Meaning of "The Woods" by The White Buffalo

"The Woods" by The White Buffalo explores the theme of authenticity and the pressure to conform to societal norms. The narrator feels like an outsider, having been gone for a long time and misunderstood by those around them. They observe that people wear masks and have shallow eyes, suggesting that they are hiding their true selves and lacking depth. The narrator yearns for a return to the woods, which symbolize a place of authenticity and escape from the artifice of society. In the woods, they can be free from the pressure to conform and be true to themselves. The contrast between the woods and the world outside highlights the narrator's longing for a simpler and more genuine existence. The song also touches on the idea of collective conformity, as the people around the narrator strive to be different but end up all looking the same, ironically wearing prosthetics to alter their appearances. This could be seen as a critique of the superficiality of modern society and the pressure to fit in. Ultimately, the song conveys a yearning for a place of authenticity and a rejection of the pressures to conform to societal expectations.