Been blind

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a dark, suffocating night that descends like a person and smoke, mirroring a profound personal shift. The narrator declares, "I hated the world until I was blind," suggesting a past state of ignorance that was preferable to their current, perhaps painful, awareness. This initial statement sets a tone of disillusionment, where blindness was a form of protection or peace. The central tension arises from the narrator's struggle with newfound sight. They question the value of freedom and seeking answers, finding it unnecessary and only leading to boredom. The line "I was more than the whole world" implies a past ego or self-importance that has been shattered. This internal conflict is amplified by the memory of a lost love, described as "infected," and the narrator's inability to recall how they loved her, indicating a deep emotional wound. The craft here hinges on the stark contrast between blindness and sight, and the oppressive imagery of night and smoke. The repeated phrase "I hated the world until I was blind" acts as a mantra, emphasizing the paradox of finding solace in ignorance. The narrator's self-examination leads to finding "the old me, who was simple," a stark contrast to their current complex, perhaps jaded, state. The "hope rocket" launched into the night signifies a desperate, perhaps futile, attempt to escape the darkness and the perceived superficiality of their current reality. Ultimately, these lyrics resonate because they articulate a relatable, albeit extreme, form of existential pain. The transition from "blind" to "saw" in the outro isn't presented as a simple happy ending, but rather a painful awakening. The narrator's declaration that "night fell on me like you" and the subsequent "I saw" suggests that the very thing that brought darkness also brought a harsh, unwelcome clarity, leaving the listener to ponder the true cost of seeing.