If this world is wearing thin
And you're thinking of escape
I'll go anywhere with you
Just wrap me up in chains
But if you try to go alone
Don't think I'll understand
Stay with me
Stay with me
In the silence of your room
In the darkness of your dreams
You must only think of me
There can be no in between
When your pride is on the floor
I'll make you beg for more
Stay with me
Stay with me
You'd better hope and pray
That you make it safeBack to your own world
You'd better hope and pray
That you'll wake one day
In your own world
Coz when you sleep at night
They don't hear your cries
In your own world
Only time will tell
If you can break the spell
Back in your own world
Stay with me
Stay with me - Shakespears Sister (1992)
The first verse of the song is that of one extolling her lover not to leave her. But as we switch from the chorus to the second verse the lyrics take a darker tone, going from longing to obsession. And as the bridge of the song hits, obsession turns to a seemingly fatal attraction. It's almost as to say you can try to leave, but chances are against you making your destination. At the end we find the lover begging once again. It's a descent into madness and then a snap back... she definitely makes one hell of an argument as to why he (or she) should stay. This song is definitely a poetic exploration into the darkest depths of a person's heart as they try to maintain control.
I can't pretend that there is any sort of grand lesson to be learned from this song. If there is, I certainly do not see it. I myself have always found the darker content from music to be more interesting. One interesting thing I've found is if you dig beneath the surface of a lot of songs (even popular Top 40 stuff) you will find that many of them come from a dark place. I'm also wondering how many people in 1992 thought this was a corny love song with a synth-pop beat.
Well, Mardi, here's another departure from metal for you. While I adjust the playlists on my iPod, let us know what you think.
Note - The spelling of Shakespears Sister rather than Shakespeare's Sister is correct as this is how Siobhan Fahey intended the name to be spelled.
It greatly surprises me that Rick posted this song. I listened to this song many times back in about 1993. At this point in my life I was not in a good place, those who know me will know what I am talking about and those who don't well let me assure you I was not a quiet, docile child (I was 14-15 in 1993).
ReplyDeleteThis song to me represented a struggle to stay as myself to be who I was rather then who I thought people wanted me to be. The lyrics "stay with me" represented staying true and being me. The second verse was a perfect representation in that I was felt as though I was always in a dark room all alone even when surrounded by others and I needed to think of myself or be lost forever.
The last verse of the song to me was the slow realization I was losing myself. And the cry, the plea to come back.
Ok enough about me, sorry that one got so one sided that's just my take on the song.
Good tune, shocked as hell to see it posted by my better half.
In 1992 I was a in a good place in my life so perhaps that is why the song never really held much for me. My girlfriend at the time was going to be leaving for Turkey within a couple of months of that moment but we were enjoying life together too much to care.
ReplyDeleteThe resonance of a song within one's heart and mind is one thing that makes music so powerful. Next up for me will be a song that I assure you resonates with me.