Of Monsters and Men’s 2011 track “Little Talks” is an indie folk song about a woman grieving her husband’s death and still hearing his voice. Whether he’s actually there or she’s imagining him is open to interpretation.
Below you’ll find a full breakdown of the lyrics in “Little Talks.”
- Song: Little Talks
- Artist: Of Monsters and Men
- Songwriters: Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, Ragnar Þórhallsson
- Released: 2011
- Album: My Head Is an Animal
- Genre: Indie folk, Alternative rock
What Is “Little Talks” About?
Verse 1: The Empty House
I don’t like walking around this old and empty house
So hold my hand, I’ll walk with you, my dear
She’s alone and hates being in the house that she used to share with her now-deceased husband.
His voice answers her, offering to help her through her tough time.
We don’t know whether his voice is real or something she’s created to get through the day.
The stairs creak as you sleep, it’s keeping me awake
It’s the house telling you to close your eyes
She’s both sad and probably scared since she has never had to stay in her house alone.
He reassures her that it’s nothing to be afraid of and to actually use it to help her fall asleep. That’s also something a grieving mind might invent to comfort itself.
And some days, I can’t even dress myself
It’s killing me to see you this way
She’s describing the worst days of grief, the ones where even basic tasks seem impossible.
Watching her struggle is painful for him, even from the other side.
‘Cause though the truth may vary
This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore
The “truth may vary” seems to be telling us that what’s happening here might not be real.
But the “ship,” which seems to represent their relationship, remains strong.
Verse 2: The Old Voice
There’s an old voice in my head that’s holding me back
Well, tell her that I miss our little talks
She knows that something in her head is keeping her from moving forward.
That “old voice” is probably who she was before her husband’s death, and he’s saying that he misses her, too.
If everything is happening in her mind, this could be seen as her attempting to work through her grief, deciding between holding on and letting go.
Soon it will be over and buried with our past
We used to play outside when we were young
And full of life and full of love
She’s scared that all the good times they had will soon just be forgotten memories.
His response makes it seem like this is all playing out in her head. He’s giving her a memory to hold onto.
Some days, I don’t know if I am wrong or right
Your mind is playing tricks on you, my dear
She doesn’t know whether to hold on or let go, whether this level of grieving is a sign of love or a sign that something has gone wrong in her.
His response could mean that her fears are unfounded and she’ll be okay. It could also mean she’s right to wonder whether he’s really there at all.
Chorus: Don’t Listen to Me
Don’t listen to a word I say
The screams all sound the same
One reading of these lines is that he’s a ghost warning her not to be held back by him, that clinging to his memory will only hurt her.
Another is that she’s the one saying this, her own mind warning her that the voice she hears isn’t real.
The screams sounding the same could mean her grief and the voice she hears have become indistinguishable from each other.
Though the truth may vary
This ship will carry our bodies safe to shore
Whatever the truth is, they’ll get through it together. She holds onto that even when she questions everything else.
Bridge: Torn Apart
You’re gone, gone, gone away, I watched you disappear
All that’s left is a ghost of you
She watched him die. What’s left is only the ghost (or memory) of him.
This could be her coming to terms with the fact that he’s really gone.
The fact that both voices sing this part makes it seem like all of this is happening in her head, like the voices are merging and reality is peeking through.
Now we’re torn, torn, torn apart, there’s nothing we can do
Just let me go, we’ll meet again soon
He’s asking her to let him go. Or she’s asking herself.
Again, she’s slowly realizing that he’s really gone forever.
Now wait, wait, wait for me, please hang around
I’ll see you when I fall asleep
Now she pulls back. She’s not ready for him to go.
She asks him to stay, and tells him she’ll see him in her dreams (or they both say that), which is the one place she knows she can still find him.
“Little Talks” Song Meaning: Grief, Denial, and the Voice That Won’t Leave
“Little Talks” follows a woman who lost her husband and hasn’t stopped talking to him. Whether the conversation is real or happening entirely inside her own head is something the band said they deliberately left unresolved, and the lyrics are careful to keep it that way.
Both readings are true at the same time. She could be a widow being visited by her husband’s ghost, or she could be a woman in grief and she’s created his voice to survive it. The “truth may vary” line says as much.
Songs Like “Little Talks”
Here are some songs with similar themes to “Little Talks”:
1. “If I Die Young” by The Band Perry
“If I Die Young” is told from the perspective of someone who is going to pass away and how they hope their loved ones will handle the aftermath.
Related: “If I Die Young” Meaning
2. “Tears in Heaven” by Eric Clapton
Clapton wrote this after the death of his four-year-old son. It’s a conversation with him on the other side, and easily one of the saddest songs ever written.
Related: “Tears in Heaven” Meaning
3. “Visiting Hours” by Ed Sheeran
In “Visiting Hours,” Sheeran wishes that heaven had visiting hours so he could speak with a lost friend about the things happening in his life.
Final Thoughts
To me, “Little Talks” is one of the best-written songs about the love, loss, and healing combo. It’s written in a way that allows the listener to come up with their own interpretation, which is a great thing when a song is about dealing with the death of a loved one.
Be sure to check out more 2010s Song Meanings!
