Naomi

Neutral Milk Hotel's song 'Naomi' is a poignant exploration of beauty, emptiness, and longing. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of Naomi, a figure who embodies both allure and elusiveness. The opening lines, 'Your prettiness is seeping through / Out from the dress I took from you,' suggest a deep admiration for Naomi's beauty, but also hint at a sense of possession and loss. The narrator's emptiness is palpable, described as 'swollen shut,' indicating a profound emotional void that contrasts sharply with Naomi's vibrant presence.

The chorus reveals the narrator's desperate hope for Naomi to 'explode / Into one billion tastes and tunes,' a metaphor for her potential to bring immense joy and variety into the world. The imagery of 'one billion angels' holding her down until she cries suggests a desire to see her true self, stripped of any facade. This intense longing is further emphasized by the line, 'please, please, don't leave me,' underscoring the narrator's fear of abandonment and his deep emotional dependence on Naomi.

As the song progresses, the narrator's relationship with Naomi becomes more complex. He describes tasting her perfume, which 'tastes like shit,' indicating a disillusionment with the reality of Naomi compared to his idealized vision of her. Despite this, he acknowledges that 'one billion lovers wave and love her now,' recognizing her universal appeal. The final verse, 'There is no Naomi in view,' suggests her absence and the narrator's continued yearning for her. The song closes with a plea for her not to leave, encapsulating the themes of beauty, emptiness, and the painful longing for connection that permeate the song.