The songwriter pours out their soul, using water as a metaphor for emotional turmoil and the struggle to keep afloat in the face of love that cannot—will not—reciprocate. It’s a journey through inner demons and the harsh realization that sometimes, we bear our burdens alone.
But hey, there’s so much more beneath the surface. You’ve got a snippet, now get ready for the deep dive—because the real treasures in a song like this are always hidden further down.
“High Water” Lyrics Meaning
The lyrical journey of “High Water” starts with an admission of avoidance; the songwriter is dodging personal questions, implying a kind of internal conflict they’re not ready to face. This sets the tone for a song steeped in emotional avoidance and the struggle to maintain composure.
The lines “But you know I can hold my breath forever” and “You are still a perfect reminder of what / All of these scars on my arms are for” suggest a disturbing sense of self-harm and sacrifice. It’s like the person they love has become a measure against which they judge their own worth and pain. The scars are both physical and emotional markers of this toxic inner battle.
When they talk about choking on “sacred vapor” and waiting for “some holy favour,” it feels like they’re stuck in a cycle of hope and despair—praying for a miracle that’ll never come. The “solace of regret” is particularly telling; it’s as if there’s a comfort in acknowledging their own misery, a strange embrace of their suffering.
The most poignant metaphor is “my hell is your high water.” Hell, for the songwriter, is an overwhelming flood of emotions, and high water represents the peak of their struggle—their maximum capacity for pain that they endure because of this person. And yet, there’s a plea to be “washed clean,” to be saved from this agony even though they’re prepared to endure it indefinitely for the sake of the person they love.
Toward the end, the songwriter comes to a somber conclusion: “I will admit my defeat again / I will accept that I can’t pretend / We will ever be together.” It’s a reluctant acceptance of reality, a white flag raised after a long, exhausting emotional siege.
The Story Behind “High Water”
Understanding the “why” behind “High Water” adds another layer to this haunting song. It’s not just about the lyrics but the emotional state from which they sprung. When a songwriter pens such
The writer behind “High Water” seems to have been living in a limbo between hope and hopelessness. Maybe they were in love with someone who didn’t love them back, or perhaps the relationship was one-sided in its depth of feeling and sacrifice. Whatever the case, it’s clear that they were grappling with a deep sense of inadequacy and despair.
This isn’t just storytelling; it’s the baring of a raw and wounded heart. The writer conveys the intensity of clinging to a love that drains more than it gives, where the very act of loving becomes a self-destructive force. It’s this state of emotional turbulence that gave birth to “High Water”—a song that isn’t just heard but felt, a resonating echo of love’s darker side.
Remember, every song has a story, and every story has a heart. In “High Water,” we find a heart that’s been through the wringer, but still beats with the hope of redemption and the bitter wisdom of experience.