Expert: Leigh Ann - 2/21/2005

Question
For my english class I must break down the song Glycerine and basically tell the meaning behind the song (story) I'm really bad a getting the true meaning, I have some ideas but not sure that I'm on the right track! Please Help I have a paper due Fri.

Answer
Hi!

That sounds like a fun project! To start off, "Glycerine" is a song Gavin wrote about his ex-gilfriend, Susie. Although, you should be aware that Gavin has claimed to never write a song soley on one topic. He also is very hesitant to explain songs thouroughly, because he likes the listener to take something personal away from the song, and figure out what it means to them!

So, all I can offer you is my opinion. To me, and many others, the song "Glycerine" is about a doomed love. The type of relationship you know you shouldnt be in - because you arent meant to be together, you are destructive to one another, and yet you cant leave. You can see this through various lines in the song, "If I treated you bad/Youd bruise my face/Couldnt love you more.."; "Now youre here/Now youre away"; "I dont want this/..I'll never forget where youre at"; "I needed you more/When we wanted us less"; "Im never alone/Im alone all the time", etc. The whole song, basically is made of up these contridictions. She abuses him, but he loves her. Shes always there, but he feels alone. I doesnt want the relationship, but he'll always remember her...and so on. The whole relationship is a contridiction...how could you be in love with someone, and yet be so distant, hurt, and yearning for something else?

To further back that up, you can also look towards the title and chorus "Glycerine". Glycerine is actually another form of the word "Glycerin", which is used as an elixer, a soap and a lubricant (among many other things). But think about it, an elixer is something you take to make you feel better, a soap is something that makes you clean, and a lubricant is something to smooth something out or...make something smoother...following me? Glycerin's job is to make something easier to work with, something to help you swallow a pill, so to speak. Therefore, "Glycerine"...is about a relationship that is very difficult, and Gavin is singing "could have been easier on you", saying he could have made this hard relatinship easier, such as Glycerin does when used as a lubricant, elixer, etc.

Another way to look at the word "Glycerine" and to still back up the point of the song, is to know that Nitro-Glycerin is an explosive!! And "Glycerine" is...an explosive realtionship! Doomed from the start, ready to blow at any given second.

I hope this has helped you, or at least pointed you in the right direction! Good luck on your paper!!

-Leigh Ann