They Can't If You Don't Let Them
A Fine Frenzy · Pines [2012]
Why do the bells sound of danger?
Words of peace, they fall from you freely
Awful free for a stranger
Setting sun, you know you ought to run
There's a wolf here among the sheep
But marching along to the spirit catcher's song
You remain in a dreamless sleep
Desperate eyes
Let the counterfeit suffice
Hoping high
They will be kind to you
Fog and fears and a mouth full of hot tears
Can drown that voice sent to guide you
And wicked tongues with their hooks
And their ice blood
Can wake the demons inside you
Doubt will creep through the windows as you sleep
Setting in like a cold cold front
Your hands go numb and your stomach doubles up
And you think, was I happy once?
Desperate minds
Hold the counterfeit so tight
Hoping high
They will be kind
Hoping high
They will be kind
Hoping high
He will be kind
To you
Run run run run
Run run run run
They Can't If You Don't Let Them
A Fine Frenzy continues to explore intimate emotional landscapes on the 2012 album Pines. This track exemplifies the artist's signature blend of folk and indie pop, characterized by delicate instrumentation and confessional songwriting. Following the success of earlier works like Almost Lover and the Bomb in a Birdcage era, the recording demonstrates a refined maturity in her musical approach. The song stands as a poignant song in her discography, focusing on themes of personal agency and resilience without relying on grandiose production. It captures the quiet intensity that defines much of her recorded output, offering listeners a moment of reflection within a cohesive body of work that prioritizes lyrical honesty and melodic subtlety.