Lightning

Mitski's song "Lightning" is a poetic exploration of rebirth, transformation, and the cyclical nature of life. The imagery of lightning and rain serves as a powerful metaphor for sudden change and renewal. The opening lines describe lightning striking close by, likening the sound to a "big tin can," which evokes a sense of immediacy and raw power. The repeated phrase "All hail the rain" suggests a reverence for the cleansing and rejuvenating qualities of rain, as if welcoming the chaos and the new beginnings it brings.

The song delves into themes of rebirth and the desire to experience life anew. The lyrics "We've been waiting to be born again" and "When I die, could I come back as the rain?" express a longing for transformation and the chance to see the world from a fresh perspective. This yearning is further emphasized by the imagery of running "like ghosts on the roof," which conveys a sense of freedom and vitality, as if the characters in the song are embracing their ephemeral existence.

Mitski also touches on the duality of darkness and light, mourning and joy. The lines "If I'm dark, all the better to reflect the moonlight" and "If I mourn, all the better to behold the sunrise" suggest that embracing one's darker moments can lead to greater appreciation of the beauty and light in life. The song concludes with a haunting acknowledgment of mortality, as the narrator hears "the song of my death" and calls for the lightning and thunder, symbolizing an acceptance of life's inevitable cycles and the beauty found within them.