Meanings

GhostChile

is it just me or almost every song on DM is about a possible divorce of Ed?

CROJAM95

Or of America Maybe

Or More Death stuff 

lastexitlondon

GhostChile said:

is it just me or almost every song on DM is about a possible divorce of Ed?

Yes I hear that too

PJ_Hawkeye

Upper hand is rough lyrics.  Then the end just maybe the two of you…

GhostChile

Scared of Fear is about a tough stage of a relationship for sure.

lastexitlondon

It all seems to be. ...
Very sad really 

kmcmanus

GhostChile said:

Scared of Fear is about a tough stage of a relationship for sure.

I think Scared of Fear is about not being able to find common ground with the other people in your community. 

Actually I think most of the album is about that. But I see how it can be read as one specific interpersonal relationship too. It’s a strength of the writing that it works as whichever you need it to be.

Tim Simmons

Seeing as they were written a year+ ago and they are still together, its probably not about divorce.

Tim Simmons

Also, this isn't really cool to bring up on the boards.

GhostChile

Tim Simmons said:

Also, this isn't really cool to bring up on the boards.

Why?
Even Jeff told us to interpret the lyrics as we want and Im not judging or made a point of view about the divorce issue.

Im just saying that to me, it seems that the whole album speaks about it. Respecfully.

gotthebottle

GhostChile said:

Tim Simmons said:

Also, this isn't really cool to bring up on the boards.

Why?
Even Jeff told us to interpret the lyrics as we want and Im not judging or made a point of view about the divorce issue.

Im just saying that to me, it seems that the whole album speaks about it. Respecfully.

Because a thread just like this got closed by Mods

OceansJenny

lastexitlondon said:

It all seems to be. ...
Very sad really 

Definitely feel sad after listening closely to this album. ☹️

I’m used to Ed coming with some biting lyrics, political commentary or whatnot, and these just sound like he feels defeated.

CarryTheZero

I definitely had the feels watching/listening to the lyrics in the theater. These are some sad songs, yet the arrangements and some lines here and there provide some hope. I’m trying to read it mostly as relationships (not necessarily specific to anyone) and just the state of all of our human connections today. It’s hard for people to come to common ground or not feel like they have to take a side (at least in the public/media/social media arena of things).

Is that why he calls the album Dark Matter? It’s all this stuff that connects us, that we can’t really see, and can’t seem to figure out? I don’t know. I do love this album more and more though.

DM282158

Dare I say it feels like a concept album? About a divorce/separation. Not autobiographical. But like Pete Townsend rock opera esque. And we know how Eddie views Pete. 

Songs are almost like the stages of grief. 

Just a theory. 

Spunkie

^ stages of grief crossed my mind too

One bit reminded me of the bargaining part 

PJammin'

I’m just glad it’s not overly political. I need a break from all of the craziness. 

PJammin'

DM282158 said:

Dare I say it feels like a concept album? About a divorce/separation. Not autobiographical. But like Pete Townsend rock opera esque. And we know how Eddie views Pete. 

Songs are almost like the stages of grief. 

Just a theory. 

I like this take. 

KV4053

It's definitely a concept album. I believe it is about a relationship, but not necessarily with a specific person, but rather entities.

kmcmanus

DM282158 said:

Dare I say it feels like a concept album? About a divorce/separation. Not autobiographical. But like Pete Townsend rock opera esque. And we know how Eddie views Pete. 

Songs are almost like the stages of grief. 

Just a theory. 

I think it’s about grief, and mortality, and endings of all kinds. But not necessarily romantic. Scared of Fear, React, Respond, DM & Running are more disconnections in society. Upper Hand seems to be about approaching death. Setting Sun starts sounding like a breakup but by the end that’s maybe more mortality based too. Wreckage seems to be about a relationship ending but I wouldn’t assume it to be autobiographical, rock history is full of breakup songs. Won’t Tell is about a dream but gives some Dissident vibes too with the idea of keeping someone’s secrets. 

I think most of these could be read multiple ways, but I absolutely don’t think they’re all supposed to be read the same way. 

Also some of these songs were recorded almost 3 years ago so some of the theories debunk themselves.

PJammin'

I’ll have to look more into this concept album.   

dreamweaver

I don't think it's only about divorce. But I do think the lyrics are all about relationships with each other, and life. Divorce seems too limiting. 

CROJAM95

Its about all Taylor Swifts relationships, PJ took notes and piggybacked on it seeing it’s got major interest 

dolla dolla billz y’all 

Tim Simmons

dreamweaver said:

I don't think it's only about divorce. But I do think the lyrics are all about relationships with each other, and life. Divorce seems too limiting. 

I think this is the fair take. 

Travels With

lastexitlondon said:

It all seems to be. ...
Very sad really 

I feel a lot of this through these songs. It’s interesting because Ed was inspired to do this from his earthling experience- which I thought was the most positive stretch of songs. 

jammergirl

I agree with the idea that it's a concept album, it actually reminds me of Riz Ahmed's album The Long Goodbye. The lyrics and sketches between the songs sound at first like a typical breakup, but it's meant to be a larger allegory about his dissolution with being a brown Muslim in Britain. https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/riz-ahmed-the-long-goodbye/  This could just be my edible kicking in, but thought it was an interesting idea.  

GhostChile

With "Something Special" being so explicit about parenting, i can assume that the album is definetely about relationship break ups or maybe a difficult stage of one. Glade no politics 

kmcmanus

Um there’s lots of politics here, it just isn’t hitting us over the head with it

cincybearcat

Pretty sure Dark Matter is about excessive taxation....that's how I took it, especially on 4/15. 

KV4053

kmcmanus said:

Um there’s lots of politics here, it just isn’t hitting us over the head with it

That is my interpretation also.

GhostChile

KV4053 said:

kmcmanus said:

Um there’s lots of politics here, it just isn’t hitting us over the head with it

That is my interpretation also.

wich songs do you think are about politics?

lastexitlondon

I don't think any are they are all lost love songs