Well I guess this is where I left my life
And all its operations
And I know that I will never get this twice
With all negotiations

This feels like the place between what is and might have been
So I guess this is where we both find out
If this was meant to be
And I'll tell myself, I don't need you
I'll tell myself enough to get me through
But I'll finally show you how I should have been being with you every day
If you can take a little more

Now it takes me back to times on Lincoln Avenue
When you said you'd never get tired of the boy
That seemed to be so far from growing up
But we were different then

This feels like the place between being ready and being in the way
And I'll tell myself, I don't need you
I'll tell myself enough to get me through
But I'll finally show you how I should have been being with you every day
If you can wait a little more

This feels like the time that I'm ready for you
Are you ready for me
Cause I'll tell myself I'll make it through
I'll tell myself anything to get over you

And I won't blame you but I'm finally ready to show you
That I'm ready to show you, I'm ready to show you, yeah
I'll tell myself that I never needed anybody anyway, but anyway
I need you
I need you now
I need you now
I'm ready now


Lyrics submitted by BrownSound

Lincoln Avenue Lyrics as written by Charlie Colin Charles Colin

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Lincoln Avenue song meanings
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8 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment

    I don't know why this is one of my favorite train songs.

    Jupiter03on June 19, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I love this song, it's so full of emotion, but I don't like listening to it too much. It really hits close to home.

    Indy313on December 30, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this is such a perfect song, and exactly how I feel about my last bf. he's asking for someone back, because there's no way he's gunna get over them

    Fireworxchic666on January 09, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is another song off this album that hints at a long-term relationship splitting. In my interpretation he's known this girl for a while, they may have been dating all that time too, but he's lost her. He's been waiting a while to try to get her back, kind of finging himself and what he wants. He's so sure that he's got everything figured out and he's all set to go but then he stumbles over proving that he could have been really great to her. No matter how many tries to tell himself he's over her, though, and that he doesn't need her anymore it never works. He's got things figured out now but he still wants to have her because he realized that he really does need her. Beautiful song

    Jag3892on February 05, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song to me is about going home and telling your childhood friend that you have always loved, that you are ready to start a much deeper kind of relationship than what you had before.its simply a song about growing up and finally admitting to yourself the things you were so afraid of grasping before.

    thecolorsblueon May 03, 2006   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion

    Best song.

    It's been in my top 3 favorites for about 6 years, and i never find anything remotely close in lyrics.. Any relationship i get into or out, this song fits.. and yeah, it makes me cry.. Well sometimes.

    Point: It's amazing.

    Kaylaraye7337on December 17, 2008   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    i think this song is about timing, about things not being the same as they once were, and struggling to let go of the idea that maybe things aren't going to work out.

    he speaks only briefly of a time a while ago when she said things to make him believe she would always have feelings for him. never get tired of him. but as time has gone on, she's changed, and everything she had once said no longer applies. time has passed and things have changed with her..

    "Now it takes me back to times on Lincoln Avenue, when you said you'd never get tired of the boy. That seemed to be so far from growing up, But we were different then."

    he thinks it's something specific about him that he may be able to possibly change and maybe after that it may work. but everything he tries or does doesn't change anything. he doesn't handle it well, so he tells himself that he doesn't need her.. doesn't want a relationship anyway. but he's only telling himself that to get through the disappointment. kinda like fooling himself.

    he's battling inside wondering if he should try one more time, or move on. but he keeps coming back and trying and hoping the outcome will be different each time.

    "This feels like the place between what is and might have been." "This feels like the place between being ready and being in the way."

    Those two lines above are great. it describes that in-between-situation whether you should stay or go. whether it's actually meant to be, or never was. whether you'd be great for her, or just get in the way.

    in the end, he can't hold it in, and doesn't just admit he wants to be with her.. but he really needs her to make it all right.

    jet1on December 12, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is for real my favorite song right now, I can listen to it all day. The music of the piano mixed with pat's vocals it so perfect. Pat's voice carries a kind of pain that makes the story believable (especially at the end when he says "but anyway I need you, I need you now, I need you now, I'm ready now.")Plus the lyrics are so beautifully crafted like:

    Well I guess this is where I left my life, and all its operations. And I know that I will never get this twice, with all negotiations.

    AND

    And I'll tell myself, I don't need you, I'll tell myself enough to get me through.

    And of course

    This feels like the place between what is and might have been.

    truly a song that i will enjoy listening to for a long long time

    KangarooCryon June 07, 2011   Link

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