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Song Meaning of “Swallowed Up (In The Belly Of The Whale)” by Bruce Springsteen

Song Details

  • Album Release Date: 2012
  • Genre: singer-songwriter

Song Meaning of “Swallowed Up (In The Belly Of The Whale)” by Bruce Springsteen

This song is about being in a difficult, isolating situation, feeling overwhelmed and not knowing which way to turn. It speaks of feeling lost and helpless, feeling as if you’re stuck in a “whirlpool of sorrow”, overshadowed by the sense of despair and impending doom. It paints a vivid image of the speaker being “swallowed up in the belly of the whale” and being trapped with no way out, surrounded by the oppressive darkness and unable to find an escape. The song seems to be reflecting on a time in the speaker’s life when they had felt all of that very intensely – a time of helplessness, loneliness, and despair. But even in the dark moments, they never gave up hope, believing that one day they would make it out of the situation and learn a lesson from it. The song implies that even though things have been hard, they’ve come out stronger and wiser in the end. Its message is to reassure the listener that despite the darkness they’re going through, times will eventually get brighter.

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