Real Love

Big Thief's song "Real Love" delves into the complexities and darker aspects of love, blending raw emotion with vivid imagery. The lyrics paint a picture of a tumultuous relationship, where love is intertwined with pain and suffering. The opening lines, "Having a bad week? Let me touch your cheek, I will always love you," suggest a comforting gesture amidst hardship, but this tenderness is quickly juxtaposed with violence, as seen in the lines, "Having your face hit, Having your lip split, By the one who loves you." This stark contrast highlights the paradox of love that can be both nurturing and destructive.

The recurring refrain, "Real love, real love, Real love makes your lungs black, Real love is a heart attack," serves as a powerful metaphor for the suffocating and life-threatening nature of such intense emotions. The imagery of blackened lungs and heart attacks suggests that real love can be toxic and all-consuming, leading to physical and emotional deterioration. This theme is further explored through the depiction of familial relationships, where the narrator observes their mother and father in moments of vulnerability and dysfunction. The lines, "Mamma got drunk and daddy went crazy," and "How much blood is worth the draw?" underscore the cyclical nature of trauma and the high cost of love.

The song also touches on the innocence of youth and the inevitable loss of that innocence. The imagery of a hummingbird watching its young grow up too fast serves as a poignant metaphor for the passage of time and the harsh realities that come with it. The narrator's reflections on their parents' struggles and their own experiences of love and pain create a deeply personal and universal narrative. Through its haunting lyrics and evocative storytelling, "Real Love" by Big Thief offers a profound exploration of the dualities of love, capturing both its beauty and its darkness.