Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: emo
Song Meaning of “Bivouac” by Jawbreaker
The song “Bivouac” by Jawbreaker speaks of abandonment, when love finds itself a casualty of its own unrealistic expectations that can never truly be fulfilled. The lyrics reference various emotions of love and passion, while alluding to the idea that they were never enough to truly keep it alive. The speaker is left with a sense of nostalgia and sadness, as they reflect on the emptiness that the love left behind.
The song opens up with a vibrant guitar riff that creates an upbeat and lively atmosphere despite its melancholy lyrics. Our speaker invites the listener to begin the journey with them, asking “can you feel the silence closing in?” As the chorus kicks in, they explain to us that “love is just a bivouac in this wilderness,” and just like a bivouac, it was temporary even though it seemed so perfect. This idea of impending emptiness is further hammered home in the bridge, as our speaker asks “why did we stay there just to feel the sorrow?”
The song then takes a turn, as our speaker begins to reflect on what the love taught them that they now feel so deeply compelled to share with the world. In the pre-chorus they sing “What I know is miles away/all that I can tell/ this love will never be the same” Here, they are hinting at the idea that even though the love has since faded, their knowledge from it has not.
Ultimately, ‘Bivouac’ demonstrates the beauty that can be found in life’s transient moments of love and the memories that they leave behind. The song expresses that despite the pain of faulty love, we can still be thankful for its brief yet meaningful effects.