☝️ Key Points
- The song lyrics are about the singer's difficulties in expressing his feelings and dealing with the past.
- The singer admits that he is still hurt and cannot move on from the past.
- He looks for the other person in other people and is criticized for it.
- The lyrics use metaphorical imagery to depict the difficulties in life.
- The singer is aware that he must make a decision and go through a period of silence to return to the other person.
Interpretation
In the lyrics of the song 'Coming Back to You' by
Leonard Cohen, it is about the difficulties of expressing feelings and dealing with the past. The singer admits that he is still hurt and cannot get over the past. Although he still feels love for the other person, it is hard for him to talk about it.
The singer searches for the other person in other people and is criticized for it. He lived alone, but he was always coming back to the other person. This could mean that he is trying to process the past and reconnect.
The lyrics also use metaphorical images like the closing of a factory and the locking of fields to portray the difficulties of life. Spring starts, but then it suddenly stops. This could indicate that hope arises, but then gets destroyed again. The senses rebel against returning to the other person, suggesting that the singer is struggling with inner conflicts.
The singer is aware that he has to make a decision and that he has to go through a period of silence to return to the other person. It is implied that there are many people in his life, but he only chooses a few. He has to deal with envy when he chooses the few who have let go of their vanity to come back to him.
The lyrics end with the singer admitting that even when he is in the arms of the other person, he still can't get everything right. He needs her assurance that his words are true, otherwise none of it is true. Everything he says is just a substitute for returning to her.
Overall, 'Coming Back to You' is about the difficulties of expressing feelings, dealing with the past, and establishing a connection with someone you love but are still hurt by. It is a melancholic and introspective song about the complexity of human emotions.