Fall At Your Feet (Crowded House)

I’m accumulating a massive backlog of rants, what with all this recent posting about music. But I simply can’t help it – almost every track on LIAC Radio seems to have come from my in-car CD compilations (imaginatively titled “Music to Cut Yourself to”, vols 1-67), so talking about them is both satisfying and easy. So, without further ado…

I found this gem on the playlist today – another one of those songs which is constantly misinterpreted and thought of as lovely, soothing, slow-candlelit-fuck music. Hrm.

Meaning of the Song: Lovestruck man lets woman who’s being cheated on cheat on her partner with himself.

Yep, it’s all about love, desperation and infidelity. A perfect LIAC topic. Yet, so many people think this song is about sweet, untainted love. I’ve actually known couples that think this is “their song”. Whilst I agree that it’s a beautiful song, the actual meaning of it is totally screwed and 100% morally reprehensible. And that’s why I like it.

Let’s take a look at the lyrics, shall we?

I'm really close tonight
And I feel like I'm moving inside her
Lying in the dark
I think that I'm beginning to know her
Let it go
I'll be there when you call

That is the slightly sinister start – the guy lies alone, furiously wanking himself off over the thoughts of shagging of this girl. After he’s discharged his semi-stalkerish semen into his desperate hands, he says to himself that he will wait for her as long as it takes.

Whenever I fall at your feet
And you let your tears rain down on me
Whenever I touch your slow turning pain

The chorus describes the key factors of his situation: That he worships her, that she is upset and that he wants to help her. We find out why she’s upset later on, but it’s basically because her asshole boyfriend is cheating on her.

You're hiding from me now
There's something in the way that you're talking
The words don't sound right
But I hear them all moving inside you
Go, I'll be waiting when you call

Second verse implies that she’s been trying to keep her distance from the weird stalker singing the song. He jacks off to her regardless, continuing to bide his time.

We then have the chorus again, repeating the message that the desperate singer is completely smitten by her, doesn’t mind her pain and wants her to use him for comfort. Then in the first line of the third verse he gets what he wants and simultaneously ties up the whole meaning of the song:

The finger of blame has turned upon itself
And I'm more than willing to offer myself
Do you want my presence or need my help
Who knows where that might lead

Though she blamed her lover for cheating on her, hurting her, she is doing the same thing. She sleeps with the desperate stalker (who happily obliges, his waiting game having succeeded), and he reiterates his fucked-up intents properly in the final two lines of the verse – that he will gladly comfort her, as it means it might let him get his leg over.

I fall at your feet
And you let your tears rain down on me
Whenever I fall

It’s a great story, of course. Girls gets cheated on and seeks comfort in the arms of the nearest person that likes her – and eventually commits the same immoral act with her comforter. Everybody gets fucked over quite simultaneously, but we’re spared the lyrics of that.

All in all – Christ, what a fucked up song. Brilliant in concept, twist and execution.