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Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a narrator reflecting on a primal, unspoken form of connection and intimacy that their ancestors shared. This past connection is described with evocative, almost ritualistic imagery: "fingers locking fingers," "skin would entreat the skin," and "lips would come to lips." The narrator finds this ancient instinct amusing when looking back, yet also acknowledges its power and the "irrational, ecstatic play" it inspired. The central tension arises from the narrator's present-day inability to conceive of or replicate this direct, unmediated physical communication. They state, "I can't imagine it now, seems rather pointless anyhow," and note that attempting such a direct approach would lead to being "righteously denounced." This creates a stark contrast between a perceived lost era of raw, instinctual connection and a modern world that seems to have lost or suppressed that capacity, leaving the narrator feeling a sense of something missing. The most striking aspect of the craft is the juxtaposition of the visceral, physical descriptions of ancestral intimacy with the narrator's hesitant, almost intellectualized present-day perspective. The repeated phrases in the chorus, like "Somewhere inside of me" and "It seems something has gone away," coupled with the self-conscious disclaimer "Don't take me literally," highlight a disconnect. The narrator grapples with an "ancient instinct" they can't fully access or express, questioning whether humanity has truly "evolved at all" in its capacity for genuine, uninhibited connection. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their ability to tap into a subtle, perhaps subconscious, longing for a more direct and less complicated form of human interaction. The narrator's amusement at the past, combined with their present-day confusion and desire to "lead it back," creates a poignant sense of loss. The plea to be an "accomplice in crime" suggests a desire to rediscover this lost instinct, even if it's through a shared, almost illicit, exploration in the present.