Analyzing Bon Iver's Song 'Skinny Love'

A girl and a boy share an unhealthy relationship, due to the emotional unbalance between them. Both wonder how they ever got into this problem. They struggle to end the pain. With little hope, they try but are unable to connect emotionally, showing how their love is thin and fragile. Birdy’s rerecording of Bon Iver’s song, “Skinny Love,” with lyrics heavy with meaning, is about a venomous relationship is on the brink of destroying the people involved. The timed writing assignment that originally came with it hardly excited me, and at the moment my mind was blank when understanding the song lyrics. As I analyzed the song’s lyrics further, they eventually inspired me to steal this song and recreate something of my own. I knew it and heard

Being able to express a newly acquired piece of knowledge is so refreshing, and I was grateful to be able to share this story through my choreography. Since a relationship like this is unknown to me, it was difficult for me to relate to the feelings in the song. However, the feelings of being trapped in a cycle of despair and trying hard to connect with someone became more familiar when I compared it to relationships between old friends or family members. Once I made the connection, I felt the irrepressible need to steal this song and add movement and life to it, since it’s what I do best -- dancing is my passion. The laborious journey of choreographing this dance gave me a new perspective on the process as well, because I am usually the dancer rather than the teacher. As I taught the choreography to my performer, Sarah, it helped me understand the lyrics better. This song was originally dedicated to Justin Vernon’s ex-girlfriend, a member of this matched mayhem. I explained to her that she plays the role of Emma, the abused girlfriend of this unhealthy relationship, and that in order to meet those standards, she must understand the purpose of the dance and meaning of the song in order to perform it