DBT Track of the Week 144 "When He's Gone"
Posted: Mon Jun 09, 2014 11:41 am
Nothing more daunting for a newbie than to tackle a "Song of the Week" but what better way to leap in than head-first?
"When She's Gone" appears, on the surface, as another song in the genre of unhappy women trapped in a co-dependent relationship. Perhaps she simply "can't find a better man," or perhaps this is simply a self-evident message (as Vic Chesnutt said) "no doubt she is the doubting woman." Do we over-analyze? From Patterson Hood's own words: "…a lot of these songs are almost story-songs with the story removed. I mean, ‘When He’s Gone’ is almost like a scene from a film without the context of the story that it’s based on. … I think that’s great that people are reading all these things into it that aren’t necessarily there."
Well, we're going to analyze, especially when confronted with another conflicted character we can so easily relate to, or at least one with whom we can empathize.
There is no hidden gem of a film clip or short story to explain the "when, where or why," and we have to accept PH's words at face value, that there is none. That said, this song and subject are so easily assimilated. We have seen many such (Jungian) archetypal figures portrayed in the DBT "character catalog": great mother, father, child, devil, god, wise old man, wise old woman, trickster, hero. There doesn't seem to be evidence of an unconscious projection here, but rather, in this song we have a “union of opposites,” presented through the anima (primordial image of woman, as seen by men).
Lyrically, we have vivid imagery, metaphors, and double-entendres that help paint the clearest picture in the fewest words necessary (scrubs in basins never clean, it won’t wash off, the smell of compromise… burns like an effigy when he’s gone, it makes her mad, how attached she’s become).
The entire song is written 3rd-person, from an almost entirely female perspective, with "examples" of male behavior presented solely to inform her thinking (i.e., he opens the door for her, there’s kindness in his smile, but she loathes the need in his eyes). There is, ultimately, no real tangible outcome or "male" solution; no opportunity to "prove her wrong"… we are detached observers, "it’s too bad... it’s someone else’s song." The only time a male perspective is presented, we see evidence of a silent approach, which might suggest he is simply clueless, or dimly unable to communicate (i.e., he might come home, after she’s sleeping and quietly admire the smile on her lips, he crawls up beside her). However, in the final observation, which perhaps insures the future fate/perpetuation of the relationship, "she presses it all up against him," and simply "dreams."
Great song in its simplicity and complexity, and holds its own an incredible run of songs on EO. The airy, electric guitars kick-off the song, with the organ creating a bit of a somber sound, and while there isn’t an iconic lick, the guitar fills combined with the lyrics create a memorable sound… the song ends as it starts, with airy guitar fading out, as does the story.
"When He's Gone"
She sits alone and stares out the window, the thoughts pour out
the morning sun pours in
She paints a smile on her lips and looks at herself in the mirror
As her day begins
She scrubs in basins never clean, it won’t wash off
the smell of compromise
He opens the door for her, there’s kindness in his smile
but she loathes the need in his eyes
She can’t stand to have him around
but she always misses him when he’s gone
She burns like an effigy when he’s gone it makes her mad
how attached she’s become
and if it were up to me, I’d prove her wrong, but it’s too bad
it’s someone else’s song
He might come home, after she’s sleeping and quietly admire
the smile on her lips
He crawls up beside her, she presses it all up against him
and dreams
She can’t stand to have him around
but she always misses him when he’s gone…
"When She's Gone" appears, on the surface, as another song in the genre of unhappy women trapped in a co-dependent relationship. Perhaps she simply "can't find a better man," or perhaps this is simply a self-evident message (as Vic Chesnutt said) "no doubt she is the doubting woman." Do we over-analyze? From Patterson Hood's own words: "…a lot of these songs are almost story-songs with the story removed. I mean, ‘When He’s Gone’ is almost like a scene from a film without the context of the story that it’s based on. … I think that’s great that people are reading all these things into it that aren’t necessarily there."
Well, we're going to analyze, especially when confronted with another conflicted character we can so easily relate to, or at least one with whom we can empathize.
There is no hidden gem of a film clip or short story to explain the "when, where or why," and we have to accept PH's words at face value, that there is none. That said, this song and subject are so easily assimilated. We have seen many such (Jungian) archetypal figures portrayed in the DBT "character catalog": great mother, father, child, devil, god, wise old man, wise old woman, trickster, hero. There doesn't seem to be evidence of an unconscious projection here, but rather, in this song we have a “union of opposites,” presented through the anima (primordial image of woman, as seen by men).
Lyrically, we have vivid imagery, metaphors, and double-entendres that help paint the clearest picture in the fewest words necessary (scrubs in basins never clean, it won’t wash off, the smell of compromise… burns like an effigy when he’s gone, it makes her mad, how attached she’s become).
The entire song is written 3rd-person, from an almost entirely female perspective, with "examples" of male behavior presented solely to inform her thinking (i.e., he opens the door for her, there’s kindness in his smile, but she loathes the need in his eyes). There is, ultimately, no real tangible outcome or "male" solution; no opportunity to "prove her wrong"… we are detached observers, "it’s too bad... it’s someone else’s song." The only time a male perspective is presented, we see evidence of a silent approach, which might suggest he is simply clueless, or dimly unable to communicate (i.e., he might come home, after she’s sleeping and quietly admire the smile on her lips, he crawls up beside her). However, in the final observation, which perhaps insures the future fate/perpetuation of the relationship, "she presses it all up against him," and simply "dreams."
Great song in its simplicity and complexity, and holds its own an incredible run of songs on EO. The airy, electric guitars kick-off the song, with the organ creating a bit of a somber sound, and while there isn’t an iconic lick, the guitar fills combined with the lyrics create a memorable sound… the song ends as it starts, with airy guitar fading out, as does the story.
"When He's Gone"
She sits alone and stares out the window, the thoughts pour out
the morning sun pours in
She paints a smile on her lips and looks at herself in the mirror
As her day begins
She scrubs in basins never clean, it won’t wash off
the smell of compromise
He opens the door for her, there’s kindness in his smile
but she loathes the need in his eyes
She can’t stand to have him around
but she always misses him when he’s gone
She burns like an effigy when he’s gone it makes her mad
how attached she’s become
and if it were up to me, I’d prove her wrong, but it’s too bad
it’s someone else’s song
He might come home, after she’s sleeping and quietly admire
the smile on her lips
He crawls up beside her, she presses it all up against him
and dreams
She can’t stand to have him around
but she always misses him when he’s gone…