I'll Get By

Pianos Become the Teeth's song 'I'll Get By' delves deep into the emotional turmoil and resilience that follows the loss of a loved one. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the narrator's struggle to come to terms with the death of someone close, reflecting on the past and the unfulfilled desire to have done more. The opening lines, 'I used to listen to my life, I was so put together,' suggest a time when the narrator felt in control and optimistic, only to be shattered by the loss. This sets the stage for a journey through grief, regret, and the search for meaning in the aftermath of tragedy.

The song is rich with metaphors and poignant imagery, such as 'chasing sand' and 'a flame on a lake floating away,' which evoke the fleeting and fragile nature of life. The narrator's lament, 'I couldn't save you, I couldn't save what was taken away,' underscores a profound sense of helplessness and guilt. Despite these heavy emotions, there is a thread of resilience woven throughout the song. The repeated assertion, 'I'll get by,' serves as a mantra of survival, acknowledging the pain while also expressing a determination to endure.

Cultural references to common experiences of illness and death, such as 'We all die in some no name hospital with the same colored walls,' ground the song in a shared human reality. This universality makes the personal grief expressed in the song resonate on a broader scale. The closing lines, 'I want you to know, I'll get by, always barely scraping,' encapsulate the ongoing struggle to move forward, highlighting the narrator's resolve to live despite the enduring pain. 'I'll Get By' is a powerful exploration of loss, resilience, and the complex emotions that accompany the human experience of grief.