The chorus for this song was originally intended to be, again, a reflection of the craziness going on with Covid and the continued inhumanity going on in our society. It was a play on Plato's cave allegory. Part of me wanted to be willfully ignorant to all the insanity outside and stay in my cave convinced the shadows on the wall were my reality.
But, like with Back Home, the meaning changed with my experience. Cancer is a cruel disease. For me, it has come with a sense of always looking over my shoulder and questioning if something is there waiting for me, and it can choose to take me if it wants.
With that, you can easily let that fear drive you to give up on the world around you. That voice can tell you it's easier to stay down so you won't have far to fall, versus living on faith that you can plan your life out and keep pushing towards something.
This song is narrated by the fear, the devil on my shoulder is what I came to think of it as.
The chair, blankets, staring at the ceiling references were all due to me writing the second verse while getting my second chemo treatment (the last one my body could handle). Watching someone in a hazmat suit put a needle into a port in your chest and have machines pumping that stuff into your bloodstream can stir up a little fear.
lyrics
Every body breaks sometime
You don't have to be ashamed
Holding on to all this hope
Is it really helping things?
I'm so glad you came inside
Let me get you right. Sit tight
You feel familiar
And I'm sure you heard those promises of
Fences painted white, such a perfect life
Yeah right
You can keep dreaming, dreaming
It's why I say
Why waste the time these days
Crawl back into my cave
Happily chained
Oh please, won't you stay and watch the
Shadows on the wall
Perfectly adept at making you feel
Home in my presence, your harbor for respite
This chair was made for you
To take a rest and stare at the ceiling
Accept this as healing
You and I can stay here
Forever be free from
Letdowns and bad breaks
We're safe from the heartache
I can make you warm, blankets for the storm
Keep calm
You wouldn't leave me
So don't question it, see
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