It

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of a strange, almost surreal encounter. It begins with a classic setup: a solitary night, a book, and an unexpected knock. The narrator's initial investigation yields nothing, but the subsequent sound of a cry introduces an unsettling mystery. This sets the stage for an object or entity, referred to simply as "It," to appear, sparking an immediate and intense desire in the narrator to possess it as a pet. The narrative then shifts into a chase, highlighting the elusive nature of "It" and the narrator's growing desperation. The central tension lies in the narrator's escalating obsession with "It" and the tragic, almost absurd, circumstances of its disappearance. The desire to have "It" as a pet is palpable, driving the narrator to pursue it relentlessly. This pursuit culminates in a dramatic and violent event – "It" running onto a railroad track and being hit by a train. The narrator's reaction, covering their eyes, suggests a mix of horror and regret, amplified by the thought that this would have been their "fist that I'd ever had," a poignant, if oddly phrased, expression of a missed opportunity for companionship. The most striking aspect of the craft here is the deliberate ambiguity of "It" and the almost childlike simplicity of the language used to describe a potentially terrifying or profound event. The repeated, wordless vocalizations in the chorus, first described as "went a oh" and later as "said a oh," blur the lines between the narrator's perception and the entity's communication. This sonic element, coupled with the narrator's immediate desire to pet "It," creates a disorienting effect, making the violent climax feel both shocking and strangely inevitable within the song's peculiar logic. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics stems from their ability to evoke a strong emotional response through a narrative that defies easy explanation. The blend of mundane domesticity with the bizarre and the tragic, all filtered through a narrator's singular focus, creates a memorable and unsettling experience. The final ringing telephone and the sweet, clear voice offering the same "oh" sounds suggest a cyclical or perhaps even a supernatural continuation, leaving the listener with a lingering sense of unresolved mystery and the strange allure of the unattainable.