Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: power-pop
Song Meaning of “They and Them” by Guided By Voices
‘They and Them’ by Guided By Voices speaks about the struggles of the human condition and the separation many feel in their own lives. The narrator reflects on the challenges of self-acceptance and the separation that they experience from those they love. The chorus emphasizes the sentiment of being in-between and unable to fully connect, as they plead for anyone to ‘hear the plea of They and Them’.
The song can be interpreted as a metaphor for the divisions in our society, from the class and race divide to our struggles with gender identity. The desire for understanding and acceptance creates the desperate call for someone to hear ‘the plea of They and Them’, a universal cry for equality and solidarity within the world.
The narrator expresses the need to bridge the divide and build a bridge between ‘They and Them’, whether this be between life experiences or changes in perspective. Ultimately, the message of the song is that, no matter how different we may feel, we all share a common humanity, and the only way to truly create understanding is by listening to one another and allowing our individual journeys to come together on our path forward.