You probably know the name Mitski. She wrote “Washing Machine Heart”, “Nobody”, and “I Bet on Losing Dogs”, all songs that are prominent on apps like Tik Tok and YouTube. She has become an icon in the indie rock world and a staple in sad music.
Mitski’s music is full of heart and emotion, playing on themes of loneliness, love, sadness, and regret. The song I’m focusing on in this article plays on these same themes.
About the Song
“Francis Forever” is the fourth track on Mitski’s 2014 album, “bury me at make out creek”. The title possible refers to Mitski’s middle name, Francis.
My Interpretation
At the start of the song, Mitski sings alone with almost no instrumental in the back besides a ticking sound and a drum entrance. I feel like this symbolizes her loneliness.
[Verse 1]
I don’t know what to do without you/I don’t know where to put my hands..
These lyrics are direct and firm in their meaning. She has no idea what to do with herself now that the subject is gone. She can’t relax or think straight anymore.
I’ve been trying to lie my head down/ But I’m writing this at 3 A.M…
The speaker can’t even get herself to go to sleep, so she’s writing down her feelings in the early morning hours to try and make sense of the situation.
After this verse, the instrumentals kick in and the song increases in volume, symbolizes and explosion of emotions. The speaker is spilling out all she feels in a song.
[Chorus 1]
I don’t need the world to see/ That I’ve been the best I can be, but/ I don’t think I can stand to be/ Where you don’t see me…
She doesn’t want the world to see that she’s trying to keep herself feeling okay after the subject is gone from her life. She is desperately fighting with herself to keep it together away from them.
There is a long pause between the end of the first chorus and the start of verse 2. It isn’t as passionate and booming as verse 1 is, and the tone calms down.
[Verse 2]
On sunny days I go out walking/I end up on a tree-lined street..
The mood seems to change, but in reality there is a metaphor here. The sun represents joy and love. The trunks also create the idea of being trapped a corridor that feels like that it goes on forever (like grief).
I look up at the gaps of sunlight/I miss you more than anything..
The trees partially cover up the sun, but you can still see the light from it on the other side. The trees represent grief and loss. This grief (the trees) covers up the light in your life (or the sun). But there are gaps of light, which are the remaining glimmers of hope for the speaker. She misses the subject more than anything.
The chorus repeats, but with more emotion involved this time. She holds out the end and transitions to the final chorus with a crescendo of volume.
[Chorus 2]
And autumn comes when you’re not yet done/with the summer passing by, but..
Change comes when you’re not ready for it. The summer represents the happy times that the speaker and subject had together, but autumn comes quickly, even if they didn’t ask for it. Autumn represents the parting of the two and the subsequent time that the speaker suffers her loss.
I don’t think I could stand to be/Where you don’t see me…
She repeats the sentiment from before, about how she cannot stand being apart from this subject, and how much it effects her mental state.
The instrumental flourish continues on, the loud sound decreasing to silence.
To conclude, the song, “Francis Forever” is about a person longing for someone they relied on and trying to cope with living without them.
This song isn’t for everyone. But for the people who relate to its theme, the song is a love letter to lonely people struggling with loss, whether it be by death or any other circumstance. I recommend you check out this song if it speaks to you. Trust me, truly listening to it is immensely more invigorating than simply reading these powerful lyrics.