Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: folk
Song Meaning of “Serpents” by Sharon Van Etten
The song ‘Serpents’ by Sharon Van Etten speaks to struggles with life, loss, betrayal, and ultimately, resilience. The haunting melody and ethereal vocals emphasize the darkly moving lyrics which document the artist’s ability to overcome trauma and pain.
The song paints a vivid picture of a betrayal and seeming abandonment, loneliness, and the crippling nature of avoidant behavior. It speaks to the difficulty of embracing vulnerability, to the fears of being hurt and let down, and the difficulty of overcoming the inertia of avoidance to start again and move forward in life.
The chorus reflects the artist’s eyes still open, even when losing her faith, and her determination to find the strength to fight and stand her ground. It speaks to facing our own demons of betrayal and fear head-on, even when the sense of security we need is unavailable.
The lyrics ‘It isn’t true, it can’t be true’ connote a sense of desperation and pleading for a better truth and a better ending. They also reflect the difficulty of believing in a love that still exists, without allowing our fears to take over.
The undercurrent of loneliness, fragility, loneliness, and fear creates an emotional resonance of the difficulty of living through such a moment of loss. Ultimately, ‘Serpents’ speaks to the power of resilience and how all of us, have the courage to work through and overcome our challenges.