Helpless
k.d.lang Lyrics

There is a town in north Ontario
The first line of the song sets the place where the singer longs to be, which is a town in the north of Ontario, Canada.

With dream comfort memory to spare
The town she sings about is full of comfort in dreams and memories that will follow her wherever she goes.

And in my mind
This line indicates that the singer has a vivid image of the place she talks about in her head.

I still need a place to go
The singer is still searching for a place that feels like home and she feels the north of Ontario could be that place.

All my changes were there
The changes that the singer went through in her life happened in that same place, and it has significant meaning to her.

Blue, blue window behind the stars
This can describe a feeling of melancholy and longing that the singer is experiencing. She looks up at the sky and sees a window that makes her imagine the town she sings about.

Yellow moon on the rise
The yellow moon signifies hope and renewal, an opportunity for the singer to start a new chapter of her life.

Big birds flying across the sky
The birds come to represent freedom and opportunity that the singer is searching for.

Throwing shadows in our eyes
The constant change and shifting of her surroundings is disorienting and unsettling, causing shadows in her eyes.

Leave us
The last line of the stanza is an appeal to whoever or whatever is responsible for her situation to abandon her.

Helpless, helpless, helpless
The repetition of the word helpless emphasizes the feeling of being trapped and without control that the singer is experiencing.

Baby, can you hear me now?
The singer is attempting to reach out to someone, perhaps a lover or a friend who she hopes can help her through her difficult time.

The chains are locked
This line implies that the singer feels trapped and unable to escape from her current situation.

And tied around my door
The chains are wrapped around the door, a powerful metaphor for the singer's sense of being trapped and unable to leave.

And baby will you sing with me somehow
The singer is reaching out for help, asking her lover or friend to sing with her to create a sense of unity and belonging that she is currently lacking.

Helpless, helpless, helpless
The repetition of this line emphasizes the singer's sense of powerlessness and her need for help.

Helpless, helpless, helpless
This line is repeated once again to drive home the point that the singer feels trapped and in need of assistance.

Helpless, helpless
The shortened version of the line represents the hopelessness that the singer is feeling.

Helpless, helpless, helpless
The final repetition of the line once again emphasizes the singer's need for help and her sense of powerlessness.

Helpless, helpless, helpless
The final repetition of this line is used as a powerful closing to the song, driving home the central emotional message of the lyrics.