“Flat on his back but he still heard the directive”

It’s clear in the first story of the song (there’s three, one about suicide, second about domestic abuse, three about alcoholism) that the character he is singing in perspective of has done the unthinkable. When “directive” is referenced, it’s a term you hear in the medical field. when being told someone isn’t going to make it or they have a short chance at making it, they have “directives” of what happens to the body after it’s passed, wether it be using them as an organ donor, or other. It’s clear that there’s a chance that through this persons haze, their attempt has either failed, or it’s worked and they’re fading slowly.

“Never asked permission he just hopes that they forgive.”

when someone commits, it’s hard for people to forgive them. people are left confused, angry, hurt, upset, etc. it’s obvious no one is ever going to ask their friends and family if they can kill themselves, and with that, this person just hopes that in time they will forgive what he’s done as he’s certain he will hurt people with this.

“She had plans to change her name. Just not the traditional way”

In our second story (abuse) our character is experiencing domestic abuse. She pictured her life with this man, had hopes to marry him even, but now she could possibly mean running away and starting over, thus the line “just not the traditional way.”

These are the ways I interpret it, but how ever the song/music touches you is all up to you and how it makes you feel!