Of Monsters and Men - Little Talks Meaning
Song Released: 2011
Little Talks Lyrics
(Hey!)
(Hey!)
I don't like walking around this old and empty house
So hold my hand I'll walk with you my dear
The stairs creak as you sleep it's keeping me awake
It's the house telling you to close your eyes
Somedays I can't even...
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A different interpretation could be that she has a mental illness, and he’s tried to help, but there’s nothing he can do. They are old anyway, so he decides to be alive in the moment and believe that life will take them to the end. At the end one of them died, and the line “go away and we’ll meet again soon” means the other is nearing the end of their life too. A sad and beautiful song about life and death.
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A woman and her husband are getting old. She’s scared that they’ll die soon, but he comforts her. The truth may vary, but this ship will carry our bodies safe to shore probably means that their lives will take them to the end (shore) and they will be happy.
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I think this song is about dementia triumphing over the logical side of a woman's mind. The logical side of her mind is competing with the dementia that is overpowering it, and the woman is trying to make sense of who to trust; the logical side or the dementia. She is currently in an asylum, which is what the song means when it says "house," and "ship." Here is what I see in this song:
Hey! Hey! Hey!
I don't like walking around this old and empty house (Asylum)
Dementia: So hold my hand, I'll walk with you my dear
The stairs creak as I sleep,
It's keeping me awake
Dementia: It's the house (asylum) telling you to close your eyes
And some days I can't even trust myself (The dementia is overpowering her mind)
Dementia: It's killing me to see you this way
'Cause though the truth may vary
This ship (asylum) will carry our bodies safe to shore (probably wishful thinking)
Hey! Hey! Hey!
There's an old voice in my head
That's holding me back (She is referring to the dementia)
Dementia: Well tell her that I miss our little talks (referring to when the dementia was still struggling to overpower the logic)
Soon it will all be over, and buried with our past (when she dies - which would be her only escape from the disease)
We used to play outside when we were young
And full of life and full of love
Some days I don't know if I am wrong or right. (The effects of Alzheimer's on her brain)
Logic: Your mind is playing tricks on you my dear
'Cause though the truth may vary
This ship (asylum) will carry our bodies safe to shore (probably wishful thinking)
Hey!
Logic: Don't listen to a word I say (explaining that she shouldn't trust the dementia that seems to be speaking for it)
Hey!
The screams all sound the same (the patients of the asylum are screaming)
Hey!
Though the truth may vary
This ship (asylum) will carry our bodies safe to shore (probably wishful thinking)
You're gone, gone, gone away,
I watched you disappear (referring to her sanity)
All that's left is a ghost of you (again, her waning sanity)
Now we're torn, torn, torn apart,
there's nothing we can do, (self-explanatory)
Just let me go, we'll meet again soon (Even in her more lucid moments, she knows she'll slip back into it and be a victim of this fog again.)
Now wait, wait, wait for me, please hang around
I'll see you when I fall asleep
Hey!
Logic: Don't listen to a word I say
Hey!
The screams all sound the same (asylum patients)
Hey!
Though the truth may vary
this ship (asylum) will carry our bodies safe to shore (probably wishful thinking)
Hey!
Logic: Don't listen to a word I say
Hey!
The screams all sound the same (asylum patients)
Hey!
Though the truth may vary
This ship (asylum) will carry our bodies safe to shore (probably wishful thinking)
Though the truth may vary
This ship (asylum) will carry our bodies safe to shore (probably wishful thinking)
Though the truth may vary
This ship (asylum) will carry our bodies safe to shore (probably wishful thinking) -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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I always thought the song was about the depression and eventually the suicide of the female singer. She references an "old voice in my head that's holding me back" and I interpreted that as her depression holding her back. When the male singer sings "It's killing me to see you this way." it could mean he doesn't know how to help her. And the line "you're gone, gone, gone away, I watched you disappear" would mean the male singer watched her depression get worse until she commited suicide.
