This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
Thank you for this bitter knowledge
Guardian angels who left me stranded
It was worth it, feeling abandoned
Makes one hardened but what has happened to love
You got me writing lyrics on postcards
Then in the evenings, looking at the stars
But the brightest of the planets is Mars
What has happened to love?
So I will opt for the big white limo
Vanity fairgrounds and rebel angels
You can't be trusted with feathers so hollow
Your heaven's invention, steel-eyed vampires of love
You see over me, I'll never know
What you have shown to other eyes
Go or go ahead and surprise me
Say you've led the way to a mirage
Go or go ahead and just try me
(What has happened to love?)
Nowhere's now here smelling of junipers
Fell off the hay bales, I'm over the rainbows
But oh, Medusa, kiss me and crucify
This unholy notion of the mythic powers of love
Look in her eyes, look in her eyes
Forget about the ones that are crying
Look in her eyes, look in her eyes
Forget about the ones that are crying
Go or go ahead
Go or go ahead
Go or go ahead and surprise me
Go or go ahead
Go or go ahead
Go or go ahead and surprise me
Guardian angels who left me stranded
It was worth it, feeling abandoned
Makes one hardened but what has happened to love
You got me writing lyrics on postcards
Then in the evenings, looking at the stars
But the brightest of the planets is Mars
What has happened to love?
So I will opt for the big white limo
Vanity fairgrounds and rebel angels
You can't be trusted with feathers so hollow
Your heaven's invention, steel-eyed vampires of love
You see over me, I'll never know
What you have shown to other eyes
Go or go ahead and surprise me
Say you've led the way to a mirage
Go or go ahead and just try me
(What has happened to love?)
Nowhere's now here smelling of junipers
Fell off the hay bales, I'm over the rainbows
But oh, Medusa, kiss me and crucify
This unholy notion of the mythic powers of love
Look in her eyes, look in her eyes
Forget about the ones that are crying
Look in her eyes, look in her eyes
Forget about the ones that are crying
Go or go ahead
Go or go ahead
Go or go ahead and surprise me
Go or go ahead
Go or go ahead
Go or go ahead and surprise me
Lyrics submitted by BlueAndStarry
Go or Go Ahead Lyrics as written by Rufus Wainwright
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
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.
"I'll never know what you've shown to other eyes"
ahhh... this song is so amazing! After watching him perform it in February it's has become one of my favorites.
From his website: "“In Xanadu did Kublai Khan a stately pleasure dome decree … ” I’m a little nervous talking about this one. It was written a couple of years ago on a horrible, frightening drug crash. The lyrics came to me fast and furious. I was shattered, and I had to resort to mythological metaphors in order to express what I was feeling. It was a very Rimbaud moment for me. It was about facing addiction, or facing this person I’d become. It was me fighting for my life, because it had become a battle at that point. The voices in the chorus are like the Furies; that song is my “Orpheus Ascending.”"
(Thank you for this bitter knowledge, Guardian angels who left me stranded, It was worth it, feeling abandoned, Makes one hardened but what has happened to love) ...To me, speaks of a mentor or a lover, who left abruptly and intentionally, as a lesson.
(You got me writing lyrics on postcards, Then in the evening looking at the stars, But the brightest of the planets is Mars, Then what has happened to love) ...One of the most beautifully written lyrics, ever!, writing on postcards out of the inspiration of love...yet, looking to the stars for answers and finding your attention drawn only to Mars...named only for the god of war...while sadly, Venus, the goddess of love, is nowhere to be seen...gorgeous.
(So I will opt for the big white limo)...A shattered heart seeking comfort in...(Vanity fairgrounds)...Clubs? (and rebel angels)...sympathetic souls?
(You can't be trusted with feathers so hollow, Your heaven's inventions, steel eyed vampires of love) A beautiful, haunting and disheartening visage of the archetypal protecting angel...turned archangel and love-draining enemy.
(You see over me, I'll never know, What you have shown to other eyes)...to me, speaks of a former comfort that denied access to deeper levels, whether access to love, knowledge...something was hidden, arrogant, hurtful.
