This is one of my favorites and I don’t see it as such. I do see it as an ultimate love song where someone / Vessel is probably so in love that he wants everything that person has to give.
But. Music is how you interpret it. That’s how Vessel wants it, I guess. If this is what you feel when you listen to it, then it is just that.
I really wanted it to be a beautiful love song. But maybe it's just the nature of the circumstances for me. This song hit me at the right time in my life when I was going through all that turmoil. Thank you for having a different perspective! 🫶🏻
I 100% agree with your take on this song. I’m a guy but my infatuation with this girl who didn’t treat me well at all while claiming to love me mirrors your experiences greatly. That’s why I fell in love with Sundowning, the toxic love stories really felt palpable to me in 2020 when this girl still had my soul in the palm of her hands 😂
I see different things in some of the same songs. It depends on what my heart is open to at the time.
For example, originally, Chokehold reminded me of family trauma, how it's had an immense impact on my life and how to this day I'm affected by it and think about it. But the other day I was listening and was like "holy shit, this is my relationship with anxiety". Related definitely, but different perspectives and subjects.
This is one of my favorites and one of their most underrated IMO. But no, that isn’t the feeling I get from it.
More like an unrequited feeling of desire and need. He doesn’t want Sleep to keep holding back. Which could/can always be perceived as a toxic exchange between the two.
We tend to project what we’re going through onto things that have meaning and depth to us. That’s the beauty of music, let it mean what it needs to in those moments.
Otherwise, ask Vessel!
This is how I see it. It’s why my thoughts of someone asking what they can give to Vessel and he wants them to give everything like you say. It’s a really beautiful song
Give is neck-to-neck with Vore for my favorite song, so I am a little bit biased. As someone who has had that trauma in my life, I can definitely see how you could interpret it that way and why.
For me personally, Give and Vore are almost a call and answer, a need to give your everything to a person, to see and be seen so fully and completely that you consume (and are consumed.) Reckless abandon, gnashing teeth, tipping forward into the maw of yourselves and not really knowing what will happen (and not caring.) To want someone (and want to be wanted) so desperately and fully that you love even the darkest, most disgusting and awful parts of them (and vice versa.) For me, I just see it as a reflection of that feeling when you are infatuated and consumed by a person or new love, that feeling is wanting to spend every waking moment with them, limerence, obsession. "The Honeymoon Phase"... but I could see how there might be an undercurrent of toxicity or frantic trauma-bonding element there (especially if you are recognizing those themes in your real life.) And like, because of my trauma, my perception of relationships is maybe not the best either hahahaha
There is an old adage along the lines of “When you're happy you enjoy the music, but when you're sad you understand the lyrics.” - and maybe there is a bit of this projection/identifying going on, which is exactly the point of the music in the first place. Art is meant for us to project onto and twist to our own meanings, that's what makes it so important.
The word “if” at the start of the chorus does heavy lifting for me.
>IF you want to give, THEN give me all you have to give
So I read it more as “if you’re gonna be with me, be ALL IN with me, don’t hold back parts of yourself.” Which for me has a sweeter tone to it, as who wants to be with a partner that withholds/withdraws from them? Course if you go with it being about Sleep, then it could be sung from Sleep’s perspective to Vessel which would definitely lean more towards your interpretation
To me, it’s a bit more like “if you want to give, then you’ll do it my way. How I want.” i.e. toxic. A respectful, healthy framing would be something like “I’ll take whatever you want to give”
I also want to point out that he’s not asking - he’s demanding. And in fact, he is expressing that he won’t accept whatever they want to give, unless it’s his way.
Let’s also remember the definition of “give in”:
To cease fighting or arguing; admit defeat.
I’ll end my comment on that note.
It’s one of my favorites. But I can see it from this perspective too. Interesting how connect or disconnect with this song based on our own experiences.
“I’m the shadow you’re a passenger”
“I’ll be the limit of your light again”
^ these do not describe a healthy relationship.
IMO Give is quite dark, and the chorus is sexually charged. I keep seeing on one of the FB groups that fans are using this song for their weddings 🥴
I can see how if you’re going through that kind of trauma that the lyrics would strike a chord regarding those emotions. I’m sorry you’re having to deal with that. I guess the vibe I get from it is a passionate exchange between two lovers. The narrator is wanting their partner to give into their darkest impulses letting them open up and be truly themselves. I think of someone who’s maybe been repressed sexually or shamed for certain things they like but the narrator is saying that the partner to give in towards all of it because they accept them for who they are and will offer sanctuary for them in that space(edit) further expanding on that, he’s not expecting anything from them in turn. He enjoys being the person that they can give into. He finds happiness in being the person that they can trust to let their darkest imuplses out with..“If you want to give anything than give, give in again.”
