Truth of the matter is I'm complicated
You're as straight as they come
You go 'bout your day baby
While I hide from the sun

It's better if you don't understand
'Cause you won't know what it's like
Until you try

You know I, I'll be waiting on the other side
And you, all you gotta do is cross the line
I could wait a whole life time
But you just gotta decide
You know I, I'll be waiting on the other
Waiting on the other side

We would live forever
Who could ask for more
You could die if you wanted
But baby what for

It's better if you don't understand
And you won't know what it's like
Until you try

You know I, I'll be waiting on the other side
And you, all you gotta do is cross the line
I could wait a whole life time
But you just gotta decide
You know I, I'll be waiting on the other
Waiting on the other side

If they say life's a dream
Call this insomnia
'Cause this ain't Wonderland
It damn sure ain't Narnia
And once you cross the line
You can't change your mind
Yeah I'm a monster
But I'm no Frankenstein
And quite frankly
I've been feeling insane in between my eyes
I really can't explain what I feel inside
If you knew what I was you'd run and hide
Many have tried to go into the night
Cross over the line and come back alive
But that's the price we pay when we living on the other side

You know I, I'll be waiting on the other side
And you, all you gotta do is cross the line
I could wait a whole life time
But you just gotta decide
You know I, I'll be waiting on the other
Waiting on the other side

It's better if you don't understand
It's better if you don't understand
It's better if you don't understand
It's better if you don't understand
It's better if you don't understand
It's better if you don't understand


Lyrics submitted by Roihu

The Other Side Lyrics as written by Bruno Mars Ari Levine

Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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The Other Side song meanings
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38 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    this song is about vampires!! for serious!!! it just makes way too much sense. when it is featured in break dawn, i will not be surprised. instead, i will stand up and yell, CALLED IT.

    lac6589on November 28, 2010   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    This song has to be about vampires.....kinda like an Edward and Bella situation. Think about it:

    "Yeah I'm a monster but I'm no Frankenstein" "You go 'bout your day baby while I hide from the sun" "If you knew what I was you's would run and hide" "We would live forever. Who could ask for more. You could die if you wanted. But baby what for?"

    It's about a guy asking a girl to "go into the night" and become a vampire. lac6589 is right. It has to be in the new twilight or a movie that rips off twilight

    jlwalk905on December 30, 2010   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation

    Actually when I first heard this song I thought it was about vampires, mainly Twilight as well... but when I really thought about the song I realized it can relate to real people too - Psychopaths. Not the stereotypical psychopaths, either.

    I was recently diagnosed with Psychopathy and have had a hard time trying to tell my boyfriend... and this song exactly describes how I've been feeling.

    BomNZon January 04, 2011   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    Yeah I'm also pretty sure it's about drugs or something similar related to seedy nightlife, maybe also a mental issue. It's left open so it can fit your particular vice!

    I think it would be perfect in Twilight or another similar vampire movie though!

    However, I do think it was written about drugs or related psychosis.

    "I'm complicated/you're as straight as they come" I have issues; you don't partake in any vices, but I have tons. ("straight" also refers to someone who doesn't party/do drugs. this usage was more popular before the word took on the meaning of heterosexuality. bruno mars has an old school vocabulary, so it makes sense that he would use "straight" to mean someone who refrains from drugs.)

    "I hide from the sun" doesn't have to refer to vampires. It can refer to seedy nightlife. He goes out at night because that's when all the bad stuff happens, all the parties. I myself hide from the sun, and even though I'm pale, I'm not a vampire. I'm just a miscreant who prefers the night.

    "you won't know what it's like until you try" suggests that it is a particular activity of some sort. of course this line is great for a vampire parallel. good for breaking dawn especially.

    "cross the LINE" coke reference? it's stretching it, i dunno. otherwise it could be more general, because once you try something you're stuck and corrupted, kind of like drug virginity (lol that sounds so stupid)

    "If they say life's a dream call this insomnia" lucidity that can be related to drugs, but also any other nightmare of a life, so any major problem.

