i think the imagery of drowning is simply a universal thing, as the ocean/bodies of water are ever present and known on our planet. it's something anyone can relate to, even if they've never actually been swimming.
i think the imagery of drowning is simply a universal thing, as the ocean/bodies of water are ever present and known on our planet. it's something anyone can relate to, even if they've never actually been swimming.
I suppose the use of 'she' is just his style for referring to the theme/topic.
Rather than..
Is there hope for me, will hope come?
he prefers ...
Is there hope for me, will she come?
But how am I supposed to differentiate and know if "hope" is a healthy, successful, and bright future; or if "hope" is a woman/lover... or both? Or something totally different like hope for fulfilling his record contract.
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On the other hand (this goes way back to the 90's) I've wondered if he's usually referring to his other personality. It is the dark and depressed version of TR contemplating suicide, but he can still feel the positive and happy version of himself far far away, a glimmer of hope.
she = positive/happy/clean personality
I still find TGB/IA connections to be more than a fluke.
And I'm not trying to troll, I'm not some goth freak living in my mothers basement. On Wednesday I had to drive into Toronto, while on the highway I blasted TF like never before, it was like hearing it for the first time all over again; when TGB finished I started thinking about IA video and got a bit excited thinking there might be a connection. I admire TRs writings and I thought what better place to discuss; there's not much else going on outside of the OST/TOUR threads.
It's context sensitive. For example, Sanctified is about a relationship with a crack pipe. Reptile, literally about a whore. The Fragile, maybe his deceased grandmother. The Great Below is vague, but as said previously, could be about drug addiction or death personified. With Teeth (song) is overtly about drugs, whose "kiss (is) the blackest sea", possibly referring back to TGB. Sunspots, drugs.
Not exactly positive, happy, or clean...
Again, the Ice Age video is not the song. Yes, there is a call-back to the idea of the house next to the ocean, sure. However, it's nothing that most fans won't pick up on. If anything, it's referencing La Mer rather than TGB, which was the only song written by the sea.
Also, it's a little odd that you don't mention A Drowning.
The Great Below seems to be about purposefully wanting and committing oneself to self-destruction, either by suicide or drugs (unclear).
A Drowning is more of a cry for help in time of distress.
Just from the lyrics alone, Ice Age is questioning general elemental cyclical entropy, and where one fits in this.
The only things that connect the songs is the image of the ocean, which as others have said, is a fairly common theme in art. Maybe there is some backwards connection here. It's noteworthy, but not this noteworthy. Perhaps a one-liner in the Random NIN Thoughts thread.
It is interesting that in the video that was played on the screens during the Fragility tour when they performed La Mer and The Great Below, there is both a female figure underwater and the image of a man jumping into the ocean. Although we can not know to what extent this video is an interpretation of the artist of the lyrics or if he followed some kind of indication of Trent.
http://www.theninhotline.net/archive...portrait.shtml
Actually, more broadly, it's about addicition, not a woman.
I see /r/nin is leaking...
Honestly, any of the pre-TDS articles/interviews are really good, because it's such a murky, not-well-documented time period, but there really are some fascinating details in those interviews that seem to have mostly fallen out of the general consciousness:
http://www.theninhotline.net/archives/articles/
And All That Could Have Been is the glue BETWEEN The Great Below and Ice Age.
AATCHB: ‘ice is starting to form...ending what had begun...’
Also contains lyrics and motifs found in the great below.
Follow ice age up after that and if you have the time listen to this connective playlist:
1. We’re in this together
2. La Mer
3. Adrift And At Peace
4. A Drowning
5. The Great Below
6. And All That Could Have Been
7. Ice Age