fear and danger that comes with it.
As the song progresses, the singer expresses their struggle to find peace within themselves. They "can't fall asleep without a little help" and must wait for "the panic's out" before they can settle down. However, they recognize the strength it takes to endure this difficult love, stating "it takes an ocean not to break." The repetition of "company, this quiet company" at the end suggests a sense of loneliness and isolation despite being in a relationship.
The final verse reveals the singer's reluctance to follow their partner into a "rabbit hole" of emotional turmoil. They have seen their partner's vulnerability, represented by their "shivered bones," but recognize that they cannot help them overcome it. The song ends with the repetition of "It takes an ocean not to break" suggesting that despite the difficulties, the singer is willing to endure this love.
Line by Line Meaning
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
This relationship is a nightmare and I feel like I'm surrounded by danger.
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
I'm caught up in this terrible love and it's hard to escape.
This quiet company
The silence between us is almost unbearable.
And I can't fall asleep
Without a little help
I'm struggling to cope with this relationship and I need something to calm me down.
It takes a while to settle down
My shivered bones
Until the panic's out
It takes me a long time to recover from the fear and anxiety that this love causes me.
It takes an ocean not to break
Only immense strength can keep this relationship from falling apart.
But I won't follow you
Into the rabbit hole
I won't let this love consume me completely, even if you do.
I said I would but then I saw
Your shivered bones
They didn't want me to
I promised to follow you, but your own fear and anxiety made me question that decision.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Matthew Donald Berninger, Aaron Brooking Dessner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
miguel Rojas
This is!
[Verse 1
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
[Pre-Chorus]
It's quiet company
It's quiet company
[Verse 1]
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
[Pre-Chorus]
It's quiet company
It's quiet company
It's quiet company
[Chorus 1]
And I can't fall asleep
Without a little help
It takes a while to settle down my shivered bones
Until the panic's out
[Bridge]
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
[Pre-Chorus]
Company
It's quiet company
It's quiet company
It's quiet company
[Chorus 2]
But I won't follow you
Into the rabbit hole
I said I would, but then I saw your shivered bones
They didn't want me to
[Verse 1]
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
[Bridge]
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
Ravena Leal
É um amor terrível e eu estou andando com aranhas
É um amor terrível e estou indo
É um amor terrível e eu estou andando com aranhas
É um amor terrível e estou indo
É um compania tranquila,É um compania tranquila
E eu não consigo dormir sem uma ajudinha
Demora um tempo prara alcamar
Meus estremecidos ossos
Ate o pânico se estabelecer
Leva um oceano para não quebrar
Compania
É um compania tranquila
É um compania tranquila
Mas eu não
Vou te seguir para a toca do coelho
Eu disse que iria
Mas então eu vi
Que seus estremecidos ossos
Eles não me queriam tambem
É um amor terrível e eu estou andando com aranhas
É um amor terrível e estou indo
É um amor terrível e eu estou andando com aranhas
É um amor terrível e estou indo
Leva um oceano para não quebrar
Script na tela
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It's quiet company, it's quiet company
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It's quiet company, it's quiet company
And I can't fall sleep without a little help
It takes a while to settle down
My shivered bones
Wait till the panic's out
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
Company, it's quiet company
It's quiet company, it's quiet company
And I won't follow you
Into the rabbit hole
I said I would but then I saw
Your shivered bones
They didn't want me too
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
bagienny
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
This quiet company
This quiet company
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
This quiet company
This quiet company
This quiet company
And I can't fall asleep
Without a little help
It takes a while to settle down
My shivered bones
Until the panic's out
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
Company
This quiet company
This quiet company
But I won't follow you
Into the rabbit hole
I said I would but then I saw
Your shivered bones
They didn't want me to
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
Here's a correct version.
Ravena Leal
É um amor terrível e eu estou caminhando com aranhas
É um amor terrível e eu estou caminhando
É um amor terrível e eu estou caminhando com aranhas
É um amor terrível e eu estou caminhando
Em sua companhia tranquila, sua companhia tranquila
E eu não consigo adormecer sem um pouco de ajuda
Leva um tempo para acalmar
Meus ossos trêmulos
Até que o pânico se estabeleça
É preciso um oceano para não quebrar
Companhia
Sua companhia tranquila
Sua companhia tranquila
E eu não vou te seguir até o buraco do coelho
Eu disse que iria
Mas então vi
Seu ossos trêmulos
Eles não me queriam
É um amor terrível e eu estou caminhando com aranhas
É um amor terrível e eu estou caminhando
É um amor terrível e eu estou caminhando com aranhas
É um amor terrível e eu estou caminhando
É preciso um oceano para não quebrar
Ravena Leal
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love that I'm walking in
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love that I'm walking in
It's quiet company
It's quiet company
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love and I'm walking in
It's quiet company
It's quiet company
It's quiet company
And I can't fall asleep
Without a little help
It takes a while to settle down
My shivered bones
Wait till the panic's out
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
Company
It's quiet company
It's quiet company
And I won't follow you
Into the rabbit hole
I said I would
But then I saw
Your shivered bones
They didn't want me to
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love that I'm walking in
It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders
It's a terrible love that I'm walking in
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
It takes an ocean not to break
Kaja T
12 years, still gives me chills every time 💔
david olusola
Whoever selected songs as themes for VD and originals is just heavenly
Faith Onwumere
Facts, they're always on point ❤️
the.shoreland
Wow. Here after reading a all my rage by Sabaa F
Cobi Pizer
“It takes an ocean not to break!! It takes an ocean not to break!! It takes an ocean not to break!!” I really felt that, the way he put his soul into shouting those lyrics hit me deep.
Poritime
That line hits me too man <3
Maarit Hakala
Me too. Had to look it up as soon as I heard it in another movie
Eddy Nelsonson
I can’t believe this. Even after years and years of listening this song, I still feel goosebumps when I watch this video right now.
Chase Grimes
This is the best band ever in my opinion I wish more people adored this band like I do
Mahesh Hardasani
No words can describe how amazing this song is.