Breathe in for luck, breathe in so deep
This air is blessed, you share with me
This night is wild, so calm and dull
These hearts, they race, from self control
Your legs are smooth as they graze mine
We're doing fine, we're doing nothing at all

My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me
So won't you kill me, so I die happy?
My heart is yours to fill or burst to break or bury
Or wear as jewelry, whichever you prefer

The words are hushed, let's not get busted
Just lay entwined here, undiscovered
Safe in here from all the stupid questions
"Hey, did you get some?" Man, that is so dumb
Stay quiet, stay near, stay close, they can't hear
So we can get some

My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me
So won't you kill me, so I die happy?
My heart is yours to fill or burst, to break or bury
Or wear as jewelry, whichever you prefer

Hands down, this is the best day I can
Ever remember, I'll always remember the sound
Of the stereo, the dim of the soft lights
The scent of your hair that you twirled in your fingers
And the time on the clock when we realized it's so late
And this walk that we shared together
The streets were wet, and the gate was locked
So I jumped it and I let you in
And you stood at your door with your hands on my waist
And you kissed me like you meant it
And I knew that you meant it
That you meant it
That you meant it
And I knew that you meant it
That you meant it


Lyrics submitted by BrandNew1208

Hands Down Lyrics as written by Christopher Andrew Carrabba

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Hands Down song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

962 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +2
    General Comment

    like gleebs, i didnt really like this song too much when i first heard it (the only song by dbc), but now i listen to it nonstop.

    carolaon December 15, 2001   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    Lost Messiah - Do you find comfort in degrading others music choice? What is your purpose in posting negative comments about music others enjoy? Does it make you feel as if you've accomplished somethign? Music is so diverse and there are so many different varities of music, you're not going to enjoy every genre of music. But, what is the purpose in degrading music others enjoy? To prove that you are feeble minded? Granted.

    At any rate - I find this to be one of my favorite Dashboard songs. When I saw Dashboard live[Vagrant Tour], I believe he played Remember to Breathe, not Hands Down. Abeit, I may be wrong. This song strays from the heart break driven music, which I could relate to. I still like this ALOT, nonetheless.

    Agony_ChrisCarrabbaon January 17, 2002   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation

    this song describes "the best day" with someone incredible that ends with one amazing kiss. it perfectly depicts the nervous exhilaration that comes from spending a whole day with someone that you're into. one of those days where you do "nothing at all" all day, just hanging out with them is enough. a day worth remembering. the anticipation and excitement of being with this person just builds throughout the day because you know you're probably going to kiss 'em eventually, or get kissed, but you don't know when. "my hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me" refers to the inevitable kiss...you've thought about it so much that when it finally happens, it just may kill you. i don't think this song is necessarily about sex, it seems too complicated for this song. i think the simplicity of a first kiss with someone is enough to get the heart racing. the kiss doesn't happen until the end of the song and this perfect day; the kiss is the crescendo.

    breakorburyon November 04, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    heres how i picture it, because it perfectly describes an amazing night i had.

    "Breathe in for luck, breathe in so deep This air is blessed, you share with me" -smoking weed or cigarettes. breathing the same "blessed" air.

    "This night is wild, so calm and dull These hearts they race from self control"

    • the night is "wild" because they snuck out, doing something rebellious. self control, like holding your breath and staying absolutely when sneaking out. OR self control like not kissing eachother or something because they're around other people, and they're hearts are racing because of it.

    Your legs are smooth as they graze mine We're doing fine, we're doing nothing at all -sitting close to eachother in someones house or outside, not doing anything, but being completely content with it.

    "My hopes are so high that your kiss might kill me So won't you kill me, so I die happy?" -we have all felt this, wanting SO badly to kiss someone that you might just die when they do. sort of related back to the "hearts race from self control"

    "My heart is yours to fill or burst, to break or bury Or wear as jewelery, whichever you prefer " -they have feelings so strong for the other person on a fun and wild night, but it doesnt matter if they break their heart, show it off or keep it because in that moment nothing could change how perfect it was.

    "The words are hushed let's not get busted Just lay entwined here, undiscovered Safe in here from all the stupid questions "Hey did you get some?" . . . Man, that is so dumb Stay quiet, stay near, stay close they can't hear " So we can get some -hooking up somewhere in secret. nobody knows where they went, and they just want to get away from the other people and the dumb drama that comes along with them.

    "Hands down this is the best day I can ever remember Always remember the sound of the stereo The dim of the soft lights, The scent of your hair that you twirled in your fingers And the time on the clock when we realized it's so late And this walk that we shared together The streets were wet and the gate was locked So I jumped it, and let you in And you stood at your door with your hands on my waist And you kissed me like you meant it And I knew that you meant it That you meant it, that you meant it I knew that you meant it, that you meant it" -last part is pretty self explanitory.

    this song fits so well with a night i had. it always reminds me of it and puts the images right back in my head. love dashboard!!

    darkdarkdarkon November 10, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this is such a good ep because it tells a story. this song is the end. it's nice to know guys care about all the little things too.

    tallgrl45on December 04, 2001   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    By far the best song on this EP.

    jephqueon December 04, 2001   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    at first, i didn't really like this song. i saw it live in july, and i just did not like it. but after seeing it again in november, and hearing it over and over again whilst i listened to my ep, it's become my favourite song on the ep overall. the last verse is just so indescribable. i don't know, i just connect so much with this song. it's crazy. i can't wait to see it live again.

    gleebson December 09, 2001   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i could listen to this song over and over and over again..

    geekgirl9on December 14, 2001   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    gleebs i agree with you. this song is deffinetly my favorite on the EP. the whole song tells a story....a story i can relate to perfectly! so i love it. his voice is so strong and i think this is one of his best songs yet. i think we should all get the new cd and listen to this song over and over again!

    DashboardSaveTheDayon December 15, 2001   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    hehe.

    spc04on January 06, 2002   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines: "Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet" So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other: "I had all and then most of you" Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart "Some and now none of you" Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship. This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Album art
Blue
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Album art
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Album art
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it. “I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.