First And Last And Always

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a relationship steeped in a sense of timeless, almost fated connection, tinged with a weariness of past experiences. The opening lines immediately establish a mood of disillusionment, where the "dream of the dead days" and a "following lost and blind" suggest a struggle to find a clear path forward, with "tomorrow is hard to find." This feeling is amplified by the sense of prolonged commitment, "twenty-five years of promises," and a cyclical repetition of past experiences, like "dresses heard before." The core tension lies in the narrator's desperate assertion of ownership and permanence within this relationship, contrasted with the implied fragility of their present situation. The repeated refrain, "The first and last and always," acts as an anchor, a desperate plea for an unbroken, eternal bond. However, this is immediately undercut by the urgent, almost anxious, "Oh, right now," suggesting that this idealized future is precarious and constantly threatened by the present. The most striking craft element is the juxtaposition of grand, eternal declarations with mundane, almost desperate actions. The bridge asks for steadfastness "When the evidence comes along," hinting at external challenges. Later, the act of "Pick the keyhole in my pocket / And slowly press my lips to the socket" is a potent, intimate image that grounds the abstract concept of "always mine" in a physical, almost ritualistic act of possession and longing, blurring the lines between devotion and control. This lyrical construction effectively captures a complex emotional state: the yearning for an absolute, unwavering love that can transcend past hurts and future uncertainties. The power comes from the raw, almost possessive language of the chorus, which feels both like a profound declaration of love and a deeply anxious attempt to secure something that might be slipping away, making the idealized "always mine" feel earned yet fragile.