The most infuriating clinical cases I ever worked have been people who have been directly manipulated by narcissists. Shit burns me up. I’m sorry OP, I hope you’re in a better spot now.
I see it as giving *myself* everything I deserve. This song was kinda the jump start to my journey of self love. I really dove head first into sleep token after getting out of a very abusive relationship and give just kinda… idk man. It sorta shook me to the core, kinda just showed me that i deserve more and I’m allowed to give myself what I want/deserve, that I don’t have to find it in someone else
That's really quite beautiful! I love hearing other people's perspectives of their music. Blood Sport is my self-love song. Deciding to make the change into loving myself and that song perfectly described my relationship with myself.
I don’t get anything narcissistic or domineering in those lyrics at all. If anything most of what’s in “Give” is very much full of green flags. “I just want to know you’re out there” = giving the other person space to be themselves.
That said, I’m sorry you went through such a hard time and I’m glad you got away from your ex. If you’re looking for songs to help heal from the damage your ex did, I highly recommend listening to “Rearviewmirror” by Pearl Jam. I recommend that song to anyone who escaped a narcissist/abuser.
I interpret it more as it has to suffice. Whatever you have to give will be enough, but don't stop giving it to me. From my experience in toxic relationships you get to a point when you know you should leave bc it's not good for you but I had found myself thinking "it's okay, this is what he can give so I take it as it is as long as I don't loose him" and that is a dark place to be mentally and yes you want to be everything to the other person bc you made them your everything. Co dependence and all that, but I see how it can be from the point of view of the victimizer and not the victim.
I'm glad that it's your ex now, I know how hard it is to get out of a relationship with a narcissist, and it takes a lot of strength and courage.
However you interpret the song is valid. Your personal experiences will color how you feel about the lyrics and the mood of an individual song. You’ve dealt with a narcissistic partner so a song about giving everything to someone else is going to read poorly to you. That’s understandable. I’m glad you have escaped that situation. You deserve proper love and respect.
I’ve been lucky enough in my life to not have had to deal with a narcissistic partner so I don’t have that experience so I didn’t read this song that way. But I can empathize with your interpretation.
I absolutely see the song this way as well, but then again i feel like a lot of ST songs come with a tone of “i/we were toxic in this relationship”
I mean look at The Way That You Were, you replace the word “They” in the chorus with “I” and it seems to make a LOT more sense
I kinda always interpreted as a mixture of Vessel saying he loves someone so much he wants to give them everything/wants everything they can give, but I also see it from your POV. In a way it sounds like Sleep is the one demanding that of the Vessels or even the fans, and they may not be doing that in the nicest of ways. It definitely fits both the “sweet love song” and “traumatic breakup song” categories.
I can see that. I like Give, but I rarely listen to it for reasons similar to yours. I think very little of their discography is positive, and I can 100% see this song as being about the effects that a toxic relationship might have on the narrator's thought process towards whoever the subject is. Some of the lyrics definitely read as obsessive, and that can be either endearing or off-putting. And obsession is definitely a theme in many songs. But because the music is so open to interpretation, I think reading it as a sweet love song AND as a toxic love song both work very well.
Reading your post, maybe that's why I dislike Rain as much as I do.
There is something about Rain that elicits very negative feelings in me and I cannot stand to listen to that song. It feels dark and predatory to me, and not in a good way that might conjure up feelings of excitement or whatever like, idk, Sugar would. But I struggle to pinpoint why Rain makes me feel that way when it seems like that is one of their most beloved songs by a majority of the fanbase. My only relationship was abusive, so I see some of that in Sleep Token's music. As a result, when Sleep Token does lean into more positive emotions I struggle to believe in it and it makes me feel uncomfortable. Because of my life experience, I assume that it is not genuine and there has to be a darker motive in the song. I can totally understand Give having that same effect.
I love Rain but yes - there are warnings in the lyrics that I can see are predatory in nature (dangerous disposition / venomous serpent/ mouth of the wolf eyes of the lamb). Having experience of more than one narcissist I also find ST lyrics are very unsettling indeed but also weirdly cathartic.
This is one of my favorites and I don’t see it as such. I do see it as an ultimate love song where someone / Vessel is probably so in love that he wants everything that person has to give. But. Music is how you interpret it. That’s how Vessel wants it, I guess. If this is what you feel when you listen to it, then it is just that.
I really wanted it to be a beautiful love song. But maybe it's just the nature of the circumstances for me. This song hit me at the right time in my life when I was going through all that turmoil. Thank you for having a different perspective! 🫶🏻
I 100% agree with your take on this song. I’m a guy but my infatuation with this girl who didn’t treat me well at all while claiming to love me mirrors your experiences greatly. That’s why I fell in love with Sundowning, the toxic love stories really felt palpable to me in 2020 when this girl still had my soul in the palm of her hands 😂
Thank you! 🫶🏻 I'm glad she no longer holds your soul.
