☝️ Key Points
- The song is about an unrequited love for a woman named Josephine
- The singer feels haunted by Josephine and describes the impossibility of having a relationship with her
- The lyrics show the frustration and hopelessness of the singer
- The singer describes the loneliness and emptiness he feels
- The song ends with the pain of the singer hearing Josephine laugh and knowing they can't be together
Interpretation
The lyrics of the song "Josephine" by
Tori Amos are a melancholic song that tells of an unrequited love. Josephine is the name of a woman who is unattainable for the singer. The lyrics depict the longing and pain that the singer feels when thinking of Josephine.
The song begins with the lines "Not tonight Josephine" and thus shows from the beginning the impossibility of a relationship with Josephine. The singer feels haunted by Josephine and describes how he is pursued by her. He also describes the beauty of the place where they met, the Seine river, but still feels useless because he cannot have Josephine.
Throughout the song, the singer describes the loneliness and emptiness he feels. He compares the situation to burning Moscow and the empty Tuileries gardens. He realizes that Vienna seems like a dream, but even here he is useless. The lines "Like a dream, Vienna seems, only not to be of use - impossible" show his frustration and the feeling of hopelessness.
At the end of the song, the singer hears Josephine laughing and she tells him that they cannot be together tonight. This underscores once again the impossibility of their relationship and the pain that the singer feels.
Overall, the lyrics of the song "Josephine" by Tori Amos express the longing and pain that someone feels when they love someone who is unattainable. The singer feels useless and empty because he cannot have the person he loves.