Next of Kin by Alvvays Lyrics Meaning – Unraveling the Poetic Depths of Loss and Longing
- Music Video
- Lyrics
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Song Meaning
- Beneath the Surface – A Dive into Watery Metaphors
- The Haunting Echo of ‘If I had known you couldn’t swim’
- Sifting Through the Leaves – The Memorable Line That Captures It All
- Uncovering the Song’s Hidden Meaning – An Ode to Grief and Unseen Struggles
- Through the Trees – Growth, Change, and the Cycle of Life
Lyrics
I caught the way you looked at me in the sunlight
You took something before you went in the shower
You have suppressed that make you feel uptight
If I had known you couldn’t swim
We would have never gone in
I left my love in the river
The only one who sees
I lost his hand in the color
It was the life I wanted and I hoped for
And now I’m left sifting through the leaves
His arms so hard, I saw his skin through this t-shirt
They grabbed so tight, he knew they wouldn’t defend
We climbed into the stream so no one will be heard
And in no time it wasn’t a sound
If I had known you couldn’t swim
We would have never gone in
I left my love in the river
The only one who sees
I lost his hand in the color
It was the life I wanted and I hoped for
And now I’m left sifting through the leaves
No color to his skin, I follow next of kin
No color to his skin
I left my love in the river
The only one I see
I lost his hand in the color
And now I have grown through the trees
Alvvays, the dream-pop charmers from Toronto, have a knack for weaving the gauzy threads of everyday narratives into their music. One of their more enigmatic yet heartrending tracks, ‘Next of Kin,’ off their eponymous debut, sails through the listener’s heart with its lush melodies and poignant storytelling.
The song may seem wrapped in gossamer and soft vocal harmonies, but underneath lies a profound narrative rich with imagery and metaphor. It’s a story of loss, love, and the often painful grip of memory. Let’s delve into the deeper meanings behind ‘Next of Kin,’ diving into the lyrical undercurrents and emergent themes that define this introspective piece.
Beneath the Surface – A Dive into Watery Metaphors
Alvvays’ ‘Next of Kin’ uses aquatic imagery as a reflective surface for exploring themes of love and loss. The river, often symbolic of life’s flow and the passage of time, acts as the setting for a narrative that deals with an intimate tragedy. The lyrics ‘I left my love in the river’ and ‘I lost his hand in the color’ are not just poetic flourishes; they speak to the suddenness of loss and the enduring vibrancy of what was.
The river, the color, the leaves—all these natural elements form a tapestry of grief, where the persona of the song is left sifting through memories and what-ifs. The metaphorical dive is two-fold; it’s both a plunge into the depths of personal emotion and a descent into unchangeable fate. There’s an ominous undercurrent to the purity and calm often associated with water, turning it into the scene of a personal cataclysm.
The Haunting Echo of ‘If I had known you couldn’t swim’
Repetition is a powerful tool in songwriting, and Alvvays employs it to haunting effect. The line ‘If I had known you couldn’t swim’ is more than a lament; it’s a recurring echo of guilt and hindsight that pervades the song. This mantra-like phrase highlights the agonizing role of knowledge gained too late and the helplessness in the face of uncontrollable events.
It isn’t just about the literal ability to swim. It’s a metaphor for understanding a person’s inner depths, their limitations, and fears. Had the protagonist truly understood their companion, perhaps tragedy could have been averted. This line is the crux of the song, embodying a moment frozen in time, a prelude to forever wondering what could have been.
Sifting Through the Leaves – The Memorable Line That Captures It All
One of the most striking images in ‘Next of Kin’ is found in the seemingly simple act of sifting through leaves. It’s a visceral embodiment of searching through remnants, trying to make sense of loss, and attempting to find remnants of the loved one in everything left behind.
Leaves fall, they change color, they die; yet they tell the story of the life they once had. In the aftermath of loss, everything bears greater significance, and as the season changes, so do the memories and the pain associated with them. This line holds the weight of bereavement, stirring the listeners to contemplate their own experiences of holding on and letting go.
Uncovering the Song’s Hidden Meaning – An Ode to Grief and Unseen Struggles
At first listen, ‘Next of Kin’ may appear to relay a simple tale of a tragic accident, but closer inspection reveals an introspective look at the personal battles we all fight. It’s an admonition that we might never fully know the struggles another person faces, struggles that may be as imperceptible as the person’s inability to swim.
The song becomes an ode to all the unseen battles and the internal dialogues we carry. It’s an acknowledgment of the complex layers that compose each individual and the rich, often hidden lives that every person leads. In this light, ‘Next of Kin’ is a deeply empathetic work, urging the listener to look beyond the surface and understand the silent depths of human experience.
Through the Trees – Growth, Change, and the Cycle of Life
As the song nears its end with ‘And now I have grown through the trees,’ we are presented with a subtle transformation – a progression from the inundating pain of loss to the possibility of growth. Trees, as symbols of life, strength, and resilience, suggest that even in the wake of despair, there is space for regeneration and renewal.
In this line, Alvvays caps the tragedy with a safe harbor of hope. It’s a testament to the survival instinct of humans, the ability to adapt and find a sense of peace, even if it’s just by growing around the scars left by loved ones passed. ‘Next of Kin’ isn’t just a eulogy; it’s a statement about the indomitable spirit forced to endure after loss, seeking sunlight through the canopy of grief.
