What do you think Falling Slowly means?

Glen Hansard: Falling Slowly Meaning

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Album cover for Falling Slowly album cover

Falling Slowly Lyrics

I don't know you
But I want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me
And always fool me
And I can't react
And games that never amount
To more than they're meant
Will play themselves out

Take this sinking boat and point it...

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  1. 1TOP RATED

    #1 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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     May 1st 2011 !⃝

    I think this song is pretty much about love at first sight. About meeting a person who seems to know you better than you know yourself and the feelings behind that. Knowing that even though you want to be with them, you both have things in your life that pull you in two different directions.

  2. 2TOP RATED

    #2 top rated interpretation:
    anonymous
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     Mar 12th 2017 !⃝

    I think it's a song for the broken-hearted and one with a message of hope, belief, faith, and mercy. Two jaded and star-crossed strangers that serendipitously meet and fall in love at a time in both of their lives when they are experiencing or about to be experiencing some difficult personal trials. They are good people who have kind and tender hearts that are shaken and/or about to be shaken to the core. The universe draws them to one another for a specific purpose unknown to them at the time. They quickly fall in love and begin to show one another that a deep, meaningful and sincere love is not only possible but that it has the power to carry them through life's most arduous trials and challenges. After some time of being there for one another they come to the abrupt and harsh realization that being together is futile--they understand that they must continue on in the direction that they were headed before they met but now, though broken hearted for having to leave one another, they are left with a renewed sense of hope and faith that will carry them through to face with strength the difficult things ahead.

  3. 3TOP RATED

    #3 top rated interpretation:
    personwhoknowseverything
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     Oct 24th 2014 !⃝

    This song is obviously about two people who used to love each other but broke up. Now that they're apart, and have spent time away from each other for a long time they don't really know each other anymore, but at the same time both or one really wants to be with the other.

    Not really sure what to say, they hold their tongue afraid of embarrassment or failure. So they play these games with each other, unintentional/intentional and very discreet games that don't do much and will eventually fade out.

    But then as the chorus goes off, the sinking boat or in other words this love that may be ending can still be saved if turned around, if one or both of them express their love within the little time they have. If they dont express anything then the love will end.

    Then as one person makes it known, they slowly fall back into love. Eyes and feelings that were once known and common come back. As this starts they cant turn back. Then all the moods take over and make them new.

    The person whose heart was broken has suffered enough at war with himself. So its time to finally give him a break, as she will come back and fix his heart that she once broke. As being the heartbreaker, shes probably the only solution to his broken heart. So now that they've made it known, and rekindled their love for one another they sing it loudly and let people know.

  4. anonymous
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     Sep 25th 2019 !⃝

    The way the song effects me..I am a guitarist started music late 45th year of life now 53. Going strong however I am up against people my age playing for 40 + years. I have a lot of self doubt,low self esteem when it comes to my singing and guitar playing. My dream with vocal lessons and musical theater training I will produce a "one hit wonder"
    So this song I feel I would sing it to myself ad I am still learning who I am an my own limits. This song helps me pass through the pain and keep following my dream.

  5. anonymous
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     Aug 8th 2017 !⃝

    My sister died yesterday and she will be buried at sea (sinking boat falling slowly). She suffered with cancer and made the choice to not fight it.

    She had suffered enough and warred with herself it's time that she won. Take this sinking boat and point it home.

  6. anonymous
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     Mar 12th 2017 !⃝

    I think it's a song of hope about two somewhat jaded strangers that serindipidously meet at a time in both of their lives when they are experiencing or about to be experiencing some hard things in their personal lives. The universe draws them to one another for a specific purpose unknown to them at the time. They quabout to transition from where they have been in life and relationships and they know that they are going to have to continue on those paths without each other but that doesn't stop them from fand hoping that they could be rescued one another from the paths that they were pursuing.

  7. anonymous
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     May 2nd 2016 !⃝

    I think it is about a guy singing about a girl who maybe was hiding depression thinking that the guy wouldn't want her if he knew. "I don't know you (As in, he didn't know this so doesn't really know her as well as he thought.) But I want you." He is trying to help her, but is not sure how and feels like he is losing her. "Take this sinking boat and point it home." He wants her to come back to him, to trust him with her secret. To come home. I get the base of this from "...you've warred with yourself. It's time that you won." Idk that's my interpretation.

