"Slide Through Your Hands" by Jim Cuddy is a song that tells a story about a woman who returns to a place she once knew, but with a sense of fear and vulnerability. She has stepped back from a pivotal moment in her life, knowing that she would eventually falter. She moves into a small and crowded room down a dimly lit hall, hoping to escape any potential pursuit. The lyrics describe her mysterious eyes, which alternate between moments of light and weariness. She claims to be happy now, but is also afraid that the person she is trying to evade might find her. She goes out walking in late September, when the leaves have fallen, and sometimes stops and turns around. The memory of what she is trying to leave behind continues to linger within her. The woman recognizes that some people are fortunate enough to walk through life protected and sheltered from troubles they cannot comprehend. Despite her efforts, she feels like sinking sand, constantly fearing that she will slip through someone's hands. This fear wakes her up in the night, restless and anxious. The song takes a turn when it introduces another character, a man who abruptly returns one night, screaming the woman's name and blaming her for what she has done. Onlookers can only watch as the situation unfolds, wishing they could escape and hide. It takes two men to restrain the man and remove him from the scene. In the chorus, the woman expresses her longing to be like a river, running freely and wildly. She wishes she could wrap her protective waves around herself and escape with her lover into the night. Overall, "Slide Through Your Hands" is a song about fear, vulnerability, and the longing for protection. The lyrics convey the struggle of trying to break free from a troubled past and the constant fear of being caught or harmed.