-
Hey! Hey! Hey!
I don't like walking (WALKING = THINKING) around this old and empty (EMPTY STRUGGLING) house (HOUSE = HER MIND)
(*I HATE BEING IN MY OWN MIND)
So hold my hand,(I LOVE YOU) I'll walk with you my dear (I CARE SO MUCH FOR YOU)
The stairs (STAIRS = part of a house ) creak (CREAK = NOT WORKING PROPERLY) as I sleep (EVEN WHEN SHE SLEEPS THINGS ARE'NT BETTER)
It's keeping me awake. (SHE'S NOT ACTUALLY SLEEPING ) (*SHE'S ASLEEP BUT AWAKE)
It's the house (HOUSE = MIND )telling you to close your eyes ( HE IS SAYING YOU ARE OVER THINKING AND YOUR MIND IS SAYING GO TO SLEEP)
Some days I can't even trust myself
(FEELING SUICIDAL)
It's killing me to see you this way
(HE WANTS TO HELP BUT CAN'T AND IT'S HURTING HIM)
Cause though the truth may vary
(THERE IS A BIG DIFFERENCE OF OPINION BETWEEN THEM)
This ship (SHIP = LIFE) will carry our bodies (bodies meaning just their bodies not there minds) safe to shore (SHORE = HEAVEN ? )
Hey! Hey! Hey!
There's an old (OLD = KEEP THINKING THE SAME THING ) voice ( VOICE = HER MIND IS REPLAYING) in my head
That's holding me back (HOLDING ME BACK = STRUGGLING TO COPE. WITH THE PAST)
Well tell her that I miss our little talks
(HE MISSES THEY WAY THEY WERE/USED TO BE)
Soon it will all be over and buried with our past (SHE CAN'T COPE ANYMORE )
We used to play outside when we were young (THEY DON'T DO ANYTHING TOGETHER ANYMORE)
And full of life and full of love
(WANTS HERE TO THINK HOW THEY USED TO BE AT THE BEGINING WHEN THINGS WERE GOOD)
Some days I don't know if I am wrong or righT
(SHE'S COMING TO TERMS WITH HER MENATL ILLNESS)
Your mind is playing tricks on you my dear
(HE DOESN'T WANT TO COME TO TERMS WITH THE FACT HER MENTAL HEALTH IS WORSENING )
Cause though the truth may vary
This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore
[Chorus]
Hey!
(SUNG TOGETHER NOW SO BOTH FEELING THE SAME)
Don't listen to a word I say (DONT LISTEN = WHAT THEY ARE BOTH NOW SAYING IS IN NOW IN ANGER AND NOT WHAT THEY REALLY THINK) (I THINK THE SITAUTION HAS MADE THEM BOTH MENTALLY ILL)
Hey!
The screams all sound the same
Hey!(THEY ARGUE ABOUT THE SAME THINGS OVER AND OVER )
Though the truth may vary
This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore
You're gone, gone, gone away (THEY'VE SPLIT UP)
I watched you disappear (KNEW IT WAS HAPPENING BUT COULDNT CHANGE IT)
All that's left is a ghost of you (MENTAL HEALTH PROMBLEMS HAVE TAKEN OVER)
Now we're torn, torn, torn apart
There's nothing we can do (BOTH SO HURTING THAT ITS OVER )
Just let me go, we'll meet again soon.
(GOT TO PART FOE THE BEST FOR BOTH OF THEM)
Now wait, wait, wait for me, please hang around
I'll see you when I fall asleep. ( DON'T BE WITH ANYONE ELSE AND WE'LL BE TOGETHER IN HEAVEN)
Hey!
Don't listen to a word I say
Hey!
The screams all sound the same
Hey!
Though the truth may vary
This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore
Hey!
Don't listen to a word I say
Hey!
The screams all sound the same
Hey!
