There are aspects of the band's sound - abrasive guitar hooks, immediate drumming, and incessant codas - that speak to living in a big city. But there's also a dreary sparseness, a David Lynch-esque darkness, culled from the other members' native Washington.
The band's skeletal sound began to take shape, with Robert's rust-belt guitar parts lending a restless, sinister edge to Molly's subdued melodies and soft vocal style. Writing became a collaborative effort, and Widowspeak racked up an arsenal of songs. By fall the trio had recorded a six-track cassette using only a built-in laptop microphone and Garageband. The self-released October Tape, as it was called, fell into the hands of Brooklyn's Captured Tracks. Weeks later, after only their sixth show, Widowspeak recorded the 7" single Harsh Realm, in anticipation of a full LP.
Their eponymous debut LP was released on August 9th, 2011 on Captured Tracks.
http://widowspeak.bandcamp.com
Limbs
Widowspeak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What to do with everydays
What to do with working limbs
So he told me - sink or swim?
I did what he said
Went underwater instead
Everything looks the same
Everything looks the same
They can't be found
I miss solid ground
What to do? Couldn't win
So he told me - sink or swim?
I did what he said
Went underwater instead
Everything looks the same
Everything looks the same
The lyrics of Widowspeak's "Limbs" are open for interpretation, but one possible meaning could be about feeling lost or stuck in life. The opening line "Drifting in for other haze" suggests a sense of confusion or uncertainty, and the following line "What to do with everydays" highlights the struggle of trying to find purpose or direction in everyday life. The line "What to do with working limbs" could refer to feeling physically capable but emotionally unsure of what to do with one's abilities.
The singer in the song is told to "sink or swim" by someone, and chooses to go underwater instead of finding solid ground. This can be seen as a metaphor for taking risks and diving into the unknown, rather than playing it safe on familiar territory. Yet the repetition of "Everything looks the same" suggests that even when taking risks, there may be a feeling of sameness or stagnation.
Overall, the lyrics of "Limbs" convey a sense of restlessness and confusion, as well as a desire to break free from the monotony of everyday life and explore new possibilities.
Line by Line Meaning
Drifting in for other haze
Feeling lost and uncertain, like drifting in a fog
What to do with everydays
Wondering what to do with the mundane routines of daily life
What to do with working limbs
Feeling like there's no direction or purpose for one's physical abilities
So he told me - sink or swim?
Being given a seemingly impossible ultimatum by someone else
I did what he said
Choosing to follow the advice, even if it seemed questionable
Went underwater instead
Diving headfirst into a difficult or uncomfortable situation
Everything looks the same
Feeling disoriented and unable to find a clear path forward
Look for that
Searching for a sense of direction or purpose
They can't be found
Coming up empty-handed and feeling lost
I miss solid ground
Longing for stability or a firm foundation to stand on
What to do? Couldn't win
Feeling stuck and unable to find a solution
So he told me - sink or swim?
Being pressured to make a difficult decision by someone else
I did what he said
Following through with the decision, even if it felt like the wrong choice
Went underwater instead
Throwing oneself into a challenging situation, even if it's uncomfortable
Everything looks the same
Feeling lost and disoriented, unsure of which way to go
Contributed by William N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.