Lyrics
A soft language barrier
A communication barrier that is gentle or not harsh
The child of an immigrant
A person born to parents who immigrated to a new country
Before the Banh Mi trucks were cool
Before the popularity of Vietnamese sandwich trucks
Lunch table embarrassment
Feeling ashamed or uncomfortable during lunchtime conversations
That scene with the border guard
A recollection of an encounter with a border guard
Last night on the continent
The final night on a specific landmass or region
What was the view like knowing that you
Reflecting on the view, considering the possibility of not returning
Might never come back again
The uncertainty of returning to the same place again
There are so many things
A realization of missed opportunities or unspoken words
I should have said to you
Regret for not expressing certain thoughts or feelings
Sometimes family trees cut cruel
Families can be divided or separated in a harsh way
What did you make of Tennessee
Asking about the impression or interpretation of a specific place, Tennessee in 1988
In 1988, all covered in snow
Describing the weather in Tennessee during a significant year
The winter my little brother was born
A personal memory of a sibling born during a snowy winter
And we carried him up the hill to our home
Physically carrying a sibling uphill to their home
I wish I had taken French
Expressing a wish for taking the learning of the French language more seriously
A little more seriously
A regret for not prioritizing the study of French
I remember singing to you
A recollection of singing to someone in a place called St. Denis
When you were dying in St. Denis
A reference to a past moment when someone was dying in St. Denis
There are so many things
A repetition of the theme of missed opportunities or unasked questions
I could have asked you then
Expressing a desire to have asked more questions during a specific time
Sometimes songs don't get a nice end
Acknowledging that some songs lack a satisfying conclusion
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