Though the truth may vary
This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore -
I don't like walking around this old and empty house (She might be a widow)
So hold my hand, I'll walk with you my dear (A male voice that may be her boyfriend comforts her)
The stairs creak as I sleep,
It's keeping me awake (She shows again that she is lonely and uncomfortable)
It's the house telling you to close your eyes (Her boyfriend continues to try to make the situation seem better. This raises a question of why is she still lonely if she has a boyfriend. She seems like a widow so is the boyfriend actually deceased)
And some days I can't even trust myself (Why is this so? It likely points to the fact that she has mental problems. This means that her boyfriend talking to her right now may be a figment of her imagination)
It's killing me to see you this way (He implies that she was not like this once before. Her mental uncertainty must have recently arisen. He also shows that her cares about her, furthering the point that they were in a relationship)
'Cause though the truth may vary (Because of her mental problems)
This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore (This is the only thing that she is certain of. What is the ship and the shore?
There's an old voice in my head (Because of her mental problems)
That's holding me back (What is she getting held back from doing)
Well tell her that I miss our little talks (More evidence that they were once together)
Soon it will all be over, and buried with our past (Why will it be over? Is she going to kill herself)
We used to play outside when we were young (They may have aged supporting the inference that she is an old widow)
And full of life and full of love (Nostalgia and they had a close relationship)
Some days I don't know if I am wrong or right. (Wrong or right about what?)
Your mind is playing tricks on you my dear (Because of her mental problems)
'Cause though the truth may vary (Because of her mental problems)
This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore (This ship and shore must be important because it is repeatedly mentioned at the climax)
Don't listen to a word I say (Why? Is he currently a figment of her imagination)
The screams all sound the same (What are these screams he is referring too? Is he talking about her mental characters?)
Though the truth may vary (Because of her mental problems)
This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore (This ship and shore must be important because it is repeatedly mentioned at the climax)
You're gone, gone, gone away, (He must have died because he cares for her so he did not break up with her)
I watched you disappear (That must have been traumatic and may have contributed to her mental problems)
All that's left is a ghost of you (So yes, he did die)
Now we're torn, torn, torn apart, (By death)
there's nothing we can do, (Because they are separated by the boundary between life and death)
Just let me go, we'll meet again soon (I guess she is going to kill herself to be with him again)
Now wait, wait, wait for me, please hang around (He does not want her to do it)
I'll see you when I fall asleep (This seems like something the girl should say)
Don't listen to a word I say
The screams all sound the same
Though the truth may vary
this ship will carry our bodies safe to shore
Don't listen to a word I say
The screams all sound the same
Though the truth may vary
This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore (He repeats this)
Though the truth may vary
This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore
Though the truth may vary
This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore (She repeats these lines back to him)
The story that seems to be implied by the lyrics seems to be that the woman's husband has died. The woman suffers from a mental breakdown and imagines that her deceased husband is talking to her. She feels lonely, and tells her husband all her problems. She reasons that she can reunite with her husband through suicide as she would join her husband in death.
The lyric seem to be a sad story, but the tune is energetic and happy. So the listener must reconsider the lyrics as something that is good. How can this story of suicide be good? Well, let us look at this situation from the woman’s perspective. The woman is lonely, uncomfortable, and troubled at the beginning since she is not with the man the she loves most. All of those problems disappear when she kills herself. -
I took it as depression and suicide in my opinion :/
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This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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I think that there had been a fire and the man had already been killed. As the women is trying to get out of the house thw man is trying to help her. She soon realizes it is hopeless and asks him to let her die. He doesn't want her to though and trays to make her keep going.
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I think this song is definitely about a widow who was married for a very long time. Here is my reasoning:
"I don't like walking around this old and empty house
So hold my hand, I'll walk with you, my dear"
The house seems old and empty without her husband, but she hears his voice telling her that he is present and will stay with her.
"And some days I can't even dress myself
It's killing me to see you this way"
I think that the girl is so overtaken with grief that she can't really do anything, and the boy is sort of like a ghost, watching over her but not able to help.
