I Will Follow You Into the Dark
Love Beyond Life: Amy Millan's Poetic Journey into the Dark
Lyrics
Love of mine
Expressing affection, addressing a loved one
Someday you will die
Acknowledging the inevitability of death for the loved one
But I'll be close behind
Commitment to be close, even in death
I'll follow you into the dark
Promise to follow the loved one into the afterlife
No blinding light
Absence of traditional afterlife symbols
Or tunnels to gates of white
Rejecting religious imagery, emphasizing simplicity
Just our hands clasped so tight
Symbolic unity and connection through tightly clasped hands
Waiting for the hint of a spark
Anticipation of a spark or sign in the afterlife
If heaven and hell decide
Reference to external forces determining satisfaction
That they both are satisfied
Implies that both heaven and hell find contentment
Illuminate the NO's on their vacancy signs
Using light to reveal rejection or negativity
If there's no one beside you
Emphasizing the importance of companionship
When your soul embarks
Being there for the loved one in the journey of the soul
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Reiterating the commitment to follow into the afterlife
In Catholic school
Recalling a harsh experience in Catholic school
As vicious as Roman rule
Comparing the harshness to Roman rule
I got my knuckles bruised by a lady in black
Personal experience of physical pain
And I held my tongue as she told me
Receiving advice on the nature of love and fear
"Son, fear is the heart of love"
Fear being identified as a core aspect of love
So I never went back
Decision to avoid further pain by not returning
If heaven and hell decide
Repetition of external judgment determining satisfaction
That they both are satisfied
Continuation of the idea of external satisfaction
Illuminate the NO's on their vacancy signs
Using light to reveal rejection or negativity again
If there's no one beside you
Emphasizing the importance of companionship again
When your soul embarks
Being there for the loved one in the journey of the soul again
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Reiterating the commitment to follow into the afterlife again
You and me
Highlighting shared experiences between the speaker and the loved one
Have seen everything to see
Claiming to have witnessed a wide range of experiences together
From Bangkok to Calgary
Listing diverse locations visited together
And the soles of your shoes
Physical wear on shoes as a metaphor for life's journey
Are all worn down
Expressing the need for rest or closure
The time for sleep is now
Stating that sleep is imminent and not a cause for sorrow
It's nothing to cry about
Downplaying the significance of the impending rest
'Cause we'll hold each other soon
Emphasizing the reassurance of being together
In the blackest of rooms
Metaphorically describing a dark, comforting space for reunion
If heaven and hell decide
Repetition of external judgment determining satisfaction
That they both are satisfied
Continuation of the idea of external satisfaction
Illuminate the NO's on their vacancy signs
Using light to reveal rejection or negativity again
If there's no one beside you
Emphasizing the importance of companionship again
When your soul embarks
Being there for the loved one in the journey of the soul again
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Reiterating the commitment to follow into the afterlife again
Then I'll follow you into the dark
Final affirmation of the commitment to follow into the dark
Comment