"Fortnight" is a poignant song that delves into themes of longing, fleeting love, and emotional turmoil. The narrator recounts a brief but intense connection with someone who has since become a neighbor, stirring up unresolved feelings. The song explores the complexity of relationships, emotional conflicts, and the struggle to move on from an unfulfilled bond that lingers in the background of daily life.
Lyrics
I
I
I was supposed to be sent away
But they forgot to come and get me
I was a functioning alcoholic
'Til nobody noticed my new aesthetic
All of this to say, I hope you're okay
But you're the reason
And no one here's to blame
But what about your quiet treason?
And for a fortnight there, we were forever
Run into you sometimes, ask about the weather
Now you're in my backyard, turned into good neighbors
Your wife waters flowers, I wanna kill her
And for a fortnight there, we were forever
Run into you sometimes, ask about the weather
Now you're in my backyard, turned into good neighbors
Your wife waters flowers, I wanna kill her
I love you, it's ruining my life
(I love you, it's ruining my life)
I touched you for only a fortnight
(I touched you) I touched you, touched
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
Callin' ya, but you won't pick up
'Nother fortnight lost in America
Move to Florida, buy the car you want
But it won't start up 'til you touch, touch, touch me
And for a fortnight there, we were together
Run into you sometimes, comment on my sweater
Now you're at the mailbox, turned into good neighbors
My husband is cheating, I wanna kill him
I love you, it's ruining my life
(I love you, it's ruining my life)
I touched you for only a fortnight
(I touched you) I touched you, touched
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
Meaning of "Fortnight"
"Fortnight" reflects a deep, emotional connection that was brief but left a lasting impact. The term "fortnight" suggests a period of two weeks, symbolizing how short and fleeting this relationship was, yet how profound its effects were. The song captures the narrator's internal conflict, her feelings of jealousy, love, and frustration as she tries to cope with the lingering emotions tied to someone who is now just another part of her neighborhood life.
The lyrics juxtapose the mundane aspects of daily life with the intensity of the past relationship, such as interactions about the weather and mundane observations like commenting on a sweater. The narrator's feelings of love and betrayal are clear, especially when she expresses a desire to harm both the wife of the person she loves and her own cheating husband, symbolizing the destructive nature of unresolved passion.
Analysis of the Song's Themes
The song explores themes of love, jealousy, and emotional turmoil. The narrator's obsession with a past love is portrayed in a raw and vulnerable manner. Her jealousy of the new life her former lover has built with his wife is mixed with the bitterness of being unable to move on from the brief but intense connection they shared.
The repeated lines, "I love you, it's ruining my life," express the paradox of intense emotions that lead to both joy and destruction. The briefness of the connection is encapsulated in the term "fortnight," which emphasizes how quickly things came to an end, yet the pain continues to linger. Additionally, the casual mention of wanting to harm others highlights the irrational, almost dangerous feelings that can arise when love and betrayal collide.
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