SKINNY LOVE

The song “Skinny Love” contains many lines and emotions that reminded me of both Chapter 4, My Life is in Rouen, and Chapter 5, Cold Dead Hands. "Skinny love" refers to a love that is not nourished or sustained. The song begs the question: why would we leave a love to starve?

In Chapter 4, Camille, a "skinny" twelve-year-old girl, receives the news that her father is sending her away—or, in a sense, cutting ties. The lyric “Cut out all the ropes…” parallels this painful separation. Yet, the verse ends with “Right in this moment, this order’s tall,” suggesting that the decision is incredibly difficult. Pierre sends his daughter away believing it’s her best chance for survival and fulfilling her soul’s purpose. The song ends with the verse: “Who will love you? Who will fight? Who will fall far behind?” I imagine these words capturing a father’s inner turmoil as he lets go of his daughter, knowing he may be the one left behind.

Chapter 5 shifts to Mac, who avoids looking at her newborn in the NICU. “Come on, skinny love, just last the year” opens the song and evokes the image of a desperate mother pleading for her child’s survival. For Mac, the line “I told my love to wreck it all” captures her feelings of inadequacy as a new mother, believing she lacks maternal instincts. In her mind, her love isn’t enough—she already feels like she’s failed. One moment of hope shines through: Mac is able to breastfeed. The lyric “Suckle on the hope in light brassieres” evokes this connection and a fragile sense of hope.

Both chapters parallel a parent pushing a child away—whether in fear, self-doubt, or a desperate hope to protect them. They also reflect how deeply a parent's decisions affect their child. The line “And I’m holding all the tickets, and you’ll be owing all the fines” speaks to the weight of responsibility and consequence. Mac pulls back her love out of fear of losing it and feeling unworthy of it. So, is it our own fear of love that keeps it "skinny"? And is the ultimate sacrifice of parenting learning to let go?