  8. anonymous
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     Jan 21st 2015 !⃝

    I think this song is about a beautiful goodbye.

    he said "we still got time"
    but later he said "YOU've made it now."
    not "WE've made it now."


    he probably sank with his boat
    and drowning, hearing 'her' song
    and singing it loud

  9. anonymous
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     Oct 17th 2013 !⃝

    Read the book, see the movie or watch the broadway show and it will all make sense :)) Way to many complexities of the storyline to summarize in a few sentences. Absolutely beautiful song and the broadway production is the best broadway show I've ever seen. Musicians/actors are amazing and the storyline is powerful and beautiful!

  10. anonymous
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     Oct 10th 2013 !⃝

    Well, actually, I look at it in a different way. You have to remember in the movie the character singing this is a street performer, and this girl is helping him produce a record. Before this song, he isn't sure if he is going to go through with it. The way I see it is, the character is singing to himself, saying-

    I don't know you- I don't know the successful me
    But I want you- But I want the successful me
    All the more for that- Self explaintory
    Words fall through me\/
    And always fool me\/
    And I can't react- His songs fall through him, but he doesn't know what to do with them
    And games that never amount\/
    To more than they're meant\/
    Will play themselves out- These games in his head against himself don't amount to anything

    Take this sinking boat and point it home\/
    We've still got time-I can still take me, and point me in the right direction
    Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice\/
    You'll make it now- Will I do this?

    Falling slowly, eyes that know me- I know myself
    And I can't go back- I can't change my mind if I do this
    Moods that take me and erase me- I get moody on teh streets
    And I'm painted black- I get depressed
    You have suffered enough\/
    And warred with yourself\/
    It's time that you won- I think in this verse he is making the decision to go through with this.

    Take this sinking boat and point it home\/
    We've still got time-I can still take me, and point me in the right direction
    Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice\/
    You've made it now- He has made his choice

    Falling slowly sing your melody
    I'll sing it too- He will do it

    Basically it boils down to him arguing with himself and deciding whether to do the record, and half way through he decides yes, I will.

  11. anonymous
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     Dec 3rd 2012 !⃝

    I don't know you but I want you – I just met you, i don’t know much about you but i like you a lot.
    All the more for that – I want to get to know you better
    Words fall through me and always fool me – I can’t express my feelings
    And I can't react – i’m not sure what to do

    And games that never amount to more than they're meant – Games that I play lead us nowhere
    Will play themselves out – but eventually I’ll stop when I know how you feel

    Take this sinking boat and point it home – They’ve both been in rough relationships before, the singer’s saying “Let’s move forward with me.”
    We've still got time – We still got time to know each other
    Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice – Don’t lose hope, say you will, but it’s okay if you say no, it’s your choice.
    You'll make it now – Say it now and we’ll move forward together. The other person agrees.

    Falling slowly, eyes that know me – He’s falling in love slowly with the other person. Someone who knows and understands him even in short time they’ve been together.
    And I can't go back – He fell in love and he can’t go back. He doesn’t wanna lose the feeling.
    Moods that take me and erase me and I'm painted black – The feeling makes him feel like a brand new man
    You have suffered enough – the singer’s saying to the other person that he understands she’s been rough relationship before
    And warred with yourself – And she’s been battling with herself to let go off the pain and learn to love him.
    It's time that you won – He’s saying, “Trust me and move forward with me. I wouldn’t hurt you the same way that they did because it’s real for me this time.”

    Take this sinking boat and point it home – Let’s make it home together, I’ll help you
    We've still got time – Don’t worry, we still got time to make it
    Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice – Don’t lose hope. You made the decision to move forward with me.
    You've made it now – You’ve made the decision to be with me.
    Falling slowly, sing your melody – Falling in love slowly with the other person, he’s saying to the other person to lead the way
    I’ll sing along... – I’ll follow you, I’ll be with you

  12. anonymous
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     Jun 28th 2012 !⃝

    I think the song is about a couple that really loves each other and is sort of failing in their relationship but they really want to turn it around, which is where the lyric "take this sinking boat and point it home" comes from. Also I believe that they have gotten to a point in their relationship where they feel like strangers but they still love each other which is the lyric, "I don't know you, but I want you."

  13. anonymous
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     Mar 9th 2012 !⃝

    I heard that this song is represent a couple who is in love each other until they got a baby. But for some reason they can not be together, so they let the baby adopted after the baby born. Thats why the song said: "I dont know u, but I want you."

    And also the part "moods that take me and erease me" it could be means the decision of this couple to let this baby born let them love this baby but at the same time they have to take the risk of letting the baby go and forget them.


    Its a very sad song I think, but it is absolutely brilliant :')

  14. anonymous
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     Apr 26th 2011 !⃝

    I believe it's about moving forward in life with someone new and waiting for that person to come along-"I don't know you but I want you" Its about fixing the true meaning of love and the beauty of it. LOVE the song!


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