    "'Cause this ain't Wonderland it damn sure ain't Narnia" you can't talk about wonderland without drugs. it's alluding to tripping into an alternate universe, but it's not so great because they have lots of problems. like using a drug to run away from all your issues. the fact that it ISN'T is part of a theme throughout the song of something painfully ordinary. he can't escape from the reality of his own life, no matter how hard he tries. similar to "i'm a monster/but i'm no frankenstein" which of course counters the idea that it's about twilight. it's saying that the speaker is a real person. "i'm a monster" because he has these problems/addiction, but frankenstein represents the supernatural, and I think a lot of this song is consciously going the other direction, about some serious real life problem, and, as i said, the desire to escape but inability to do so completely. however, this can get twilighty if you want, because twilight makes vampires very ordinary. so...

    i wonder if that made sense. to be honest i'm just procrastinating doing my homework, that's why i gave such a long analysis.

    DarkNightBlueson January 10, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I'd also like to point out two more things. haha.

    1.For the twilight interpretation people, I noticed something kind of cool: In the beginning it sounds like a wolf howl in the background if you listen closely.

    2.There are three vocalists on this track, all of whom probably wrote their own verses, so it's very probable that each one took the general idea in slightly different directions that all go together in a way. which is pretty neat.

    DarkNightBlueson January 10, 2011   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    I think you could apply this to someone who is gay and wanting someone who isn't, maybe that straight person is a close friend.

    Truth of the matter is, I'm complicated (i'm gay) You're as straight as they come (you are straight . . .) You go 'bout your day (without being judged for who you are) while i hide from the sun (because 'coming out' would hurt)

    It's better if you don't understand 'cause you won't know what it's like until you try (try, to be gay with me)

    you know I, i'll be waiting on the other side (I'm gay | You are straight) and you, all gotta do is cross the line (come be gay with me) I could wait a whole lifetime but you gotta decide (between straight or gay) you know I, i'll be waiting on the other Waiting on the other side (I'm gay | You are straight)

    we could live forever who could ask for more you could die if you wanted (face all the hate with me) but baby what for (it's too much for you to handle)

    It's better if you don't understand (i wouldn't want you to get hurt) 'cause you won't know what it's like (it would be to real for you to handle) until you try (unless you try to be gay with me)

    you know I, i'll be waiting on the other side (I'm gay | You are straight) and you, all gotta do is cross the line (come be gay with me) I could wait a whole lifetime but you gotta decide (between straight or gay) you know I, i'll be waiting on the other Waiting on the other side (I'm gay | You are straight)

    If they say life's a dream call this insomnia 'cause this ain't wonderland it damn sure ain't narnia and once you cross the line (to be gay with me) you can't change your mind (once your gay, you're gay) yeah i'm a monster (by the rest of society's standards) but i'm no no Frankenstein and quite frankly i've been feeling insane in between my eyes i really can't explain what i feel inside (being gay is natural) If you knew what I was you'd run and hide (if you knew if i was gay, would we still be the same?) Many have tried to go into the night (hide in the closet, it's dark as night in here) cross over the line and come back alive (open the door, and be free, be alive) but that's the price we pay when we living on the other side (it hurts to be gay)

    you know I, i'll be waiting on the other side (I'm gay | You are straight) and you, all gotta do is cross the line (come be gay with me) I could wait a whole lifetime but you gotta decide (between straight or gay) you know I, i'll be waiting on the other Waiting on the other side (I'm gay | You are straight)

    (it's better to not cross, you won't get hurt) it's better if you don't understand it's better if you don't understand it's better if you don't understand it's better if you don't understand it's better if you don't understand it's better if you don't understand

    hytey09on December 05, 2011   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning

    I honestly think this song is about vampires or werewolves...as gay as that sounds, but it sounds like it was made for twilight or something.

    bassmastax777on October 21, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think he's admitting 2 his girl that he's gay: "Truth of the matter is I'm complicated You're as STRAIGHT as they come" ..."And once you cross the line you can't change your mind" ..."I really cant explain what I feel inside If you knew what I was you would run and hide" ..."It's better if you don't understand"

    thats wat i think...

    liv2552on December 14, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    personally i feel this song is bout a love triangle, one guy is on the outside while the girl he wants is with someone esle.

    You know I I've been waiting on the other side and you, all you gotta do is cross the line I could wait a whole life time but you just gotta decide

    carter23on December 16, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    First off, I love this song. I agree that it's about vampires, but to be honest, I hope they did this just for fun, instead of for a twilight movie, because that would degrade the value of both this song, and my view of Bruno as an artist~

    Stolensoulon January 12, 2011   Link

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