“The Glass” by Foo Fighters
“The Glass” is one of the songs that officially went on sale, via the effort of RCA Records and Roswell Records, on 2 June 2023. Its writers are Foo Fighters bandmates:
- Dave Grohl
- Chris Shiflett
- Nate Mendel
- Rami Jaffee
The executive producer of the album, Greg Kurstin, also served said role on this track.
The Lyrics of “The Glass”
Initially, we misinterpreted this song just by missing out on one key lyrical element, which is the fact that at the end of the second verse, the addressee is identified using a male pronoun. That would more or less verify that Corey is not referring to a romantic interest, even though the wording could otherwise be theoretically taken as so.
And based on the era in Foo Fighters’ history in which this track was released, the addressee would most likely be the late Taylor Hawkins. Or put plainly, this is a song of bereavement.
The titular “glass” serves as a plot device, but to note it obviously isn’t literal. Rather, it reads symbolic of the barrier that exists between the vocalist and addressee. And just as glasses tend to be transparent, Dave is also metaphorically observing the other party through said obstruction.
So it’s as if he can see this person but not touch him. Or another way of interpreting the matter, since the phrase “something between us” usually alludes to their being some type of tiff present, is perhaps that he’s saying that they cannot see eye-to-eye.
“There is somethin’ between us
Between me and you
There is somethin’ between us
I see right through”
But all things considered, as noted above the titular “glass” would most likely be symbolic of the barrier that exists between the mortal and spiritual planes, if you will. Or put otherwise, Grohl is speaking to a separation more pronounced than that which would be caused by a disagreement.
And as relayed he was extremely close to the addressee, with the two of them being family. But just “like that”, the singer is now faced with the reality of being “left to live without” this loved one. That is to say that he was not prepared or even apparently expecting something like this to come to pass. And this loss has proven especially painful because, as implied in the pre-chorus, the two of them shared a very strong rapport or kindred spirit.
On which album does “The Glass” appear?
It is one of the songs on Foo Fighters’ eleventh studio album titled “But Here We Are”.
A Commentary
Oh man, this piece really dives deep into the symbolism and it’s wicked cool! That “glass” metaphor is something else, ain’t it? It’s like a see-through wall between Dave and the person he’s singing to, sorta like they’re so close yet so far. They’re like, in each other’s line of sight but just can’t connect, maybe ’cause of a disagreement or something more metaphysical, ya know?
The part where he’s saying he wasn’t ready for this separation, that hit hard. It’s like you’re vibing with someone so closely and boom! They’re not there anymore. It’s like the rug’s been pulled out from under your feet, and all that’s left is this yearning, this massive void, you wish you could fill by being reunited.
This analysis really makes you think about the song on a deeper level. It’s not just a simple tune, it’s a whole exploration of loss, yearning, and metaphysical barriers. Heavy stuff, man.
It is a romantic song. But the writer has no idea who the Foo Fighters are.
In the song Dave Grohl sings “A version of love”, which is about the love (& respect & appreuation) of his friend & fellow band mate Taylor Hawkins who died last year.
“I had a person l loved & l was left to live without him”. Not his ex, not his sweetheart as you refer to. His friend Taylor Hawkins.
The song refers to the person he loved & lost & now he has to go on without him, live without him in his life.
Dave Grohl has stated in interviews that he & Taylor were like the same person. Like looking in the mirror. Now without Taylor & their deep connection they once had , “he sees right through” the glass.
I agree with Anonymous above. It’s certainly about Taylor, and I interpreted it the first time I heard it, in a way that broke my heart. I think it speaks to a photo frame, of someone who only now remains in a photo, and the glass is the glass between the picture and the person who is looking into the photo frame of a dearly beloved and bereaved.
it’s about taylor and his mother’s relationship
Personally I think it is about his relationship with his children. A version of love referring to the love he feels for his kids. Not that they are growing up he might feel separated from them even when they are standing in front of him. Like they are separated by glass.
Dave Grohl explains the meaning of this song in the Austin City Limits episode featuring the Foo Fighters, at around 33 minutes. He wrote the song about his mother, visiting her in the hospital day after day as she weakened and eventually died.
Dave Grohl had a very positive relationship with his mother, describing her as “the most important person in my entire life”. She got sick and went into the hospital in July 2022, a few months after Taylor Hawkins died. Unlike Hawkins’s death, however, Grohl saw this one coming, and luckily had the opportunity to spend time with the dying person.
During this period, hospitals gave a damn about limiting the spread of COVID and required visitors to sit outside of the patients’ room. Dave could only see his mother through the window, and was struck by the way he could see a hint of his own face reflected on the glass while seeing his mom’s face through the glass, and vice versa. He hoped that his mother would recover, that the storm would pass, but all he could do is wait on the other side of the glass during the day and try to process the pain into music at night.
I know that the lyrics say “left to live without him” in one place, even on the official YouTube channel. I think the person who wrote that got it wrong. If you listen carefully, that supposed “him” doesn’t sound clearly like a “him”, nor does his mouth move differently in the Austin City Limits performance. Songwriters don’t necessarily provide official lyrics sheets to the record companies, nor do the writers review every piece of material the companies release, so I think the record company employee just screwed that up.