“Silver Soul” by Beach House, released in 2010 on the album Teen Dream, is a song characterized by its dreamy soundscape and evocative lyrics. The lyrics explore themes of love, illusion, and recurring experiences, creating a “mystery wrapped in a melody”.
The song’s repetitive structure and somewhat ambiguous lyrics invite listeners to find their own personal meaning within its verses. The “silver soul” could represent a pure spirit or consciousness that permeates a shared emotional journey.
In this article, we’ll explore the message conveyed in the song’s lyrics.
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“Silver Soul” Lyrics Meaning
[Verse 1]
We gather matters of the heart
So we can act a fool
It’s incomplete without you
The silver soul is running through
It’s a vision, complete illusion, yeah
This section introduces the idea of affairs of the heart and acting foolishly, suggesting a sense of incompleteness without a significant other. The “silver soul” could be interpreted as a pure or idealized essence that permeates the experience, although the “complete illusion” line implies this idealized vision may be deceptive.
[Verse 2]
The needle on the spinning wheel
Collecting silver coil
It gathers heat without you
Whether or not you’re turned from it
It’s a quick turn to let us in, yeah
Imagery of a spinning wheel and collecting silver coil evokes a sense of creation or accumulation. The lines about gathering heat and being turned from it suggest emotional intensity and potential rejection. The quick turn implies sudden acceptance or change.
[Chorus]
It is happening again
It is happening again
It is happening again
It is happening again
The repetition of “It is happening again” emphasizes a cyclical nature of events or emotions. This could refer to recurring patterns in relationships or life experiences.
[Verse 3]
The bodies lying in the sand
They’re moving in the dark
It is so quick to let us in
We feel it moving through our skin
It’s a sickness, infinite quickness, yeah
This verse uses the image of bodies in the sand moving in the dark to create a mysterious and sensual atmosphere. The quickness of acceptance and feeling something moving through the skin suggest a loss of control or a deep connection. The description of “infinite quickness” as a “sickness” introduces a sense of unease or addiction.
[Outro]
It is happening again
The outro simply repeats the chorus, reinforcing the idea of recurrence.
Deeper Meaning Behind “Silver Soul”
The deeper meaning behind Beach House’s “Silver Soul” is multifaceted, with interpretations ranging from romantic connection to the essence of the human spirit. The “silver soul” is often seen as a metaphor for the intense, almost spiritual connection felt between two people in love. The recurring line “it’s happening again” suggests a cyclical, continuous love that has the potential for rebirth, regardless of circumstances.
Some listeners believe the “silver soul” represents a pure, untarnished spirit or consciousness that exists within a shared emotional experience. This interpretation aligns with the idea of silver as a symbol of purity and incorruptibility. The “silver soul” is the constant, untainted essence that remains unchanged amidst life’s changes. The lyrics about “matters of the heart” and “acting a fool” reflect the erratic emotions experienced in love and loss, suggesting that love can make people act foolishly, while loss can lead to even crazier behavior.
Victoria Legrand of Beach House has described “Silver Soul” as a very sexual song, characterized by dark, intense, and moving qualities. She has also referred to it as being about “deep, dirty passion, the most pre-sexual feelings,” and as a “monster” about which she still has intense feelings. The band has also mentioned that the line “it is happening again” is a reference to the show Twin Peaks.
Jacob Carter is a lyricist. He created the lyrics writing course to teach people how to analyze and write lyrics. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in English Literature, so he’s skilled at playing with words.
He’s also an amateur guitarist, which means he knows music and melody very well. With this background, he’s a great lyricist you can rely on to learn writing lyrics.