Sunburn

This has a different and bittersweet meaning for me, based on my personal experiences. The guy I like and I are about three hours apart, though we spent a few months together earlier this year when it all started. My older brother also held a long distance relationship. Here's how I view this song because of this:

So there we were, back home From somewhere inside my head

When the long distance couple meets again, it's like coming home and the other half is no longer just a thought, but someone they can see.

Well bravely I fought off the monsters beneath her bed Pillars of post-war books supported my frame of mind While she memorized the pages that I tried to not hide behind

They're so excited to be back together that they'll do anything to help each other and are trying to get to know each other even better.

She took my hand in hers and whispered her love for me The lantern died that night but we didn't need to see Implying that she's the bee's knees and I am the cat's meow

They confess their love and don't even need to see each other to believe it, giving them hope for when they're apart and making them feel really good about themselves.

It's funny how she recalls when I can't remember now

When they're apart, they share different memories of time together.

But when her smile came back And I didn't feel half as horrible She gave me a heart attack Just because she looked so adorable

They meet each other again (her smile returning to the boy) and they both feel a lot better. She makes his heart go crazy because he realizes again just how beautiful or adorable she is.

We both put our sunblock on Laid on the beach and vowed that we'd live and we'd learn Yeah, but she got a tan and I got a sunburn

They try to protect themselves from the distance but she handles it better than he does.

So there we were out there Unaware of where we'd been We kicked off our flip-flops And swung from the rooftops again

When they're together, they forget the time apart and enjoy each other's company doing some fun stuff together.

It's awkward but I'll confess she's all I can think about And it's funny how I recall when she can't remember now

When they're apart (sorry for flipping back and forth so much!) she's all the guy can think about and, again, the sharing memories.

Oh afterglow, look out below! We'd left a trail of dust behind

This talks about all the memories of the time they get to be together and how they cherish it, but all of it is fading and they want to see each other again.

As we parted ways, she held my gaze, And left an imprint on my mind I tried not to cry as we said goodbye And hung the clouds above my town

This one's more from my personal experience. When I said goodbye to him, we couldn't stop looking at each other and it was hard to ignore the emotion.

But I shed a tear when she disappeared 'Cause now I'm a stranger on the ground

This means that he really misses her and feels alone without her.

That's just my interpretation. Not entirely bad. The meanings of different things tend to be subjective, dictated by the experience of the person thinking about it.