Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: singer-songwriter
Song Meaning of “Splinter” by Ani DiFranco
Ani DiFranco’s song “Splinter” is an exploration of the tensions that often arise in relationships between two people. As the title of the song suggests, the couple in the song is on the brink of splitting up and the singer is lamenting the breakdown of the bond that once held them strong. The singer uses the metaphor of a splinter to represent the broken connection, and asks her lover to have enough courage to pull it out and make them whole again.
At times, the splinter represents the small issues that can quickly accumulate and impede a relationship’s progress and deepen the divide between the two people. Even though they can sometime seem insignificant, these “splinter” can spread through the relationship and can eventually lead to deep rooted rifts. The singer asks her partner to have faith that they can come through the storm and build a bridge to reconnect them and repair the damage that has been done.
The song’s chorus underscores the fragility of relationships, echoing DiFranco’s plea to not let their bond disintegrate and imploring them to move quickly to make it through the struggles together. “Splinter” shines a light on the difficulty of being in a loving relationship, with the singer equating patience, understanding and forgiveness as methods of saving the bond that ties them together.