Song Meaning
The narrator is embarking on an unknown experience, tentatively deciding to "try love" without any prior knowledge or even hearing the word spoken to them. This sets up a profound sense of innocence and a deliberate, almost experimental, approach to a fundamental human emotion. The decision feels less like a spontaneous act and more like a calculated step, a personal experiment before facing potential future hardship.
The core tension lies in this deliberate, almost clinical, approach to love. The narrator isn't swept away by passion; they are preparing for a future "winter" and a "sundown" that signifies a darker, lonelier time. By "trying love" first, they are building a defense, a preemptive measure to have something to point to, a justification for their existence or a shield against future judgment or regret.
The most striking aspect is the stark contrast between the abstract concept of "love" and the narrator's practical, almost transactional, framing of it. The idea of love is so foreign that it's never even been "whispered" to them, yet they are ready to "try" it as a strategy. This suggests a deep isolation, where even emotional concepts are approached as tasks to be completed, like checking off a to-do list before the inevitable difficulties arrive.