Keep The Streets Empty For Me

Fever Ray's song "Keep The Streets Empty For Me" is a haunting exploration of solitude, self-reflection, and the search for belonging. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a journey through desolate landscapes, both physical and emotional. The opening lines, "Memory comes when memory's old / I am never the first to know," suggest a sense of detachment and the passage of time, hinting at the protagonist's struggle to connect with their past and present. The imagery of following a stream up North and questioning where people like them float evokes a sense of wandering and searching for a place to belong.

The chorus, with its plea for the morning to keep the streets empty, underscores a desire for solitude and peace. This longing for emptiness can be interpreted as a need to escape the chaos and noise of the world, to find a space where one can be alone with their thoughts and emotions. The lines "I will never disappear / For forever, I'll be here" convey a sense of permanence and resilience, suggesting that despite the protagonist's struggles, they will endure and remain present.

Throughout the song, there are recurring themes of nature and the elements, such as laying down in the snow and the mention of spider webs and velvet mites. These natural elements serve as metaphors for the protagonist's inner world, reflecting their coldness, entanglement, and the small comforts they find in their solitary existence. The final lines, "Uncover our heads and reveal our souls / We were hungry before we were born," speak to a deep, existential hunger for understanding and connection that predates even their birth, emphasizing the timeless and universal nature of these themes.