Price

Erlend Øye's song 'Price' delves into the emotional and psychological costs associated with love and the subsequent journey towards liberation. The lyrics poignantly express the idea that love, while beautiful and enriching, comes with its own set of consequences. The opening lines, 'There is a price / You'll have to pay / For once having been / The recipient of / My love,' suggest that the experience of love leaves a lasting impact, one that demands a form of emotional payment even after the relationship has ended.

The song continues to explore the theme of dreams and dependencies. 'Dream, there is a dream / That you must kill / Before you get to ask / To have back / Your free will,' speaks to the necessity of letting go of certain aspirations or illusions in order to regain personal freedom. This metaphorical 'killing' of dreams can be seen as a painful but necessary step towards self-liberation. Similarly, the mention of a 'drug' that one must stop being dependent on further emphasizes the idea of breaking free from unhealthy attachments, whether they be emotional or psychological.

The struggle for liberation is further highlighted in the lines, 'Fight, you'll have to fight / To let me go / And every punch you'll throw / Will hurt you so.' Here, Øye captures the internal conflict and pain involved in the process of letting go. The final lines, 'In the end / We found a way / To complicate / What really should have been / A simple thing,' reflect on the human tendency to overcomplicate relationships and emotions, turning what should be straightforward into something complex and burdensome. Through 'Price,' Erlend Øye offers a contemplative look at the intricate dance between love, loss, and the quest for personal freedom.