In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
I met you somewhere
In a hell beneath the stairs
There's someone in that room
That frightens you when they go boom
Boom, boom, boom
Boom, boom, boom
Boom, boom, boom
Boom, boom, boom
The color you say is black is the one you might lack
In the size of your eyes, is there a righteous prize?
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh, oh oh
I met you, I met you
Oh, oh oh oh oh
Oh, oh oh oh oh
Oh
There's something wrong with our hearts
When they beat pure, they stand apart
In the black room, the light, watch the seabird fall
Real love, it finds you somewhere with your back to it
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh, oh oh oh
I met you, I met you
Oh, oh oh oh oh
Oh, oh oh oh oh
Oh
We know, we know
We belong by the stream, into the dawn
We know, we know
We belong by the stream, into the dawn
We know, we know
We belong by the stream, into the dawn
We know, we know
We belong by the stream, into the dawn
In a hell beneath the stairs
There's someone in that room
That frightens you when they go boom
Boom, boom, boom
Boom, boom, boom
Boom, boom, boom
Boom, boom, boom
The color you say is black is the one you might lack
In the size of your eyes, is there a righteous prize?
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh, oh oh
I met you, I met you
Oh, oh oh oh oh
Oh, oh oh oh oh
Oh
There's something wrong with our hearts
When they beat pure, they stand apart
In the black room, the light, watch the seabird fall
Real love, it finds you somewhere with your back to it
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh, oh oh oh
I met you, I met you
Oh, oh oh oh oh
Oh, oh oh oh oh
Oh
We know, we know
We belong by the stream, into the dawn
We know, we know
We belong by the stream, into the dawn
We know, we know
We belong by the stream, into the dawn
We know, we know
We belong by the stream, into the dawn
Lyrics submitted by kingchipmunk1112, edited by temen
Real Love Lyrics as written by Victoria Garance Alixe Legrand Alex Kristian Scally
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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My take:
"i met you somewhere in a hell beneath the stairs There's someone in that room that frightens you when they go boo(m)"
The writer speaks of a chance meeting and paints a room, a place where exists darkness and fear. These lines may convey things like anxiety, fear of intimacy, shyness or depression.
"the color you say is black is the one you might lack In the size of your eyes, is there a righteous prize? "
It seems to me the person she met may have an overly-simplistic concept of good or limited world-view. Perhaps he is religious and self-righteous in terms of what he seeks to find in love.
"there's something wrong with our hearts when they beat pure they stand apart"
A conundrum exists. The two, though seemingly drawn together, are unable to connect at a deep level, or are unable stay together long enough for it to work out.
"in the black room, the light, watch the seabird fall"
The light is the writer, or the path upon which the seabird flies into the mind and heart of the other. The trajectory misses. The seabird falls, or it fails to find the heart of the other. Sadly it laments:
"real love, it finds you somewhere with your back to it"
An opportunity for genuine, authentic love is not realized. The person has turned his back, due to an unwillingness to accept it or a difference in personal values. The line "i met you" repeated throughout highlights the feeling of regret or sadness due the inability of the romance - the connection - to take form. It adds to the haunting, sad quality of the song. Real love, then, is fleeting and distant. Longing, the songbird sings out, looking back with regret. We, the dreaming listener, relate and empathize as it transports us to an emotional place. Beautiful and well written.
Wonderful interpretation ~ your words convey well the feeling & intent in this lovely song. Thank you.
@ParadiseIsBurning Love this interpretation!
"there's something wrong with out hearts/when they beat pure they stand apart" - stunning. this song planted roots; it lives inside my chest.
I find this song absolutely haunting.
"I met you..."? I mean goddamn! "Real Love" (a capitalized essence concept), it finds you.
"I met you". and that's all. You met real love, but that's all.
Incredible songwriting. Beach House has really hit their creative stride. Best album of 2010 candidate.
If I could kiss any track off of the album, it'd be this one right here.<br /> So good. SO good.
"In the sights of your eyes" makes more sense in context, and sounds more correct.
This is a beautiful song. I've had and have been listening to Teen Dream for a good while, but only recently has this song really come to my attention. Certain parts really stir something and get stuck in my head - 'I met you, I met you', 'Real love, it finds you', 'You know, you know, we belong'.
Jesus christ. I almost broke down listening to this. Heartrending.
I DID break down listening to this song, hardcore. holy fuck
"Real love, it finds you somewhere with your back to it"
So true. Such an amazing song.
I think in the first verse it goes: "it frightens you, and they go 'boo'/boo, boo, boo, boo," and so on.
Additionally, the second verse should start with, "the color you say is black..." and then I don't understand the next line after that.<br /> <br /> Anyways, this song is wonderful, as is the album. This song could have just been a piano ballad, but there's something special and unique about it. The "clicking" or what sounds like a metronome at the beginning is a nice touch.
I think it says "It firghtens you when they go boo, boo boo boo" and then "real love, it finds you somewhere with your back to it"