Stella Was a Diver and She Was Always Down

The song follows the titular character, Stella, through a surreal and likely metaphorical landscape that hints at urban isolation juxtaposed with the feeling of being intensely watched. It explores a deep melancholy and sense of detachment from the world above. Fans of Interpol may recognize a recurring theme in the band's work: individuals getting lost in the vast sea of city life, akin to how Stella seems to dive into her own urban ocean.

In the narrative, Stella’s journey shifts between reality and metaphor, epitomized through the image of diving—which can signify becoming submerged in deep thoughts or emotions or, more literally, succumbing to the allure of escapism, possibly through illicit means. The repeated line 'She was all right 'cause the sea was so airtight, she broke away' serves as a haunting refrain that echoes the feeling of suffocation and the subsequent need for detachment.

As the song progresses, we delve into a deeper sense of Stella's psyche where her isolation becomes both her prison and her sanctuary. The duality of 'Days/Daze' seems to showcase how the monotony of daily life ('Days') blurs together in an almost intoxicated confusion ('Daze')—perhaps a commentary on the numbing routines of urban living or an indication of drug use.

The final sections of the song bring Stella's journey to a climax, where her interactions with the narrator become more personal and possibly morbid. Phrases such as 'my catatonic sex toy, love-joy diver' suggest an objectified relationship, and the indication that Stella 'went down, down, down there into the sea' for the narrator right before we hear 'So good, oh yeah' could imply either a descent into hedonism, death, or an all-consuming relationship. The track leaves listeners with unresolved emotions, straddling sadness, pleasure, and ambiguity.