The meaning of the lyrics of the song "Tides" by the artist "xx, The"

The song "Tides" by The xx portrays the feeling of a painful separation, where the lyrical hero faces the inevitability of a lover's departure. The image of a receding wave symbolizes the irreversibility of the process, over which the hero has no control.

The phrase "I see it in your eyes / Something that has lost its meaning" suggests that the partner's feelings have cooled, their gaze no longer holds the same passion and attachment. The hero feels that the connection between them has faded, leaving behind emptiness and misunderstanding.

The recurring lines "You're going away with the wave, / And I can't stop you" emphasize the hero's helplessness and despair in the face of separation. They realize they cannot hold onto their loved one, who has made the decision to leave.

The plea "Give yourself to me entirely / Alone with me" sounds like a last attempt to recapture the former intimacy, a merging of souls and bodies that could rekindle the fading feelings. The question "Why do you always want to leave?" expresses deep resentment and a lack of understanding of the partner's motives.

In the final stanzas, the hero speaks of their own devotion: "I wouldn't do that to you, / I wouldn't leave us alone, / When we could be closer...". They reproach their lover for their indifference and unwillingness to fight for their relationship.

The final lines repeat the motif of inevitable departure, leaving the listener with a sense of bitterness and unrequited love. The image of fading feelings, compared to a receding wave, creates an atmosphere of melancholy and hopelessness.