1993 all over again: 9 - Belly

9. Belly - Feed The Tree

Over on songmeanings.net, there's some prime reader-as-author work going on. Yangtze knows what they think:

I know Tanya's confirmed the death thing which makes it kind of official. However, I much prefer to interpret feed the tree as giving birth. Be there when I give birth, feeding the family tree. The tree of life. 'Being there' is everything.

That's fair enough, right? Knowing the song is intended to be taken in one way but happy to think of it in a way that works for you.

Not good enough for kenfoo00, apparently. He's convinced Tanya Donelly is hiding something:

In general, I find that song lyrics often do not fit what the authors claim they mean. Often, they attribute some amazing meaning behind pathetically weak lyrics. There is something dark about this song, she may not feel comfortable relating.

BECAUSE TANYA IS EVIL

No one deals with the "silver baby come to me (if it is the narrator, she would be talking to herself), I'll only hurt you in my dreams.". Death hurts, jack. If you've not seen it up close and personal, your time is coming. I like the singer's voice and the music, but there is something evil about that line. I thought it is about a child molester...."old man", "broken heart" (badly functioning conscience?), wants to hurt a child in his dreams? There is more to the real meaning than the performer is letting on.

I think something approaching 75% of debates about song lyrics online eventually contain the claim the song is about touching children.



[Part of 1993 all over again]
[Download Feed The Tree]