Song Meaning
The lyrics paint a picture of a disorienting, almost surreal experience, possibly a relationship or a moment of intense emotional upheaval. The opening lines in the "mezzanine light" suggest a detached, elevated perspective, observing a desire to "fold into shapes that pull / Impossible." This hints at a struggle with something overwhelming, a force so potent it could breach even a "mile high wall."
The central tension seems to be navigating chaos and finding a sense of peace or acceptance within it. The imagery of "surf in the flood" and "bathe in the mud" suggests embracing difficult circumstances rather than fighting them. This surrender leads to the recurring refrain, "Get you feeling alright," implying that acceptance, not resistance, is the path to a state of being okay, even when things are messy.
The second verse introduces a sense of foreboding with the "wretched crow" and "cinder block shoe," but this is immediately countered by the active, almost ritualistic, "Shaking the mirrors / To transcend the hemispheres." The repetition of "Breathe In breathe out breathe out again" acts as a grounding mechanism, a deliberate attempt to regain control and composure amidst the strangeness, all in pursuit of that feeling of being "alright."
Ultimately, the lyrics propose that even in states of extreme hardship – being "flat broke as an hour glass / Busted" – there's a possibility of finding an internal sense of well-being. The narrator seems to be looking back, "spun the minute hand / Back to the hour," to a time of intense connection and transformation, suggesting that even difficult beginnings can lead to a resilient, albeit unconventional, sense of being "alright."