The hauntingly beautiful “My Love Mine All Mine” was undoubtedly the most popular song from Mitski’s newest 2023 album “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We.” Because of the song’s musicality and lyrics, it was swiftly used by many to express their love for others; with some even using it to express their sadness or grief towards losing someone they loved. In this review we’ll tackle the profound emotions Mitski hopes to express to us, her listeners, with this captivating track.
The Moon:
In the opening verse, Mitski ponders on how the moon looked like a hole in the middle of her tent, casting its glow upon her. She reflects about the moon’s existence predating hers and how it will certainly continue to exist long after she passes. She expresses a desire to send up her heart to the moon, ensuring that even when she deteriorates, her love can be eternalized and shine down on earth.
Love for Herself:
The chorus emphasizes a powerful declaration—even if Mitski possessed nothing that truly belonged to her, ultimately her love is her own. This section of the song serves as a testament to the overarching theme of love and her unwavering possession of it.
Love for Others:
The second verse delves into Mitski’s wishes that the person who has shown her love will continue to feel the love that she has for them, as they have shown her what it felt like to be loved. She envisions her love as a perpetual source of light, offering solace to those she leaves behind. This segment reveals her desire to extend comfort and protection even after her death.
Reaffirmation:
The final chorus resounds with the emphasis that to love and to be loved is Mitski’s one true treasure. She empathetically reiterates that her love is an exclusive possession, destined to be hers and hers alone.
In essence, Mitski’s song contemplates death, ephemerality, and above all, love. In her behind-the-song video, she emphasized how she felt that in this mundane world nothing is truly hers. Yes, she may have material things, but all of those items are impermanent. She also added her realization that when she dies, all will be nothing. This made her question what could be truly hers? Something that can’t be stolen, something that won’t deteriorate, something that is everlasting. And after thinking and pondering about what that may be, Mitski came to the conclusion that it’s the love that she has built within her over the years. She expressed that as long as she holds onto it and never lets go, her love for herself will always remain. Mitski believes that to love and to be loved surpasses all her other achievements and accolades. It is the ability to love and to be loved that she treasures the most, and she hopes that through this song, she would be able to impart her fervent wish that her love persists long after her earthly departure.
As much as I loved “My Love Mine All Mine,” I truly believe that Mitski’s album as a whole is a rich tapestry of themes ranging from love, addiction, loss, grief, and more. Her new album showcases her artistic prowess as a lyricist and her raw emotions that can be clearly felt throughout the album. Consider “My Love Mine All Mine” as a gateway song into Mitski’s musical universe, and I encourage all to listen and appreciate the entirety of her remarkable discography.
This is written so beautifully! It does a great job capturing the song‘s essence. <3