Daybreak
at the bottom of lake
it's a hundred degrees I can't breathe
Have to agree with your ideas that he is feeling smothered by something - obstensibly HER. The line would read "Well, it's another day and I still feel opressed."
And I won't get out
'til I figure it out
Though I'm weak like I can't believe
He realizes that it's not going to change until/unless he does something about it. The problem is, he doesn't think he has it in him to say/do anything. He is so emotionally fragile. This could also reflect moral weakness... i.e. maybe I could pretend a little longer and keep the security and companionship.
So you tell me 'trust me' l can trust you
Just let me show you
At this point the woman is obviously trying to tell him he's silly and it's all in his head, etc. You know the drill. He admits that he MIGHT be able to trust her with the following clause:
But I gotta work it out in a shadow of doubt
'cause I don't know if I know you
How can you trust someone you don't really know all that well. He is showing that he has an inherent suspicion.
Doing fine but don't waste my time
Tell me what it is you want to say
This could either be the author saying this or the partner. In the former possibility, it would be her disregard for his feelings. In the latter, it would be his impatience at the relationship and possibly the way she dances around the truth.
You sin, you win, just let me in - hurry
I've been out in the rain all day
Again, if he is only looking to her for a connection during a fragile time - shelter, so to speak - he is willing to trade the sin of the lie that is the relationship for the security of the relationship.
So you tell me 'trust me' I can trust you
as far as I can throw you
And I'm trying to get out of a shadow of doubt
'cause I don't know if I know you
Well, now it's starting to break down. He no longer trusts her. He is also trying to discern exactly what the problem is - i.e. getting out of the shadow of doubt. He seems to have come to the realization that she is not what he thought.
Don't tell me you wanted me
Don't tell me you thought of me
I won't, I swear I won't
(Did)
I'll try, I swear I'll try
(Lie)
This is where the writer finally confronts the nice lady with his issue. He's pissed. He is accusing her of thinking only of herself - although she claims to have had his interests in mind. The lines "I won't..." and "I'll try" are him throwing them back at her... with the results being below. That is, although she made the first statement that she "won't"
Mother Mary quite contrary
Kiss the boys and make them wary
Things are getting just a little bit scary
It's a wonder I can still breathe
Perhaps this is the baggage he brought into the relationship, perhaps it is what he has gathered during it. Either way, he is now wary of her (or even all women). He's amazed that he is still managing to continue on.
Never been much of a doubting Thomas
but nothing breaks like a broken promise
I think the obvious "doubting Thomas" reference is used as cliche' only and not in a true biblical sense. What he is saying, though... is that he usually trusts people at face value but nothing breaks relationships and trust like a broken promise. Therefore, he is having a hard time believing anything from her anymore.
You tell me 'bout your two more coming
but once is just enough for me
This is perhaps a reference to having more chances. Isn't there a saying along the lines of "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me... etc."? Anyway, although she is pleading - or even demanding - more chances, he has had enough.
I had gotten used to being a soul destroyed
She comes in apparently to fill the void
Again, I believe he is coming out of a crappy relationship and she leaps into his life and seemingly takes the roll of savior for him. Also, it could be that he just accepted her into that role because he was so hurt and desparate.
All dogs need a leash and
at least I'll forget it
An obvious reference to her controlling him.
And she would never hurt me though
she's never said it
His nievete at trusting her... though that hasn't been confirmed.
But I'm not gonna ask her today
I don't wanna scare her away
He believes that she would be offended or that she would leave if he challenged her on any of the issues.
Your town, I'm all alone
and I just can't stare at the phone
Even though he is with her - with no other contact with other friends, etc. - he feels isolated and away from the world. Almost imprisoned? Perhaps waiting for some rescue?
I wanna talk about lifelong mistakes
and you can tell your stepfather I said so
I think this is a brilliant line. The use of "stepfather" here could possibly imply a previous divorce of her parents that he is pointing to as an example of how sometimes marriage doesn't turn out to be a good idea. Also, when someone wants to get married, the sterotype is that they talk to the bride's father and generally get grilled with "are you sure you aren't rushing into this?" He is perhaps telling her that he has his doubts and is using the stepfather reference as a sort of preemptory strike. "Look, I don't think I am ready for this and I don't want to go any farther with it until I know... otherwise we might end up like your parents."
Anyway, that's my take on it. Rip away.
I think that he merged two concepts into one song; that of a broken personal relationship and that of a broken spiritual relationship. Perhaps at the same time his personal relationship was ending, he was having doubts about his religious beliefs as well. It has been said that "Pull Me Under" was sort of a merged commentary on the lives of Hamlet and Jesus, so it is possible that Kevin likes to obfuscate the true meaning of his lyrics in this way.
Just some food for thought...