I And Love And You by The Avett Brothers Lyrics Meaning – Unpacking the Tender Journey of Self-Discovery
Lyrics
Grab your bag and grab your coat
Tell the ones that need to know
We are headed north
One foot in and one foot back
But it don’t pay to live like that
So I cut the ties and I jumped the tracks
For never to return
Ah Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in
Are you aware the shape I’m in?
My hands they shake, my head it spins
Ah Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in
When at first I learned to speak
I used all my words to fight
With him and her and you and me
Ah, but it’s just a waste of time
Yeah, it’s such a waste of time
That woman she’s got eyes that shine
Like a pair of stolen polished dimes
She asked to dance, I said it’s fine
I’ll see you in the morning time
Ah Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in
Are you aware the shape I’m in?
My hands they shake, my head it spins
Ah Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in
Three words that became hard to say
I and love and you
What you were then I am today
Look at the things I do
Ah Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in
Are you aware the shape I’m in?
My hands they shake, my head it spins
Ah Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in
Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in
Are you aware the shape I’m in?
Oh, my hands they shake, my head it spins (spins)
Ah Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in
Dumbed down and numbed by time and age
Your dreams that catch the world the cage
The highway sets the traveler’s stage
All exits look the same
Three words that became hard to say
I and love and you
I and love and you
I and love and you
In the heart of music that stirs the soul, there lie messages that sometimes resonate beyond the reach of simple chords and harmonies. The Avett Brothers, a band known for their emotive blend of folk, bluegrass, and country, have painted a vivid narrative in their song ‘I And Love And You’. The track, which is a poetic lament coated with the wistfulness of reflection and the hopeful ache of moving on, has captured the minds and hearts of listeners since its release.
But what lies beneath the melodic ebb and flow? The song’s gentle piano foundation and earnest vocals are the vessel for a deeper journey – a storyline that intertwines love, the complexity of human emotions, and the hard decisions that shape us. Here we dive into the lyrical odyssey of ‘I And Love And You’ to uncover the layers of meaning that elevate the track from a simple ballad to an anthem of change and vulnerability.
The Preamble to a Journey: Embracing Change
Our opening lines, ‘Load the car and write the note,’ aren’t just about a physical departure; they are the echoes of a life shifting gears. We are immediately thrust into the midst of a transition, the packing up not just of belongings, but of past selves and memories. It’s a moment that’s both physical and metaphoric—the packing up of past pains and the willingness to seek renewal.
‘One foot in and one foot back’, the lyrics resonate with those of us who have stood at the precipice of change, torn between the comfort of the known and the pull of the unknown. The Avett Brothers capture that hesitation in a simple but profound realization that to move forward, ties must be cut, tracks must be jumped. It’s a farewell to a former life, a declaration that there’s no turning back.
Brooklyn as Sanctuary and Confessional
Repeatedly, the narrator seeks refuge in ‘Ah Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in,’ painting the borough not just as a destination, but as a character – an entity that offers shelter and understanding. It’s a chorus that invokes the deep longing for acceptance, for a place to be understood despite one’s flaws and raw edges. Brooklyn is both literal and symbolic—the chorus a mantra for anyone seeking solace in a new beginning.
The confession, ‘Are you aware the shape I’m in?’ is an outright plead for recognition of the narrator’s vulnerability. Their shaky hands and spinning head are not merely symptoms of physical distress but manifestations of an inward turmoil. And yet, Brooklyn represents hope, a fresh slate, and the arms that might hold the narrator through the turmoil of reinvention.
Words as Weapons and Wings: The Duality of Language
‘When at first I learned to speak, I used all my words to fight’ takes us through the growth of the individual from a primal state of aggression to one of understanding the futility of conflict. The Avett Brothers do not shy away from the universal truth that words can harm as easily as they can heal, and it’s a poignant reflection on how we mature in our communication.
The song moves us past this stage of conflict, towards a recognition of dialogue’s true capacity—to connect, to express love, and to grow. This duality gives the lyrics a kind of depth that is reflective of our own human journey from misunderstanding to the pursuit of empathy and connection.
The Luminous Imagery: A Woman with the Eyes of Stolen Dimes
We are offered reprieve in the visual brilliance of ‘That woman she’s got eyes that shine, Like a pair of stolen polished dimes,’ a line that not only provides a glimmer of beauty within the song’s somber tones but also introduces a subject of admiration and potentially unspoken love. It draws attention to small yet significant encounters that mark our journey.
The invitation to dance signifies an opening, a willingness to engage with life once more despite the earlier resignation to the naughtiness of fighting with words. The morning time, then, becomes a promise—a promise that after the night of revelatory introspection and new encounters, there still lies ahead more to see, more to experience.
The Heart of the Matter: ‘I and Love and You’
These three words, ‘I and love and you,’ serve as the crux of the song’s hidden meaning—hard to say not because they are complex, but because they carry the weight of unbridled truth and vulnerability. This phrase captures the struggle inherent in the expression of genuine love, amidst the fear of rejection, misunderstanding, or discovering that love unreturned.
As the song builds to its climax with the repetition of the phrase, there is a sense of catharsis, of release. The narrator identifies with ‘you,’ the listener, on a profoundly human level. We are offered insight into the narrator’s journey, a journey where love has perhaps remained unspoken, but now finds its voice in the powerful self-acknowledgement that illuminates the entire piece: the acceptance of change and the inevitable intertwining of love and self-discovery.
