WeGay 2: Meaning of the Title

The title of chapter 2 directly references a song by The Reign of Kindo. “Blistered Hands” has a straightforward surface-level interpretation I feel, but what I deeply enjoy about Kindo’s lyrics is how you can extrapolate meaning from them in a bunch of ways. These extrapolations fit rather nicely with Matthew’s and Rob’s stories and that’s why I choose that song for this chapter’s title and theme.

My interpretation of each verse of the song is of someone who’s calloused by life and the way they are, someone who acts odd or weird to mask their insecurities and fears. Yet, they try to convince the other to see things from their perspective and accept them as they are.

It also helps that the song’s choice of instruments and editing is incredibly beautiful and contemplative. It’s definitely a song I’ve listened to on repeat for hours on end the other day when I was trying to figure out the tone for this chapter.

Another song of Kindo’s I was considering using as the title, which is in the same album as it happens, is “Nightingale”. It has that same vibe of lyrics with deeper meaning than their surface level. In the end, I decided against it because the surface-level meaning of the lyrics, in general, has a downcast mood to them, unlike “Blistered Hands”. I worry that the readers might misinterpret them and assume some form of tragedy would happen, hence the decision.

Otherwise, there are many Reign of Kindo songs I’d love to use as inspiration and to foreshadow future events, but I do like to branch out and seek out inspirations elsewhere too. I already have some ideas for which song to use for chapter 3 and 4 of the comic when we get to it, but that won’t be happening for a few months still, so it’s time to focus on the here and now.

Thanks for reading and enjoy this banger of a song, everyone!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oTkmDW1ZRHk

Blistered Hands

by The Reign of Kindo

See these blistered hands

Try to understand what I've been doing all these years

Driving through the miles

You think that I've gone wild, but I'm just living in such fear, oh no

Afraid that all the songs I write are never gonna see the light of day

'Cause I've been living like a vagabond ever since I first learned how to play

That's okay

Because it's all the same to me, so darling please

Tell me that you'll stay for one more song

'Cause it might be the one that makes you mine

I can't bear the thought of being alone

And I'm worried that I'm running out of time

You've somewhere else to be

So promise me, before you leave, you'll stay for one more song

Spoke with you last night

It was one hell of a fight and, oh, it left us both in tears

Striving through the pain

It's easier to blame and let the world be on its way, oh no

It's easier to feel like every wrong turn that I've made is not my fault

So yeah, I shared my troubled words with you and sent you crying deep into the dark

But no, I never meant to see your face crying over me

So darling, please

Tell me that you'll stay for one more song

'Cause it might be the one that makes you mine

I can't bear the thought of being alone

And I'm worried that I'm running out of time

You've somewhere else to be

So promise me, before you leave, you'll stay for one more song