Wasner and Stack have been playing music together and apart in Baltimore, MD, and chose their name from the honorary state tree of Maryland. If Children is the culmination of many months of recording, polishing and perfecting to achieve what Any Given Tuesday best described as, “. .. . mingling in a room full of shoegaze, alt-country, folk, and noise, shaking hands, kissing cheeks, and making friends with everyone.” If Children is an exuberant debut – noisy and restrained in turn, Wye Oak describe their philosophy: "We'd like to think that if a song is good enough, it'll stand on its own regardless of how much noise you pile on top. On the other hand, we do like noise." Listen, and we think you will have to agree!
The droll tone and fleeting sweetness of a Yo La Tengo are cut into the more deeply textural concerns of shoegaze in the Baltimore group's work. It's an interesting alignment, given the contrast in senses of humor. But Wye Oak successfully shed tonnage from the latter without losing potency.
Take It in
Wye Oak Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Half again asleep
I am left alone
With dreams
I wouldn’t care if I
I wouldn't carry you
Is it still a lie
If it’s true
Do you never ask
Because I’ll never tell
We are both the same
Unwell
But how much would you ask
And what did you expect
Of what it is that we
Have left
Oh baby you're a child, you
Fall asleep and I get wild, I
Turn to smoke when you need air, I’m
Sorry baby I don't care
Do you never ask
Because you know I'll say
You're the only one
Please stay
But you're not the only one
And you know it's only fair
When you close your eyes
Who's there
Oh baby you're a child, you
Fall asleep and I get wild, I
Turn to smoke when you need air, I’m
Sorry baby I don't care
You’re my only, you’re my bride, I
Said I love you, say you are mine
Take it back, I’ll take it in ‘til
I’ll never need air again, I
Take it back, I’ll take it in ‘til
I never need air again, I
Take it back, I’ll take it in ‘til
I never need air again.
The Wye Oak song "Take It in" is a song that explores the intricacies of romantic relationships, the push and pull between two people who are trying to navigate their way through their own doubts, fears, and struggles. The song begins with the vocalist singing about how she spends half of her day asleep and dreaming. She then wonders if it's still considered a lie if what she's dreaming about is true. This speaks to the idea that sometimes our dreams and fantasies can feel more real to us than our waking reality.
The second verse talks about the unspoken things in a relationship. The vocalist acknowledges that she and her partner are both "unwell" in some way, but they never talk about it. She then questions how much her partner would ask of her and what he expects from their relationship. This speaks to the fear of vulnerability and the unknown in a relationship.
The chorus of the song speaks to the power dynamics in the relationship. The vocalist equates her partner to a child, and herself to something wild that comes out when he falls asleep. She apologizes for the fact that she doesn't care about his need for air. The power dynamic is interesting because it's unclear who holds the power in the relationship.
Overall, "Take It in" is a complex song that deals with themes of vulnerability, doubt, and power in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Half the day away
I spend a significant portion of my day doing nothing productive
Half again asleep
I am often drowsy or tired, even after sleeping for extended periods of time
I am left alone
I frequently feel isolated and disconnected from others
With dreams
My thoughts often wander towards unrealistic or fanciful scenarios
I wouldn’t care if I
I don't think it would make a difference to me if I
I wouldn't carry you
I won't support you or help you carry your burden
Is it still a lie
Even if it's true, could it still be considered a falsehood?
Do you never ask
You always seem to avoid asking for what you want
Because I’ll never tell
I won't give you the answer you're hoping for
We are both the same
We share a sense of unhappiness or malaise
Unwell
We are both struggling with our own personal issues and problems
But how much would you ask
How much are you willing to push for what you want?
And what did you expect
What is it that you thought would happen?
Of what it is that we
Of the relationship or arrangement that we share
Have left
What little we may still have between us
Oh baby you're a child, you
You act like an immature or childish person
Fall asleep and I get wild, I
When you're gone, I get carried away or go to extremes
Turn to smoke when you need air, I’m
I vanish when you need me the most
Sorry baby I don't care
I don't feel remorseful or sympathetic towards your situation
Because you know I'll say
You're aware that I'll always give the same answer
You're the only one
You're the only person I care about
Please stay
Don't leave me alone
But you're not the only one
There are others who matter to me
And you know it's only fair
It's only reasonable and just that I should have others in my life too
When you close your eyes
When you're not looking or paying attention
Who's there
Who else is present in your thoughts or imagination?
You’re my only, you’re my bride, I
You're my one and only love, my spouse
Said I love you, say you are mine
I expressed my deep affection for you and want you to reciprocate
Take it back, I’ll take it in ‘til
I regret what I said, but I'll accept the consequences of my actions
I’ll never need air again, I
I'll bear the pain and discomfort without complaint
Take it back, I’ll take it in ‘til
I'm taking back my words, but I'll bear the burden that comes with it
I’ll never need air again, I
I'll accept any punishment or hardship that follows
Take it back, I’ll take it in ‘til
I'm retracting my statement, but I'll endure the consequences that come with it
I’ll never need air again.
I'll tolerate the pain or discomfort without complaint
Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JENNIFER LYNN WASNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind