Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: emo
Song Meaning of “leave word” by toe
The song “Leave Word” by TOE, off of their album Colors, is a melancholic case of lost love and its aftermath. The first stanza of the song speaks to how the narrator is numb to what’s going on around him, and can no longer keep up with the hustle and bustle of his old life. He’s unplugged himself emotionally and retreated within himself, but both his mind and heart are heavy with the understanding that the relationship has disintegrated, leaving him torn and dejected.
The chorus is where the singer expresses his sadness and loneliness as he expresses “Leave word, I’ll be waiting” because he’s hoping that there’s still a chance of reconciliation, even though he knows that the other person is long gone. He can’t help but hope that they utter the words to come back to him, despite knowing that the possibility is probably slimmer than ever.
The second stanza reflects on the joys of what used to be but is no longer there, as the singer remembers the days that the two of them were happy and in love. He bitterly accepts that it’s all gone now, and his tone changes from hope to resignation as he speaks of leaving his former home and retreating from the world.
The bridge of the song shows a dichotomy between the singer wanting to stay emotionally tied to the past, yet accepting that the future is ahead of him and inescapable. He is taking solace in the idea that the future may bring him something, even though he is still lonesome.
The outro of the song returns to the desperate plea “Leave word, I’ll be waiting” that was the chorus of the song, signifying that the singer is still clinging on to the hope that the other person will come back. The vulnerability and emotion of this track is raw and touching, and it communicates the beautiful yet bittersweet idea of love being both something that we cling on to yet also something that we must let go of.