Go or go ahead and surprise me Say you've lead the way to a mirage Go or go ahead and just try me
(Nowhere's now here smelling of junipers)...A reference to the smell of gin, being located in a place that has become No Place At All.
(Fell of the hay bales, I'm over the rainbows)...A clever reference, all at once falling from being a working class hero to rising as a gay icon, a certified "friend of Dorothy".
(But of Medusa kiss me and crucify, This unholy notion of the mythic power of love, Look in her eyes, look in her eyes, Forget about the ones that are crying)...begging the mythological goddess to turn him to stone, so that the pain of love might be felt no more...a stirring and powerful scene.
Look in her eyes, look in her eyes Forget about the ones that are crying Go or go ahead
...One of my most favorite Rufus songs...timeless.
First off, this is possibly the BEST song interpretation I've ever read. Fantastic, really fantastic.<br /> <br /> I would add one thing to it, and it's the thing I love the most about Rufus Wainwright... the encapsulation of feelings into words. For example:<br /> <br /> (Thank you for this bitter knowledge, Guardian angels who left me stranded, It was worth it, feeling abandoned, Makes one hardened but what has happened to love)<br /> This also really sums up how it feels when you've been used up, tossed aside, and some time as passed... allowing you to look back on this horrible moment and see the value of it... see how it changed you.<br /> <br /> The whole song has that feeling, that "You broke me for a little while, but I'm stronger now... strong enough to tell you to either do right by me (surprise me) or get away from me."<br /> <br /> The whole "go or go ahead and try me"... to me, there's some real anger there.<br /> <br /> But that's just the way the song FEELS. And that's the amazing thing about Rufus isn't it? These complex, mixed emotions.... and the SOUND of a song, the rises and builds, suddenly you FEEL that emotion.<br /> <br /> I honestly can't listen to this song without crying.
...thought I just wanted to correct the lyrics above by putting it into lyrical order:
Thank you for this bitter knowledge Guardian angels who left me stranded It was worth it Feeling abandoned makes one hardened But what has happened to love?
You got me writing lyrics on postcards Then in the evenings looking at the stars But the brightest of the planets is Mars What has happened to love?
So I will opt for the big white limo Vanity fairgrounds and rebel angels You can't be trusted with feathers so hollow Your heaven's inventions – steel eyed vampires of love
You see over me I'll never know what you have shown to other eyes Go or go ahead and surprise me Say you've lead the way to a mirage Go or go ahead and just try me
Nowhere's now here smelling of junipers Fell of the hay bales and over the rainbows But oh Medusa, kiss me And crucify this unholy notion of the mythic powers of love
Look in her eyes, look in her eyes Forget about the ones that are crying Look in her eyes, look in her eyes Forget about the ones that are crying
Go or go ahead Go or go ahead Go or go ahead and surprise me Go or go ahead Go or go ahead Go or go ahead and just try me
What has happened to love?
Like most of the songs I like, I never really went to look at the lyrics until after I'd been singing along to i badly for quite some time. This one just shook me - the lyrics are so powerful; the language and the references all make one seriously jolting and moving picture. I adore it.
God, this song is just so amazing on so many levels. I love the references to Medusa and the rebel angels in this modern-age song. It's just so beautiful.
'crucify this unholy notion of the mythic powers of love' Another powerful Wainwright song, and the mesh of mythology and contemporary is shattering. Stunning.
MEANING: playng live, he introdiced this song as "this was written after a three day crystal meth binge"
This is one of my most most most favourite songs. I relate to the lyrics, not to the crystal meth binge.
By far my favourite rufus song, saw him on April 12th, simply amazing.
Rufus' latest album is absolutely fantastic. This song is just one example of how wonderful it is.
I think this song ties up and exhibits all the aspects of heartache that can be associated with love. Uncertainty being hurt, and the one hurting your loved one, betrayal, regret, frustration. .. How is Rufus able to capture all of this in one six and a half minute song?