breaking over branches

Song Meaning

The lyrics of "breaking over branches" paint a picture of cyclical emotional struggle, where past patterns of self-doubt resurface. The narrator feels caught in a loop, admitting, "I've been going in circles again," despite a vague sense of personal improvement. This immediate contradiction sets a tone of weary resignation. There's a palpable tension between the speaker's claim of being "better now" and the persistent dread that "it's almost time" for another emotional downturn. This internal conflict is amplified by the memory of a past relationship, where the speaker now realizes, "I didn't know it was love." This belated understanding adds a layer of regret, suggesting a missed opportunity or a truth that arrived too late. The imagery shifts to a specific, poignant memory: driving someone "back to your parent's house" and seeing "Your school pictures lined up the walls." This detail grounds the abstract emotional turmoil in a concrete, almost voyeuristic glimpse into another's past, yet the speaker confesses, "Still never figured you out." This unresolved mystery about the other person mirrors the speaker's own internal confusion. The song culminates in a raw expression of heartbreak, with the striking image of a "Broken owl wing spewing dust." This surreal detail powerfully conveys a sense of damage and decay, perhaps symbolizing lost wisdom or a broken connection. The repeated phrase, "My heart's been breaking over branches again," links back to the initial "circles," solidifying the idea that this pain is a recurring, almost inevitable, part of the speaker's experience, ultimately concluding with the stark, defeated line, "Don't think it matters at all."