My lips are shakin
My nails are bit off
It's been a month and a day since I've heard myself talk
Only advantage this lifes got on me
Picture an empty cup in the middle of the sea
And I fought back in my mind
Never lets me be right...
I got memories, I got shit
So much it don't show...
Oh, I walked the line...
When you held me in at night
Oh, I walked the line...
When you held my hand and I... [ Lyrics from: http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/p/pearl_jam/i_got_id.html ]
On empty shells seem so easy to crack
Got all these questions
Don't know who I could even ask
So I'll just lie down and wait for the dream
Where I'm not ugly and you're lookin at me
And I'll stay in bed...
Oh, little I've seen there
If just once I could be loved...
Oh, I'd stare back at me
Oh, I walked the line...
When you held me in at night
Oh, I walked the line...
When you held my hand and I
Oh, I walked the line...
When you held me close at night
Oh, I paid the price...
Never held you in your eyes
Well pearl jam never released a meaning to this song and that is pretty cool in itself considering this has been my favortite song of all time since i was 15 and i am 19 now. This song is like a mystetry enshrouded in an enigma. Haha. Well i think it is simply discussing a guy who has lived a hard life. Hence the phrase, "i got memories i got shit. " he or she (so i do not come across as a sexist pig) has experienced a lot of bad relationships. When i say relationships it is not limited to just spousal or boyfriend and girlfriend but friendships and parental as well. It is partially spousal and boyfriend and girlfriend relationships with the lines, " and i'll stay in bed, oh little ive seen there, if just once i could be loved, oh i'd stare back at me" well this individual has seen little in bed because of the sexual relationships. And then this person wishes he could be loved just once and that discusses relationships in general. A very neglected individual. He has been probably more emotionally abused than physical because he states, "so i'll just lie down and wait for the dream where im not ugly and you're lookin at me. " perhaps he is physically deformed or maybe he percieves himself as ugly or the one he loves believes he is ugly. It is up to us to decide whether it is appearance ugliness or emotion. It also seems to me that this individual is contemplating suicide but something or someone is still giving this person to live. Look at the lines, "oh i walked the line, when you held me in at night, oh i walked the line, when you held my hand and i... " maybe the line is a symbol for life and someone is giving him confidence to walk the "line. " then in the last verse eddie vedder also adds, "when you held me close at night. " so that line is even more confidence for this person to stay alive. Nevertheless this person is at the breaking point but will be all right if this being granting him confidence is still with him. This song will always kick ass though!!! :)