I've been going through Mitski's discography and the song Pearl Diver stopped me in my tracks. If you have read Our Wives Under the Sea, this song perfectly encapsulates the themes of the book, the eerie tone, the deeper meanings of the story/fable, (the doomed ending)…
I was awestruck. I must have listened to this song about 10 times now.
At surface-level, it's a sea shanty/siren song that is mourning the ill-fated diver or seducing the diver to their death in turn. The singer encourages the diver to give in to "the monsters on your shoulder" and dive, dive down.
Under the (water's) surface, it is a rebuke of obsession that destroys the obsessor. Maybe a punishment for pursuit of knowledge beyond what we are meant to know?? I could write a whole essay on how this song relates to Our Wives. Just listen to it.
But hunter, you were human/ don't forget it and go safely/ and I, I'll live without you/ though the struggle will be daily
Pearl diver/ dive, dive deeper
Pearl diver/ dive, dive down
by SweetAppropriate4667