In a long-awaited return to her solo career, Lucy Dacus has dropped a tantalizing new track, “Ankles,” marking the first glimpse into her upcoming album Forever Is A Feeling, due out on March 28, 2025. This release comes just after her involvement with boygenius, the indie supergroup she shares with Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker. The song, which stands out both in lyrical complexity and mood, has captivated listeners with its raw honesty and emotional depth. But what do the lyrics of Ankles really mean? Let’s break them down.
Setting the Scene: Tension Between Desire and Restraint
From the opening lines, Ankles lays bare a sense of emotional tension and longing. Lucy Dacus asks, “What if we don’t touch? What if we only talk / About what we want and cannot have?” There’s an immediate sense of yearning for something just out of reach. She’s exploring the paradox of wanting something but being reluctant—or perhaps unable—to fully experience it. This can be interpreted as a commentary on the frustration of unfulfilled desire, a theme that’s common in Dacus’s work. She’s asking what happens when the temptation of touch or action is left unspoken, when emotions are explored but not physically acted upon.
This tension continues in the following lines: “And I'll throw a fit / If it's all I can do / If it's the thought that counts / Let's think it through.” Here, Dacus seems to imply a kind of powerless frustration, the feeling of being trapped in thought, as if yearning is all that remains when physicality is out of reach. But, there’s also a sense of playfulness in her tone, suggesting that these emotions are, to some extent, performative. There's a vulnerability in this passive aggression—throwing a fit without having the option to act on what is desired.
Sensuality and Power Dynamics: A Push and Pull
As the song progresses, the sensuality ramps up, with Dacus singing, “So bite me on the shoulder / Pull my hair / And let me touch you where I want to.” The visceral imagery of these actions conveys a certain rawness—sexuality, desire, and control all at play within the relationship. Dacus gives us a glimpse of how she’s both a participant and a provocateur in this interaction, offering a balance of vulnerability and power.
One of the key lyrics, “Pull me by the ankles to the edge of the bed / And take me like you do in your dreams,” evokes an intense feeling of being at the mercy of someone else’s desires, almost as if Dacus is surrendering to this vision of romance or intimacy. Yet, it’s not passive submission—there’s agency in her choice to “not stop” her partner this time. The lack of resistance here could symbolize a moment of liberation, the willingness to go beyond the limits of what’s comfortable in favor of fully embracing the moment.
The Mundane Meets the Erotic: A Fascinating Contrast
What really sets Ankles apart, however, is the shift from passion to normalcy. After the emotional and physical intensity of the earlier lines, Dacus sings, “Then help me with the crossword in the morning / You are gonna make me tea / Gonna ask me how did I sleep.” This juxtaposition of sensuality with the mundane adds a layer of realism to the song. It’s not just about fleeting passion; it’s also about the tenderness that comes after the storm—quiet moments that reveal the deeper emotional bond between two people.
This balance between the raw, physical side of a relationship and its more mundane, domestic counterpart suggests that Dacus is interested in the full spectrum of emotional connection. The desire to be held and cared for, both in moments of intense intimacy and in those of ordinary affection, shows a longing for depth and consistency. There’s a sense of comfort and care in these simple acts, which creates an intriguing contrast to the earlier sexual imagery.
The Final Act: Chaos, Fate, and the Unpredictable
The line “Agent of chaos, angel of death / One of three ancient fates / Playing with your scissors again” introduces a new layer of meaning, invoking mythological references. The “ancient fates” reference the three goddesses in Greek mythology responsible for spinning, measuring, and cutting the thread of life. This line adds an element of uncertainty, hinting at a larger cosmic force at play in the relationship. The “scissors” could symbolize the looming threat of fate or destruction, suggesting that what is being experienced now is temporary, fragile, and subject to forces beyond anyone’s control.
In this context, Dacus’s plea for control within the song—“Now don’t move when I tell you what to do”—feels like a desire to seize power within a chaotic, unpredictable relationship. It’s as if she’s trying to maintain some agency within a system that’s otherwise dictated by fate, uncertainty, and emotional turbulence.
A Song About Desire, Chaos, and the Mundane
In Ankles, Lucy Dacus blends the sensual with the spiritual, the chaotic with the ordinary. The song explores the dynamic of intense emotional and physical connection with someone, yet also acknowledges the inevitable calm that follows. It's about surrendering to passion and embracing the reality that desire can coexist with daily life—the crossword puzzle, the tea, the question about sleep. The song’s narrative feels both deeply personal and universally relatable, embodying the tension of wanting more and the comfort found in the smallest, most human moments.
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