Song Meaning
The lyrics for "Start to Move" immediately plunge into a moment of decisive, yet conflicted, action. The speaker urges a shift, a clear break from stasis, signaled by the direct command to "Start to move." There's an undeniable urgency, a sense of "Time at hand," pushing towards a difficult but necessary change.
This urgency is tempered by a deep emotional struggle. The speaker grapples with the pain of letting go, acknowledging the "wrench" and the unpleasant "stench" of what's being left behind. Despite the past having "was good," the stark reality that "flesh soon rots" underscores the imperative to move on, suggesting that clinging to what's decayed is futile, even if the emotional "spots" linger.
The initial stanzas present a fascinating twist on familiar idioms, highlighting a unique dilemma. The line "Bird in hand / No bush but trees thicken" subverts the classic proverb, implying that while the known is present, the traditional alternative is absent, replaced by a more complex, perhaps daunting, future. This leads to a fundamental, almost primal question: "Which now, rooster or chicken?" – a choice between roles or identities that feels both absurd and profound.
The repeated, almost desperate plea of "Please believe me" anchors the emotional core of the lyrics. The speaker is caught between a genuine assertion of care – "I still do care" – and the stark reality of their emotional or physical distance: "I'm just not there." This powerful juxtaposition, culminating in the raw, final declaration of "I swear," conveys a profound internal conflict and a yearning for understanding in the face of an unavoidable departure.