Those Metal Clouds

Solange “Cranes in the Sky”

“Cranes in the Sky” is about all the things you do to distract yourself from pain or anxiety. A lot of it is just living your life, or doing normal activities with a bit more intensity and purpose because you’re pointedly trying to “put yourself out there.” There’s a good balance of specificity and ambiguity in this song – the things she does are vivid, but the depression is very vague, and it’s unclear whether or not she’s actually escaped any of it. But as much as the lyrics express some frustration and a sense of futility, the music conveys a feeling of grace and serenity. It’s not about erasing this dark emotional undertow, it’s about learning how to live with it, and not give in to it.

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