Meaning of "Return" by OK Go

The lyrics of "Return" delve into the themes of loss, memory, and the inexorable passage of time. The singer laments the fading memories of a departed loved one, describing how even the most vivid recollections have become "thick and dull, all gravel and glass." The pain of losing someone is compounded by the realization that they were meant to age and grow old together, but fate had other plans. The repetition of "return" throughout the song underscores the desire for a reunion that can never happen, highlighting the irreversibility of loss and the finality of death. The lyrics serve as a poignant meditation on grief, the frailty of memory, and the longing for a past that can never be reclaimed.