For You I Hold My Breath

Katie Jane Garside's song 'For You I Hold My Breath' is a poignant exploration of self-sacrifice and unrequited love, wrapped in metaphoric and evocative imagery. The lyrics begin with a scene of servitude and devotion, where the narrator washes someone's feet with 'angels' hair,' a symbol of purity and selflessness. The mention of 'cry baby boy your cupboards bare' suggests a nurturing, almost maternal concern for someone who is emotionally or spiritually empty.

As the chorus repeats 'For you I hold my breath, For you I get undressed,' it becomes clear that the narrator is making significant personal sacrifices for the sake of love. The act of holding one's breath and getting undressed metaphorically represents vulnerability and the extent to which she exposes herself emotionally, hoping to be seen and loved in return. However, the repeated lines 'The cupboards bare, There's nothing left' indicate that these sacrifices are unreciprocated, leaving her depleted.

The imagery of a 'broken bird lost in the snow' and 'migration claws this tethered soul' adds a layer of tragic beauty to the song. It suggests a struggle between the desire to escape a painful situation and the inability to leave due to emotional attachments. The repeated admonitions 'You should've known, You should've guessed' serve as a mournful acknowledgment of ignored signs and overlooked love, emphasizing the depth of her unnoticed devotion and the pain of unmet expectations.