There’s a break-up song on Chvrch’s debut album called Tether. One line, frequently repeated, goes “I’m feeling capable of… seeing the end.” A fine lyric, very breakup, much hopeful.
Except, I can’t tell when listening that she isn’t saying “I feel incapable of…” I don’t know if it’s intentional but I think the ambiguity really elevates the song from semi-empowering breakup song to powerfully-relatable song about the chaos of seeing a relationship end; simultaneously believing you can get through it while also having no idea how you’ll ever get through it.
It’s just fun wordplay too: feeling capable/feel incapable. Makes me want to use that structure more in my own writing.
There’s a break-up song on Chvrch’s debut album called Tether. One line, frequently repeated, goes “I’m feeling capable of… seeing the end.” A fine lyric, very breakup, much hopeful.
Except, I can’t tell when listening that she isn’t saying “I feel incapable of…” I don’t know if it’s intentional but I think the ambiguity really elevates the song from semi-empowering breakup song to powerfully-relatable song about the chaos of seeing a relationship end; simultaneously believing you can get through it while also having no idea how you’ll ever get through it.
It’s just fun wordplay too: feeling capable/feel incapable. Makes me want to use that structure more in my own writing.
That reminds me of Night Sky, which has “I will ne’er be free” but it sounds a lot like “I will now be free”
The ambiguity might be intentional too! It would allow different ways of reading into the emotions