Terrible Man
Wintersleep Lyrics
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A terrible man
A desperate attempt to make amends
Wrote a song for a girl
He could not, but just imagine
About something he read once
About static and distance
Without feeling terribly static and incredibly distant
About recent encounters
About love and affliction
Zip locks and plastic containers
The gentleness of her kisses
About the possible cancer
Which has manifested in the ? of his forehead
About a world that can never be kind, never be kind
Never be kind
Never be kind
What if I vanished
Dematerialized
Into the great miscellaneous
Into your craterous eyes
About the taste of tree sap
Something recently tasted
About growing old
About his fear of the cold, and the darkness
At age twenty-seven
How foolish does that make him
Bundled up in the cold
Afraid of the dark at age twenty-seven
A song for a girl
He knew he'd never quite finish
In the drunk breath of autumn
In all its glory and strangeness
We can hide
You are mine
The song "Terrible Man" by Wintersleep tells the story of a man who is trying to make amends with a girl he has feelings for. He attempts to express his emotions by writing a song, but he struggles to find the right words. The man reflects on past encounters with the girl and the gentleness of her kisses. He also contemplates his fear of growing old, the cold, and the darkness at the age of twenty-seven. The song includes themes of love, affliction, and the harsh reality of the world.
The lyrics also delve into the man's current struggles. He mentions the possible cancer that has manifested in the "blotch" on his forehead. He reflects on something he read about static and distance, which is a metaphor for the emotional distance he feels from the girl he desires. He describes the world as a place that can never be kind, which reflects his pessimistic view of the world.
Overall, the song captures the complicated emotions of a man attempting to express his love for a woman while also grappling with his own fears and uncertainties. The use of metaphors, vivid imagery, and emotional depth make "Terrible Man" a poignant and bittersweet song.
Line by Line Meaning
A terrible man
Introducing the singer of the song as someone who is not admirable or lovable.
A desperate attempt to make amends
Describing the singer's attempt to fix something that went wrong, perhaps to seek forgiveness or redemption.
Wrote a song for a girl
Explaining the singer's creative output as an expression of his feelings for a woman.
He could not, but just imagine
Acknowledging the artist's inability to be with the woman he desires, and his resulting frustration.
About something he read once
Implying that the artist is not very original, and that he takes inspiration from other people's ideas.
About static and distance
Suggesting that the singer is preoccupied with feeling disconnected from others and the world around him.
Somehow he simply could not
Underlining the singer's inability to break free from his negative emotions and improve his situation.
Without feeling terribly static and incredibly distant
Elaborating on the feeling of alienation that plagues the artist, which he cannot shake off.
About recent encounters
Hinting at the artist's social interactions as a possible source of distress and frustration.
About love and affliction
Connecting the artist's romantic yearnings with his emotional pain and suffering, suggesting that they are intertwined.
Zip locks and plastic containers
Referencing mundane objects that the singer thinks about, perhaps as a symptom of his inability to focus on what truly matters.
The gentleness of her kisses
Evoking a tender and intimate moment that the artist cherishes, revealing his vulnerable side.
About the possible cancer
Introducing a new, serious element of the singer's story, which adds to his sense of doom and helplessness.
Which has manifested in the ? of his forehead
Describing the physical manifestation of the illness on the singer's body, making it real and palpable.
About a world that can never be kind, never be kind
Summing up the singer's bleak outlook on life, which is characterized by despair and pessimism.
Never be kind
Echoing the previous line to emphasize the futility and hopelessness of the artist's situation.
What if I vanished
Posing a hypothetical question about the artist's disappearance, which reflects his sense of insignificance and powerlessness.
Dematerialized
Describing the singer's hypothetical act of disappearing as a way of highlighting the impossibility of escaping his own existence.
Into the great miscellaneous
Using a poetic expression to depict the vastness and complexity of the world, which the singer struggles to comprehend.
Into your craterous eyes
Expressing the artist's admiration and longing for the woman he wrote the song for, conveying his desire to be seen and understood.
About the taste of tree sap
Returning to a more mundane subject that the artist finds interesting or meaningful, highlighting his idiosyncratic perspective on life.
Something recently tasted
Confirming that the artist finds significance in small and fleeting moments, which he savors and remembers.
About growing old
Reflecting on the passage of time and the inevitability of aging, which the singer perceives as a source of anxiety and dread.
About his fear of the cold, and the darkness
Adding another layer to the artist's fear and insecurity, suggesting that he is haunted by the unknown and the unseen.
At age twenty-seven
Revealing the singer's young age, which makes his gloomy worldview all the more striking and poignant.
How foolish does that make him
Questioning the singer's judgment and wisdom, implying that he has failed to make the most of his youth and potential.
Bundled up in the cold
Depicting the singer as physically vulnerable and uncomfortable, which mirrors his emotional state of mind.
Afraid of the dark at age twenty-seven
Restating the artist's fear of the unknown and the unseen, which contrasts with his desire to be seen and understood by others.
A song for a girl
Reaffirming the artist's motivation and inspiration for writing the song, which remains a central theme throughout the lyrics.
He knew he'd never quite finish
Acknowledging the imperfection and incompleteness of the singer's creative output, which reflects his sense of inadequacy and failure.
In the drunk breath of autumn
Using vivid and metaphorical language to describe a specific moment in time, which serves as the backdrop for the singer's musings.
In all its glory and strangeness
Suggesting that the world is both beautiful and mysterious, which inspires the artist's creativity and fuels his doubts and fears.
We can hide
Ending the song with a short, cryptic statement that invites interpretation and suggests that the artist and the woman he wrote the song for share a secret or a bond.
You are mine
Affirming the artist's sense of connection and devotion to the woman he wrote the song for, which contrasts with his feeling of isolation and disconnection from the rest of the world.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
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