Released in 1995, Glycerine is a favorite song of mine and many others. Although it is unclear the exact meaning of the lyrics conveyed in the song, i’m gonna give it my best shot to interpret the words and the story portrayed by the rhythmic rock.
Must be your skin that I’m sinking in, must be for real ‘cause now I can feel
It sounds as though there’s a man that has just realized he has fallen in love with someone. He’s lost in the feeling and it may be his first experience with this kind of emotion.
And I didn’t mind, it’s not my kind, it’s not my time to wonder why
He seemed confused by his feelings for this person but didn’t want to question it because he could feel it was real.
Everything’s gone white, everything’s gray, now you’re here, now you’re away
The person he loved was his colors of the world and when his love disappeared or left him, everything seemed to be in black and white; dull.
I don’t want this, remember that, I’ll never forget where you’re at
He is ending things with his lover because the person is distant. That person will always be in his heart, so he can never forget the place they held.
Don’t let the days go by, glycerine, glycerine
Glycerine is another term for Glycerol. Glycerol is colorless with no odor. It is a polyol compound that is sweet and non-toxic. First, he is comparing the now dull days to the colorless and odorless aspects of Glycerine. Then, the lover is compared to being sweet and nontoxic but also viscous, just like the substance.
I’m never alone, I’m alone all the time, are you at one, or do you lie?
Although there are lots of people day to day passing in and out of his life, strangers and friends, he still feels alone without his love. But he knows he has to stay alone because he doesn’t know if he can trust this person completely.
We live in a wheel, where everyone steals, but when we rise it’s like strawberry fields
There is horror and dishonesty in the world around him, everywhere. The love of his doomed relationship has stolen his heart and he knows he can’t get it back. But when people come together, wonderful and beautiful things can come out of it, like the Beatles Song.
There are several more paragraphs to the grungy song, but I thought those were the most interesting parts to work through. It goes on to express his doubt and regrets, and he knows If he lets himself love this person again, he’d be undoing the progress he made to move on. The band Bush, with lead singer Gavin Rossdale, spread a chill, gloomy vibe eligible to listen to on repeat.