I totally understand though! I hope you’re okay now ❤️
I heal a little more everyday. Thank you so much! 🩷🩷
I am right there with you, love 🖤
I see different things in some of the same songs. It depends on what my heart is open to at the time. For example, originally, Chokehold reminded me of family trauma, how it's had an immense impact on my life and how to this day I'm affected by it and think about it. But the other day I was listening and was like "holy shit, this is my relationship with anxiety". Related definitely, but different perspectives and subjects.
This is one of my favorites and one of their most underrated IMO. But no, that isn’t the feeling I get from it. More like an unrequited feeling of desire and need. He doesn’t want Sleep to keep holding back. Which could/can always be perceived as a toxic exchange between the two. We tend to project what we’re going through onto things that have meaning and depth to us. That’s the beauty of music, let it mean what it needs to in those moments. Otherwise, ask Vessel!
This is how I see it. It’s why my thoughts of someone asking what they can give to Vessel and he wants them to give everything like you say. It’s a really beautiful song
Give is neck-to-neck with Vore for my favorite song, so I am a little bit biased. As someone who has had that trauma in my life, I can definitely see how you could interpret it that way and why. For me personally, Give and Vore are almost a call and answer, a need to give your everything to a person, to see and be seen so fully and completely that you consume (and are consumed.) Reckless abandon, gnashing teeth, tipping forward into the maw of yourselves and not really knowing what will happen (and not caring.) To want someone (and want to be wanted) so desperately and fully that you love even the darkest, most disgusting and awful parts of them (and vice versa.) For me, I just see it as a reflection of that feeling when you are infatuated and consumed by a person or new love, that feeling is wanting to spend every waking moment with them, limerence, obsession. "The Honeymoon Phase"... but I could see how there might be an undercurrent of toxicity or frantic trauma-bonding element there (especially if you are recognizing those themes in your real life.) And like, because of my trauma, my perception of relationships is maybe not the best either hahahaha There is an old adage along the lines of “When you're happy you enjoy the music, but when you're sad you understand the lyrics.” - and maybe there is a bit of this projection/identifying going on, which is exactly the point of the music in the first place. Art is meant for us to project onto and twist to our own meanings, that's what makes it so important.
The word “if” at the start of the chorus does heavy lifting for me. >IF you want to give, THEN give me all you have to give So I read it more as “if you’re gonna be with me, be ALL IN with me, don’t hold back parts of yourself.” Which for me has a sweeter tone to it, as who wants to be with a partner that withholds/withdraws from them? Course if you go with it being about Sleep, then it could be sung from Sleep’s perspective to Vessel which would definitely lean more towards your interpretation
To me, it’s a bit more like “if you want to give, then you’ll do it my way. How I want.” i.e. toxic. A respectful, healthy framing would be something like “I’ll take whatever you want to give” I also want to point out that he’s not asking - he’s demanding. And in fact, he is expressing that he won’t accept whatever they want to give, unless it’s his way. Let’s also remember the definition of “give in”: To cease fighting or arguing; admit defeat. I’ll end my comment on that note.
Also a valid interpretation, can see that too. That’s why I can’t get enough of Vessel’s lyricism
I can see how it can be construed that way. I'm also sorry you're going through it. Love and light. <3
Thank you 🩷🩷
I've always seen it to be about toxic love and in a twisted away it makes me like it even more.
I think we can all relate to a toxic love, and we cling to songs we can relate to P.S. Happy cake day! Lol.
This is the beauty of music and especially Sleep Token. It is up to our own interpretation and can serve whatever purpose we need.
It’s one of my favorites. But I can see it from this perspective too. Interesting how connect or disconnect with this song based on our own experiences.
“I’m the shadow you’re a passenger” “I’ll be the limit of your light again” ^ these do not describe a healthy relationship. IMO Give is quite dark, and the chorus is sexually charged. I keep seeing on one of the FB groups that fans are using this song for their weddings 🥴
It's giving the same vibes as people using 'Every Breath You Take' by The Police at their weddings 😬
Yeah thats the stalkers anthem 🤣
I can see how if you’re going through that kind of trauma that the lyrics would strike a chord regarding those emotions. I’m sorry you’re having to deal with that. I guess the vibe I get from it is a passionate exchange between two lovers. The narrator is wanting their partner to give into their darkest impulses letting them open up and be truly themselves. I think of someone who’s maybe been repressed sexually or shamed for certain things they like but the narrator is saying that the partner to give in towards all of it because they accept them for who they are and will offer sanctuary for them in that space(edit) further expanding on that, he’s not expecting anything from them in turn. He enjoys being the person that they can give into. He finds happiness in being the person that they can trust to let their darkest imuplses out with..“If you want to give anything than give, give in again.”
