SAFE SHIP HARBORED ANALYSIS

(in order)

Can’t have it all

this is the song that opens the whole album and its an empowering song about how the narrator is moving on. continuing to live her life after a presumably abusive relationship. this whole song is mainly repeating how she is not her past lover’s anymore and how he did not take all her love from her. which kinda mirrors in the crooked the cradle when she says the devil will not know her love. this song also mirrors I ain’t done.

The Diving bell

this song is kinda similar to October. it opens with the narrator saying she is willing to die and drown for this other person, presumably a new lover. saying she will “open my lungs to let you in” i can see this as a self sabotage and her actively seeking hostile partners seeking for comfort and familiarity. and towards the end she repeats that she is not afraid to give this person everything she is and everything she owns. it ends with the repetition of “I am not afraid to give you everything”

New colors

this one comes across as more angry than the others. but a calm sort of angry. as if the narrator is not happy but understands what is done is done. opening with the narrator says she has “half the mind to steal new colors away from the sun”. and then telling the lord that she can choose what she wants and that she “needs” this. the whole album has a lot of little religious imagery and metaphors. the it closes with her repeating “id give up my sight to see i give up my air to breathe” maybe symbolizing that while she knows that she is living she does not feel “alive”.

Caleb task

i assume this song is the narrator talking to brother john (the man she talks to in counting sheep)since it opens with her saying “so you’ve got bad in your blood? brother you’re one of us”. then they talk about azaleas and how ling they will tale to bloom. (maybe symbolizing rebirth or the revelation of something?) He then says that when they do bloom that is when he will love the narrator. then those same lines repeat but instead of the flowers blooming they are burning. the narrator then tells the man that there is no reason to live in “chains”. showing that the man probably feels trapped in his position. maybe a religious position? and feeding back into the religious imagery it then repeats  “we’re the daughters of sinners we’re the sons of saints” and this is repeated throughout the rest of the song as backing vocals. the narrator then tells him that he is not alone and that there is still a chance for him if he would only stop waiting for something (presumably God or some other religious figure) to appear and to live his life. she finishes the song tell him that the flowers mean nothing anymore maybe symbolizing lost faith?

counting sheep

in general this song is very uplifting and happy musically, showing the narrators feelings towards this new lease of life she has acquired. as well is maybe the illusion of happiness in her past relationship with the deceiving happy mystic with the less than happy lyrics. it also has a line saying that the narrator used to “force a smile” but now she has “the wool” off her eyes. maybe standing for the time she finally realized that her past lover was not right. then talking about alarm bells ringing and the repitition in “ding dong” then i assume she goes to a religious brother with the lines,  “are you sleeping? are you sleeping brother john? bells are ringing, bells are ringing”. and the religious brother theory just puts a whole new spin on the story. Maybe leading into how in The Crooked, The Cradle she says she will “only be forgiven if mercy is abound”

Hole in the silver lining

this whole song is the narrator expressing how it is her job to find and fix all these problems, even if it leads to her own demise. and how she will insure nothing ever bothers whoever she is sing to. i assume this is the narrator talking to her baby but im not sure as its not explicitly stated. towards the end she seems to be trying to convince someone to leave her doorstep. “leave your doubt at the door, no dont you tale another step” and she repeats this as if the person isn’t listening to her.

safe ship harbored

in this song the narrator states that she is unhappy and feels like she has wasted her life. and how  “wasnt always a safe ship harbored. someone wore me down”  maybe that being her past lover? she talks about how she feels lost and like there is no where for her to go anymore. then back into the religious metaphors, throughout the song she repeats  “wear does your faith fall and where does your faith fall in me?” and “dont waste your blessings on me”.

maybe talking to brother john? and the narrator comes off as resentful towards this other person she is talking to also well as at the end she talks about at the very end how she is not proud of who she has become

Naked, the night falls

in contrast to the last song this one is very calming and slower. this one talks about how the narrator is talking away the fears of whoever she is singing to (maybe her baby?) and the whole song feels very similar to a lullaby. the narrator also repeats how she is “alive” the song is probably a lullaby to her baby about her new lease on life since leaving her lover

Ancient History

it is basically a song about how the narrator is haunted by her past. she is trying to let it fade away but she is still reminded about it from her dreams. and it wont leave her alone. she refers to her “poor” heart as an “open wound” and in general seems very lost and conflicted asking “what the hell am i supposed to do?”. the sing ends with her repeating “let it fade away”. maybe symbolizing her just trying to move on with her life.

October 

in the beginning of this song she is asking someone to become a part of her home. and how she will “crawl like a sinner” to be by this persons side. (once again with the religious aspect) she also refers to herself has the daughter of a lonely man and how there is no more room in the other persons heart for her. (their heart is already to full of religious love?)

AND ONE OF MY FAVORITE LINES EVER

“i am not bit a scar apon your breast bone”

this characterizes her as a painful memory with a lasting affect. it then shows that narrator is willing to give up anything. i would place this song as a memory of the narrator and her past lover and the end is the repeated “my love” maybe showing regret or mourning. maybe the grief of her leaving her lover from the previous songs???

The crooked, the cradle

this song is so so clearly a song of a mother who has lost her child. she very quickly lays down the fact that “she is no ones daughter” maybe estranged from family or they are dead? and through the entire song she us talking about the love that she could not let go. and how she hopes to have something left for her child. plus with the religious metaphors she says how the devil will not know her and how he will never know of her love. then like maybe the woman went a little crazy after the death of her child since she refers to the devil and how “the crooked” know her the best?? then she says that “this cradle burns like a hole in my chest” probably saying that she is still hurting and in mourning for her child. and she immediately follows this up with her repeatedly asking if anyone hears her. like maybe after her baby’s death she was brushed off?

I ain’t done

this song is about a cheating narrator who is murdered by their lover. maybe the woman got into another relationship after her babies death and ending up cheating im not quiet sure but what i do know if that the woman is forced to relive her death every moon im pretty sure and that she probably doesn't regret it.

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