Most songs show very differing approaches to the topic of suicide. Some songs deal with a sense of inevitability, some with a sense of hope, but very rarely is there a song that manages to address the topic with not only beauty, but a sense of understanding. Epicure’s Tightrope Walker is one of the most beautiful songs you will ever hear. The song revolves around a young girl who is clearly troubled and her male friend who believes that “she’s a tightrope walker and he’s the streets below”. However, the meaning of the song is far deeper than that. It deals with the fact that this girl is in a serious situation where she cannot be saved, despite the efforts of others and the willingness they show to ‘catch’ them as they fall.
The beauty of this song lies within the poetic, fragile lyrics that are delivered with such honesty and such dedication. The song has great instrumentation that manages to not overshadow the vocals and the meaning of the song. The acoustic guitar at the beginning is joined by string instruments after a verse before the rest of the band joins in to accompany with a jazz based backing. The appellant tone of the song features so much beauty that I cannot begin to describe how it makes ME feel. Yet, with brutally poetic lyrics such as “So put your arms down honey, this ain’t no execution, I was just watching you sleep” listener begins to see just how much the ‘lead character’ in this feels about the girl and the problems she is going through. A beautifully stark song that deals with such troubling topics in such a delicate way.
The 100 Best Songs From 2000 - 2009 
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