I'm Always In Love

Wilco's song "I'm Always In Love" delves into the complexities and contradictions of love, capturing the essence of a relationship that is both fulfilling and troubling. The lyrics paint a picture of a heart that is perpetually engaged in the act of loving, yet filled with uncertainties and emotional voids. The opening lines, "Why, I wonder, is my heart full of holes / And the feeling goes but my hair keeps growing," suggest a sense of emptiness and the passage of time, even as life continues in its mundane routines. This juxtaposition sets the stage for a deeper exploration of love's paradoxes.

The recurring phrase, "I'm always in love," serves as both a declaration and a lament. It reflects the singer's constant state of emotional engagement, yet it is tinged with a sense of worry and doubt. The imagery of setting the sun on a big-wheeled wagon and catching the moon like a bird in a cage evokes a sense of striving for the impossible, highlighting the unattainable ideals often associated with love. The singer's admission of not understanding the connection and hoping to do their best in what feels like a test further underscores the uncertainty and pressure that come with being in love.

Throughout the song, there is a recurring theme of letting go and holding on, as seen in lines like "When I let go of your throat-sweet throttle" and "When I fold the cold in my jet-lag palm." These actions symbolize the push and pull of a relationship, where moments of release are intertwined with moments of grasping for connection. The repeated worry about always being in love suggests an underlying fear of vulnerability and the potential for heartbreak. Wilco masterfully captures the duality of love, portraying it as a source of both joy and anxiety, a state of being that is as exhilarating as it is exhausting.