This is a song for somebody else.
This is an attempt to examine a song that has struck a chord on the veritable strings of my heart. Note that this is my intuitive interpretation; the intended meaning of this song might be something else entirely.
Depression is like a dementor; it sucks out the joy of everything it sets it attention to. I think is song is a melancholic expression of the perils of depression, sung by a person who is so sure of his unlovability that he refuses let anyone get close to him. He fears that a glimpse into his inner self will submerge the glimpser into the same darkness, hence he repeatedly urges caution, for getting too close can become too painful.
Lyrical Analysis:
This is a song about somebody else
So don’t worry yourself, worry yourself
He starts off by reassuring himself this isn’t about himself. Depression exacerbates the tendency self-criticize. You often find yourself worrying how you screwed up over the most insignificant matters.
The devil’s right there right there in the details
And you don’t wanna hurt yourself, hurt yourself
Looking too closely
Oh, no, no, no!
Now, he turns his attention to the glimpser. He warns the glimpser that the problem might not be visible at the surface, but when you look at the details, it becomes apparent.
Put your arms around somebody else
Don’t punish yourself, punish yourself
Again, a sound reminder to find comfort in more secure arms, ones that won’t let you down. Isn’t seeking warmth in a heart that is too cold akin to punishing yourself?
Truth is like blood underneath your fingernails
And you don’t wanna hurt yourself, hurt yourself
Looking too closely
This is where the song takes on a darker undertone. If you realize the depth of his depression it would evoke a sensation similar to the one a murderer has to confront when he tries to overlook the blood under his fingernails. His action will haunt him forever.
Wiping blood from under your fingernails isn’t easy, nor would be easy to look away once you realize you’ve glimpsed into the wrong soul, one that compulsively emanates despair.
I could be wrong about somebody else
So don’t kid yourself, kid yourself
It’s you right there, right there in the mirror
And you don’t wanna hurt yourself, hurt yourself
Looking too closely
He can espouse an objective stance on anybody but himself. When it comes him, there isn’t an iota of doubt. His shortcomings stare at him in the mirror.
Like most people suffering with depression, his flaws are too glaring for him to ignore. He is so convinced of them that he feels if you look closely enough, you’ll see them too. And once you see them, your image of him will irrevocably transform. Are you sure you’ll be handle that?
The irrationality sown in his message is obvious to anyone not suffering the same fate. This song’s brilliance is that within his advice of not “looking to closely” lies the cure to his fate. The tendency to criticize every trivial action propels an anxious state of mind, hence it is wise to not “look too closely”, even at yourself.