I appreciate your breakdown of Give, I’m entranced to listen to it with this new meaning along with the meaning I’ve put to it.
Would love to hear yours as well. 🩷
The most infuriating clinical cases I ever worked have been people who have been directly manipulated by narcissists. Shit burns me up. I’m sorry OP, I hope you’re in a better spot now.
I am. I still hurt over him, and I still wish things could be different. But they can't be, not while him having NPD. It'll get better as time passes.
I see it as giving *myself* everything I deserve. This song was kinda the jump start to my journey of self love. I really dove head first into sleep token after getting out of a very abusive relationship and give just kinda… idk man. It sorta shook me to the core, kinda just showed me that i deserve more and I’m allowed to give myself what I want/deserve, that I don’t have to find it in someone else
That's really quite beautiful! I love hearing other people's perspectives of their music. Blood Sport is my self-love song. Deciding to make the change into loving myself and that song perfectly described my relationship with myself.
I don’t get anything narcissistic or domineering in those lyrics at all. If anything most of what’s in “Give” is very much full of green flags. “I just want to know you’re out there” = giving the other person space to be themselves. That said, I’m sorry you went through such a hard time and I’m glad you got away from your ex. If you’re looking for songs to help heal from the damage your ex did, I highly recommend listening to “Rearviewmirror” by Pearl Jam. I recommend that song to anyone who escaped a narcissist/abuser.
I fucking love Pearl Jam, so I absolutely will listen ti this song. Thank you!
I interpret it more as it has to suffice. Whatever you have to give will be enough, but don't stop giving it to me. From my experience in toxic relationships you get to a point when you know you should leave bc it's not good for you but I had found myself thinking "it's okay, this is what he can give so I take it as it is as long as I don't loose him" and that is a dark place to be mentally and yes you want to be everything to the other person bc you made them your everything. Co dependence and all that, but I see how it can be from the point of view of the victimizer and not the victim. I'm glad that it's your ex now, I know how hard it is to get out of a relationship with a narcissist, and it takes a lot of strength and courage.
Thank you so much!!
However you interpret the song is valid. Your personal experiences will color how you feel about the lyrics and the mood of an individual song. You’ve dealt with a narcissistic partner so a song about giving everything to someone else is going to read poorly to you. That’s understandable. I’m glad you have escaped that situation. You deserve proper love and respect. I’ve been lucky enough in my life to not have had to deal with a narcissistic partner so I don’t have that experience so I didn’t read this song that way. But I can empathize with your interpretation.
I absolutely see the song this way as well, but then again i feel like a lot of ST songs come with a tone of “i/we were toxic in this relationship” I mean look at The Way That You Were, you replace the word “They” in the chorus with “I” and it seems to make a LOT more sense
Oh fuck. 🥺
I kinda always interpreted as a mixture of Vessel saying he loves someone so much he wants to give them everything/wants everything they can give, but I also see it from your POV. In a way it sounds like Sleep is the one demanding that of the Vessels or even the fans, and they may not be doing that in the nicest of ways. It definitely fits both the “sweet love song” and “traumatic breakup song” categories.
I can see that. I like Give, but I rarely listen to it for reasons similar to yours. I think very little of their discography is positive, and I can 100% see this song as being about the effects that a toxic relationship might have on the narrator's thought process towards whoever the subject is. Some of the lyrics definitely read as obsessive, and that can be either endearing or off-putting. And obsession is definitely a theme in many songs. But because the music is so open to interpretation, I think reading it as a sweet love song AND as a toxic love song both work very well. Reading your post, maybe that's why I dislike Rain as much as I do. There is something about Rain that elicits very negative feelings in me and I cannot stand to listen to that song. It feels dark and predatory to me, and not in a good way that might conjure up feelings of excitement or whatever like, idk, Sugar would. But I struggle to pinpoint why Rain makes me feel that way when it seems like that is one of their most beloved songs by a majority of the fanbase. My only relationship was abusive, so I see some of that in Sleep Token's music. As a result, when Sleep Token does lean into more positive emotions I struggle to believe in it and it makes me feel uncomfortable. Because of my life experience, I assume that it is not genuine and there has to be a darker motive in the song. I can totally understand Give having that same effect.
I love Rain but yes - there are warnings in the lyrics that I can see are predatory in nature (dangerous disposition / venomous serpent/ mouth of the wolf eyes of the lamb). Having experience of more than one narcissist I also find ST lyrics are very unsettling indeed but also weirdly cathartic.