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Rest
The Temper Trap Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Oh baby, ooh baby
Bereaved lady
Oh baby

Oh baby, oh baby
He carved you like a stone
Then left your side
Stop, stop

Oh baby
Slow steady
Heaven's waiting
For you baby

Oh baby, oh baby
He took your soul
And left you out to dry
Stop

Now, you're home free at last
And the cracking whip
That howled
And scarred your back
Has stopped
Oh, it stopped

Oh baby, oh baby
Love baby
Your, your only crime
Oh baby
Stop, stop

Oh baby, oh baby
Love baby
Your, your only crime
Oh baby
Stop, stop

Overall Meaning

The Temper Trap's song Rest is a mournful and emotional track that appears to be dedicated to consoling someone who has been through a harrowing experience. The opening lines 'Oh baby, ooh baby, Bereaved lady, Oh baby' indicate that the singer is speaking to a woman who has lost someone or something important to her. The repetition of 'Oh baby' is a sign of comfort, suggesting that the singer is trying to console her with sweet and tender words.


The lyrics 'He carved you like a stone, Then left your side' speak of deep heartache and betrayal. The betrayal seems to have left the lady in a state of shock, which is indicated by the line 'Stop, stop.' Here, 'stop' is not just a word, but rather a command that she needs to relax, breathe and take a break from the pain she is experiencing. The line 'slow steady, heaven's waiting, for you baby' seems to indicate that the singer is reassuring her that she will heal with time and find her way again.


When the line 'He took your soul and left you out to dry' is sung, it seems to suggest that the betrayal was severe and traumatizing, leaving the woman feeling lost and vulnerable. Finally, the lyrics 'Now, you're home free at last, and the cracking whip that howled and scarred your back has stopped, Oh it stopped' confirms that the woman has finally been freed from the suffering and turmoil.


Line by Line Meaning

Oh baby, ooh baby
Addressing the subject, implying a level of affection


Bereaved lady
Acknowledging her loss, possibly a reference to a recent death


Oh baby
Repeating the expression of love used in previous lines


He carved you like a stone
She was shaped or defined by someone else, who saw her as unchanging and inhuman


Then left your side
The one who shaped her has removed themselves from her life


Stop, stop
Demanding an end to something, potentially a traumatic or distressing experience


Slow steady
A change of pace, something calming or reassuring


Heaven's waiting
There is a sense of hope or salvation beyond the current struggle


For you baby
Repeating the expression of love used in previous lines


He took your soul
She was robbed of something deep and personal, likely her sense of self or identity


And left you out to dry
She was abandoned, left to deal with the consequences of what had been taken from her


Now, you're home free at last
She has escaped from her past, and is now in a better place


And the cracking whip
A metaphor for something oppressive, painful and controlling


That howled
Emphasising the pain and emotional trauma of the experience


And scarred your back
Perhaps referencing physical or emotional abuse experienced by the subject


Has stopped
Confirming the end of something oppressive and negative


Oh, it stopped
Repeating the confirmation of the end of something negative


Love baby
Reinforcing the idea that the subject is loved, despite everything she's been through


Your, your only crime
Suggesting that any fault or blame should not be placed on the subject, who has already suffered enough


Stop, stop
Demanding an end to something, perhaps a continued dismissal of blame or judgment




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: ABBY MANDAGI, JONATHAN DAVID AHERNE, LORENZO SILLITO, TOBIAS JAMES DUNDAS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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