A lot of you are probably tired of hearing me talk about this song, and I understand that, but it's influence on my life can't be overstated. To my close friends reading this: Some of you never would have met me if it weren't for this song. Period. I'm not kidding when I say this song saved my life. In every way, figurative and literal, this song saved me. And it's continued to save me through the years when I'm at my lowest.
So, I'd like to break this song down, chunk by chunk, and give you some insight into why I love it.
(Verse 1)
She's alone tonight with a bitter cup and
She's undone tonight, she's all used up,
She's been staring down the demons
Who've been screaming
She's just another so and so,
Another so and so.
The first verse is very straightforward. She's alone "with a bitter cup." Has she been drinking? Possibly. Is she trying to poison herself? Also possible.
Her personal demons are screaming at her, telling her she's nothing, she's worthless. Are they really demons, or is this just the perception of herself? Either could be true.
(Chorus)
You are golden,
You are golden, Child
You are golden,
(Don't let go)
(Don't let go tonight)
And our first run at the Chorus. It's a perfect response to the first verse. I picture the girl looking in a mirror here, and either she or a voice in her head says this to her, telling her that no matter what anyone or anything has screamed at her, it can't change who she really is.
(Verse 2)
There's a fear that burns like trash inside
And your shame of the curse that burns your eyes
You've been hiding in your bedroom,
Hoping this isn't how the story has to go
It's not the way it goes,
It's your book now,
Sometimes it's easier to hide than to face our demons, whatever they might be. Here, she's alone, afraid, crying. And unlike the first verse, the narrator addresses her directly, telling her this is her story, and she gets to write it however she wants. This is where the song turns into an anthem of hope.
(Chorus)
You are golden,
You are golden, Child
You are golden,
(Don't let go)
(Don't let go tonight)
The chorus, once again, fits perfectly with the verse. This time, instead of reassurance, it's affirmation that everything will be okay. We can see the light at the end of the tunnel.
(Bridge)
You're a lonely soul in a land of broken hearts
You're far from home, it's a perfect place to start
This is very simple. We are the land of broken hearts. We've come a long way from where we began, but that's the perfect place to start over.
(Verse 3)
So this final verse is a contradiction
And the more we learn the less we know
We've been talkin' about a feeling,
We both know inside but couldn't find the words
I couldn't write this verse,
I've seldom been so sure,
About anything before
I can't put into words how much I love this verse, just like Jon can't put his feeling into words. So, the beginning with "the more we learn, the less we know" is an old mantra we've heard a million times throughout our lives. And we've heard it that much because it's true and always relevant. I love the honesty here, too. There's something that needs to be said, and it's really important ... maybe TOO important to be put into words, so the feeling has to come through.
(Chorus)
Golden,
You are Golden, Child
You are Golden,
(Don't let go)
(Don't let go tonight)
And one last time, we repeat the chorus straight, just as a reminder.
(Outro)
This world is a dead man down (Golden, you are)
Every breath is a fading crown we wear (Golden, Child, you are)
Like some debilitated king (Golden, don't let go)
Don't let go tonight
The Earth spins and the moon goes round (Golden, you are)
The green comes from the frozen ground (Golden, Child, you are)
And everything will be made new again (Golden)
(Like freedom in spring) (Golden, Golden)
Hey, like freedom in spring, (Golden, you are, hey)
Like freedom in spring (Golden, Child, you are)
(Gold...)
The gist here, without dragging this out, is that the world is fleeting. Over time everything is broken down and rebuilt, even us. Even when the winter cold buries the grass with snow, eventually the green breaks through, like new. We're free to live our lives, and even when things get dark and we're buried by doubts and fears, we'll come out on the other side, as green as ever.
And that's it for the month. Thanks to everyone who stuck with me to the end and took the time to read and listen. I hope I've given you all something positive out of this that you can continue to take with you for the rest of your life. Music is powerful and sacred, piercing into the depths of the soul like nothing else can, so sharing these song from my heart with you is the most awesome gift I can think to give. I love it when people share those moments with me, and I hope you feel the same.
Now, I've gotta go turn 27 in a couple of days, so I'll see you on the other side!
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