Song - I will Follow You Into The Dark
Thanks to Benison for recommending me to this song. It's one song which grows on you the more you listen to it. The video is not the original MTV and I feel at some points does not entirely relay correctly what the song is trying to portray but it's probably cuter anyway, so I'm putting it here. I'm still in the midst of decoding the lyrics of the song. A touching song, nevertheless, with nice music.
I will Follow You Into The Dark
by Death Cab for Cutie
Love of mine some day you will die
But I'll be close behind
I'll follow you into the dark
No blinding light or tunnels to gates of white
Just our hands clasped so tight
Waiting for the hint of a spark
If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the NOs on their vacancy signs
If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark
In Catholic school as vicious as Roman rule
I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black
And I held my tongue as she told me
"Son fear is the heart of love"
So I never went back
If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the NOs on their vacancy signs
If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark
You and me have seen everything to see
From Bangkok to Calgary
And the soles of your shoes are all worn down
The time for sleep is now
It's nothing to cry about
Cause we'll hold each other soon
The blackest of rooms
If Heaven and Hell decide
That they both are satisfied
Illuminate the NOs on their vacancy signs
If there's no one beside you
When your soul embarks
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Labels: music, recommendation, video
posted by tstar @ 6:28 PM
10 comments
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10 Comments:
I am curious to know what you mean by decoding?
I'm so sorry to be so inquisitive, but I also would like to ask:
Is it possible for you to elaborate on what you mean by "[the video] I feel at some points does not entirely relay correctly what the song is trying to portray but it's probably cuter anyway"?
Hey laremy!
by decoding I meant reading deeper into the lyrics, or finding out if the lyrics are simply as it is on the surface, to better understand the song. sometimes i think listening to a song is like savouring a particular food, trying to be aware of all the tastes and enjoy it.
the video, i feel, don't show exactly what the song is about, I feel. Like there the old man and his grandchild, the spoilt fruits, both speak of only a small section of the song - the dying. But what about the love and assurance? there's nothing in the video that's there. Even in the case of the cute (which is why i said cute =P) rabbits, where there is perhaps love, i feel it's still very... superficial, and they didn't show "him" following "her" into the hole (if the song is to be taken literally). Even the end scene of the 2 rabbits together is like insufficient. On the whole the video is just insufficient and superficial, touching only on some sections of the song.. I dunno, do correct me if you think underwise.
I put this video up in spite of these "insecurities" I felt coz the video's cuter compared to the original (which was kinda funny but i watch until a bit blur also), which i thought my readers would enjoy more..
hehz, sorry if i confused you. hope this helps explain what i was trying to say.
and i treasure all comments, so don't apologize for asking Q!
Why do you assume that it's a "him" and "her" or a male and female rabbit?
In the song, the male singer never mentions a "her"; and for the rabbits, we don't know the sexes.
I do disagree that the video was more superficial, so to speak. The song speaks of a love that transcends death, of all kinds. Hence the portrayal of the grandfather/grandchild relationship, to remind us that love doesn't only take the form of husband/wife or boyfriend/girlfriend love. The rabbits serve to illustrate this more conventional concept. Also, I definitely think the 'following you into the dark' line was well illustrated. There's a shot of the two rabbits lying together after the white one passed on, in the cave (the dark?), and then of the white rabbit standing alone in a dark area. Ending of course in the final shot of them sitting together.
hansel25: hmm, frankly, the initial impression i had of the rabbits in the video was one of mother and child where the child died, instead of a boy-girl relationship. i think because typically songs with similar lyrics are usually about boy-girl love which was why i assumed it as such here... oh and also the singer is a male, so again, assume... admit, that's my bad.
benisonp: and it took this music for you to finally comment here??!! =P
ok, actually i'd have loved it if the song was not just about conventional love. But it's only now that i realize the video actually made me confused. or maybe the video talked about love beyond conventional love (i only just realized the meaning of the video, especially the grandfather and boy), that I wished that's what the song is about. For some reason, the lyrics gave me the feeling that it's about conventional love (lyrics - "Son fear is the heart of love", "You and me have seen everything to see
From Bangkok to Calgary", "Cause we'll hold each other soon") because if it isn't about that then the lyrics should be presented differently. If it's a mixture of the different types of love then to me it simply isn't very clear.
And I think I know now why i felt so uneasy. the type of love i got from the video and the song are different.
That's not to say that the video is bad or the song is bad. It's just they don't complement each other correctly, 100%. And i still feel that way now. very stubborn hor? heh heh.
k lah, if listen and watch longer, i still can accept and put the 2 together. but must watch and watch and watch to accept it. familiarity to become liking, perhaps? k, sound so sad.
For some reason, I find that the parts of the lyrics you quoted can be interpreted to mean non-romantic love. Fear is the heart of love..for the religious, that shouldn't sound unfamiliar at all, and don't we fear our parents to a certain extent too? And holding each other soon is a very very ambiguous statement..certainly doesn't have to refer to romantic love either. ;)
Benisonp,
Actually, I do think it's romantic love and quite anti-religion.
Anti-religion:"In Catholic school as vicious as Roman rule/ I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black" and "So I never went back".
Furthermore, it says that the singer/narrator will follow his lover to Bangkok and Calgary, very secular places, full of sin, not exactly a religious person's tourist spot unless s/he is a missionary but we know the singer isn't a missionary as he never went back to Catholic school. And you don't backpack with your parents. You either backpack with friends or lovers. But since they "hold each other," we should assume that they are lovers and not friends.
The reference to heaven and hell: since the singer is singing in English, and there is a reference to Catholicism, we'll assume that Christainity is his religion. And in Christainity, Christ says that all us sinners MUST love Him most, and if we allow secular (i.e. romantic) love to replace religious love, we'll go to Hell. I read the reference, "heaven and hell," as the singer not caring whether he goes to heaven or hell because his romantic love is greater than religion.
tstar,
Sorry if I come across brusque. I was just asking for clarification.
benisonp: what does that line mean for the religious?
i thought the nun was telling the kid not to love because if one loves, it is the most vulnerable thing. *scratch head*
on the whole i still feel the song speaks of romantic love...
hansel25: nah, it isn't a problem!
that's a fantastic explanation and interpretation!
Benisonp also read the lyrics as anti-religion which I didn't accept and still don't really accept.
To me it isn't exactly anti-religion (that's kinda strong) but the person just isn't a very religious type. he doesn't deny the existence of heaven or hell, but there's the impression that he views them as a process, something along the way. like if they gets to heaven or hell then ok, if not then ok too, the dark it shall be.
but i didn't realize bangkok and calgary can be regarded as sinful places. this gives things a newer perspective.
that's an interesting explanation about his love being greater than religion! but the lyrics said that both heaven and hell are satisfied, i don't quite see how that fits in.
however, i kind of agree that for the person in the song, religious doesn't seem a big issue (though it might be ironic to say that in view of the fact that half of the lyrics had religious mentioning in them).
also don't quite see how having secular love then go to hell fits into the song. i think that isn't the main point.
instead, he doesn't care if there's nowhere else to go, as long as they, no, the person who died, is not alone, then everything is ok.
something like that. which is essentially what you said about his romantic love being greater than religion.
your explanation is very clear and interesting! i think mine's very blurred up coz i was never into catholicism or Christianity.
hmm, now i think i understand the song a little better. maybe it's as simple as "I love you and you never have to be alone, regardless of everything and anything, including time and religion."
bleh, i sound confused... sorry abt it...
I think you've hit the nail on the head.
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