Soft Serve
Ephemeral Youth: Embracing Change and Young Love in Harry Teardrop's 'Soft Serve'
Lyrics
Baby I’ve been so scared, so scared
Baby, expressing fear and vulnerability
Of dying with nothing to lose
Fear of a meaningless death
Isn’t it so sad, so sad?
Reflecting on the sadness of a situation
Seeing all your friends move away
Witnessing friends leaving, experiencing change
You turned 18, 18, got a tattoo on your ribcage
Turning 18, rebellious spirit with a ribcage tattoo
You said you wanted to be bad, be bad
Desire to be rebellious and break societal norms
Darling, I’ll take you to the teen age
Promising to bring the person to a youthful state
It’s just so sentimental, you underneath these fluorescent lights
Sentimentality under fluorescent lights, setting a scene
If only I could fill these hollow streets
Yearning to fill emptiness in life
And drown my ears with my imagination
Escaping reality through imagination
But no, no, no!
Rejection of the possibility of escape
I heard you perfectly
Acknowledging perfect understanding but rejection
“Just go, go, go!”
Encouragement to leave, emphasizing rejection
As if the sight of me makes your stomach curl
Feeling unwanted and rejected
Cause you’re a practical girl and I’m a daydream
Contrasting practicality with daydreaming
Now I’m leaving for the city
Leaving for the city in search of beauty
You wanted something pretty
Acknowledging the desire for something aesthetically pleasing
Maybe we’ll meet in the middle someday
Hope for a future meeting despite differences
So you swore you’ll never love again
Declaring a commitment to avoid love and emotional pain
Closing off so it hurts less, hurts less
Closing off emotionally to minimize pain
Dancing in your prom dress, prom dress
Dancing to cope with the transition from youth
Say goodbye to high school and your young life
Bidding farewell to high school and youth
Kiss me once for the old times, old times,
Seeking a nostalgic kiss for old times' sake
There, there, don’t cry, don’t cry
Comforting and consoling in a moment of emotional pain
Your kiss melts me like soft serve dripping on the curbside
Describing the emotional impact of a kiss
Your ripped jeans are washing out like the pale blue in your eyes
Visual imagery of faded jeans and eyes
You said you can’t skate because you’re scared of tripping
Expressing fear of trying new things
But if you never try, you’ll never know what you’re missing
Encouraging taking risks to discover life's joys
So you swore you’ll never love again
Reiterating the commitment to avoid love
Closing off so it hurts less, hurts less
Repeating the emotional closure to minimize pain
Dancing in your prom dress, prom dress
Revisiting the theme of dancing as a coping mechanism
Say goodbye to high school and your young life
Saying goodbye to the past and embracing adulthood
Kiss me once for the old times, old times,
Seeking a final kiss for nostalgic closure
There, there, don’t cry, don’t cry
Offering comfort in the face of emotional distress
(Kiss me goodbye)
Final plea for a farewell kiss
Maybe in the next life
Expressing hope for a reunion in the afterlife
Comment