"There's an old voice in my head that's holding me back/Well tell her that I miss our little talks"
I think this means that the boy/man (as a ghost or whatever) showed himself to the widowed girl/woman, and that she wants to believe he is real but the realistic part of her is "holding her back." The ghost/man wants to talk, but part of the girl thinks she's going crazy.
"Some days I feel like I'm wrong when I'm right
Your mind is playing tricks on you, my dear"
I don't know why, but I always find this part so sweet. I usually hear it as "Some days I don't know if I am all right" (but those aren't the words oops), and the boy/man/ghost thing is saying basically that she is all right/strong, and that she will be fine. <3
"You're gone, gone, gone away
I watched you disappear
All that's left is the ghost of you.
Now we're torn, torn, torn apart,
There's nothing we can do"
At this point I think it's the girl simply wanting the ghost of her husband to go away, so she can finish living her life and move on. She's saying, "you're gone...and there's nothing we can do" about it.
"Now wait, wait, wait for me
Please hang around
I'll see you when I fall asleep"
I think this is the ghost of the woman's husband pleading with her to stay with him in a sense, and not move on. The last line is her soothing him, saying that they'll meet up again in her dreams.
Hopefully that made sense:) -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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I agree with most interpretations but my first thoughts were depression, loss, anxiety, loneliness, sadness and possibly suicidal. But while the song may be referring to these things hope seems to ring out loud and clear. Just a very well written song. I listen to it often.
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My interpretation of this song was that the main female singer is mentally ill. At first it mainly highlights the female singer with lines such as "I don't like walking around this old and empty house" while the male comforts her saying that he'll hold her hand. It becomes increasingly obvious as she sings the line "Some days I can't even dress myself" and as the man responds "It's killing me to see you this way". When she sings the line "There's old voice in my head that's holding me back" it all came together and began to make sense. She most likely has a mild to severe case of schizophrenia which would explain the voices in her head as well as the way she acts as if the house is alive, hearing the stairs creak while she goes to sleep. The Male singer goes on to sing verses such as "your mind is playing tricks on you my dear" and sings of a past in which he and the female singer played together "full of life and vigor" he alludes to a past lost but not forgotten. His lover slowly grows weaker as she struggles with illness. The story takes a twist at the middle of the song during the chorus when the lovers sing in unison (or it may just be the male with backup) "don't listen to a word I say" and "the screams all sound the same" it becomes apparent that the female lover is not the only one struggling through this. To me it seems as though the male doesn't have any mental problems past the mental trauma that he is facing as his lover slowly fades away. As the end draws nearer in this song lines including "All that's left is a ghost of you," "now we're torn, torn, torn apart" and "there's nothing we can do" it becomes increasingly obvious that the female singer is dying. This is confirmed when the line "just let me go we'll meet again soon" is uttered. The male protests, singing back "Now wait, wait, wait for me, please hang around" but then he concludes "I'll see you when I fall asleep." Then of course there is the chorus verse: "Though the truth may vary this ship will carry our bodies safe to shore." This line is sung as a final resignation, an acceptance of death, but at the same time it offers up the hopeful prospect that they will meet again soon, not matter what happens on this earth, they will meet in the next life safe and sound. Sorry if this was a little long, but this is what I saw when I heard this song.
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Not my at all, by the lead singer "Of Monsters and Men":
THE REAL "LITTLE TALKS": Okay. "Little Talks" is... How we usually make our lyrics is, Raggi and I, sometimes we come up with stories or situations. That one is about a relationship. Sometimes we haven't wanted to give too much away. We like people to read their own things in the lyrics. I guess I could share it. It's about a couple and the husband passed away and it's from the conversation between the two of them. We don't know if she's going crazy or if someone's actually there. We've kind of been inspired by people that lived in my house. This old couple that lived there for 30 years. The woman passed away, so it was kind of different.
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