k.d. lang – Wash Me Clean Lyrics

k.d. lang · Ingénue

Country

You swim, swim through my veins
Drown me in your reign
My desire carries no shame
My will, will harbour no pain

Wash, wash me clean
Mend my wounded seams
Cleanse my tarnished dreams

Swim, swim through my veins
Drown me in your reign

Wash, wash me clean
Mend my wounded seams
Cleanse my tarnished dreams

Drink, drink from my spell
Quench, love's drying well

Wash, wash me clean
Mend my wounded seams
Cleanse my tarnished dreams

Comments (2)

Anonymous 2011-04-23 16:49:00

It seems to be about taking communion in the Christian faith..."Christ in me, me in Christ"...shame, repentance, forgiveness, absolution, healing, recovery, a new beginning.But I don't know what to make of the "Drink" verse. So love's well is drying up; the supply of love is running out. To quench is to put out, extinguish, eliminate, decrease, stop, satisfy, relieve. So that gives us this: if you drink from my spell, the reservoir of love will stop fading or receding or leaving. Who's spell is this? who's offering this relief? Can't be God's love, can it? I thought that was a constant. How could it dry up? Is the singer's well of love that's drying up and needs renewal, replenishing, re-filling? Then the subject of the verbs in the previous verses and the last verses changes. Unlikely that that the songwriter had that in mind.So maybe the entire premise is wrong.Then are we singing about human love? lesbian love? what?
Anonymous 2011-04-24 10:17:00

I get the communion idea for some of the verses. Bread and wine enter the bloodstream and swim through the veins toward the heart, which has been hurt, has no ill will, feels dirty, stained, tarnished, and yearns for cleansing and a new beginning. Christianity offers that. It offers a savior who will reign forever.But I think it's just about two lovers. One is submissive, the other dominant. They have different needs, hopes and expectations in their relationship. The dominant one feels his/her capacity for love is drying up and wants to love again. The submissive one needs the cleansing and new start, after having been hurt badly, probably in a previous relationship. He/she assures the other that there is no shame or malice in his/her intent...just needs a new start and is willing to try to love again with the dominant one. Meanwhile, there is something very alluring (spell) about the submissive one. The submissive says, "You can trust me." I'll drink your Kool-Aid and you can swim into my heart, and if you drink my Kool-Aid, your drying well will be filled with love.Doesn't that seem to fit?