Left and leaving
Weakerthans Lyrics
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through buildings gone missing like teeth.
The sidewalks are watching me think about you,
all sparkled with broken glass.
I'm back with scars to show.
Back with the streets I know.
They never take me anywhere but here.
this drink in my hand,
these strangers whose faces I know.
We meet here for our dress-rehearsal to say
"I wanted it this way"
and wait for the year to drown.
Spring forward, fall back down.
I'm trying not to wonder where you are.
All this time lingers, undefined.
Someone choose who's left and who's leaving.
Memory will rust and erode into lists
of all that you gave me:
some matches, a blanket, this pain in my chest,
the best parts of Lonely,
duct-tape and soldered wires,
new words for old desires,
and every birthday card I threw away.
I wait in 4/4 time.
Count yellow highway lines
that you're relying on to lead you home.
The song "Left and Leaving" by The Weakerthans is about the complex emotions of leaving a city and a person behind. The opening lyrics describe a city that is struggling to survive, with missing buildings like missing teeth. The sidewalks are watching the singer as he thinks about the person he has left behind, surrounded by broken glass. The singer is scarred from his experiences and has returned to the streets he knows so well, which never take him anywhere but back.
The second verse paints a picture of the singer's present situation, meeting strangers in a bar where they rehearse their lines and try to convince themselves that they wanted the situation to be this way. The passing of time is also a theme here - the seasons change, but the longing does not. The line "someone choose who's left and who's leaving" suggests a feeling of being stuck and not knowing what to do.
The final verse of the song reflects on memory and the things that the singer has been left with - small bits and pieces that represent the relationship that is now over. The line "I wait in 4/4 time, count yellow highway lines" hints at a feeling of being suspended, waiting for something that may never come. The overall mood of the song is one of melancholy, but there is also a sense of resilience and determination to keep moving forward despite the pain.
Line by Line Meaning
My city's still breathing (but barely it's true)
The city is still alive, but it's not doing well.
through buildings gone missing like teeth.
Many buildings are gone, leaving the city with a lot of gaps.
The sidewalks are watching me think about you, all sparkled with broken glass.
The author thinks about someone while walking the broken city streets.
I'm back with scars to show. Back with the streets I know. They never take me anywhere but here.
Returning to familiar places with emotional baggage and no progress.
Those stains in the carpet, this drink in my hand, these strangers whose faces I know.
Drinking in the company of acquaintances in a familiar place.
We meet here for our dress-rehearsal to say 'I wanted it this way' and wait for the year to drown.
Meeting to accept their situation while waiting for the end of the year.
Spring forward, fall back down. I'm trying not to wonder where you are.
Seasons change, but emotions stagnate, and the author thinks of someone.
All this time lingers, undefined. Someone choose who's left and who's leaving.
Unclear what will happen, someone else needs to make a decision.
Memory will rust and erode into lists of all that you gave me: some matches, a blanket, this pain in my chest, the best parts of Lonely, duct-tape and soldered wires, new words for old desires, and every birthday card I threw away.
Memories degrade over time, but the author still remembers specific gifts and emotional experiences from someone.
I wait in 4/4 time. Count yellow highway lines that you're relying on to lead you home.
Waiting for someone while passing time, understanding their route back home.
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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