​it can only get better

Song Meaning

The lyrics open with a poignant recollection of an idyllic childhood. The narrator remembers knowing "tous les arbres de la forêt." This quickly gives way to a deep, persistent nostalgia, feeling the best is always behind them. A profound emotional tension emerges from the contrast between this remembered innocence and a stark, violent past. The narrator vividly recalls a childhood home where "Papa tape sur maman," leading to their own desperate act of hitting their head against walls. This brutal memory shatters the initial nostalgic haze, revealing a traumatic core beneath the longing. The most striking craft element here is the powerful, almost desperate repetition of the mantra "It can only get better." This phrase, repeated multiple times and punctuated by the urgent "Hold on," functions as a self-soothing mechanism against the weight of past trauma and present melancholy. It's a plea for resilience, a forced optimism that feels both fragile and fiercely determined. These lyrics are effective because they juxtapose raw, unvarnished trauma with a yearning for innocence and a desperate, almost prayer-like hope. The direct language and the stark contrast between the idyllic forest and the domestic violence create an immediate, visceral impact. The narrator's struggle to believe in a better future, even while articulating it repeatedly, resonates deeply, capturing the complex human experience of healing and holding onto hope amidst enduring pain.