The song 'Fortnight' by Taylor Swift and Post Malone tells a story about strong feelings, complicated relationships, and secret wishes. It talks about love, betrayal, and wanting someone who doesn't feel the same. The word 'fortnight' shows short-lived happiness and guilty pleasures, leading to sadness. It shows how messy relationships can be and the results of hiding emotions. “I was supposed to be sent away / But they forgot to come and get me,” she kickstarts the song in the first verse with lines suggesting an admission to a hospital for people with mental illnesses. She goes in the verse admitting her lover is the reason why she is like this. In the chorus, she sings about their time in love and reflects on how he has now settled with someone else. “I took the miracle move-on drug, the effects were temporary / And I love you, it’s ruining my life,” on the second verse she details her struggles to forget about him and the negative effects of her failure. “Thought of callin’ ya, but you won’t pick up / ‘Nother fortnight lost in America,” Post Malone sings in the outro.
Darlin', darlin', doesn't have a problem
Lying to herself 'cause her liquor's top-shelf
It's alarming, honestly, how charming she can be
Fooling everyone, telling 'em she's having fun
She says, "You don't want to be like me"
Don't wanna see all the things I've seen
I'm dying, I'm dying"
She says, "You don't want to get this way
Famous and dumb at an early age
Lying, I'm lying"
The boys, the girls
They all like Carmen
She gives them butterflies, bats her cartoon eyes
She laughs like God
Her mind's like a diamond
Audiotune lies
She's still shining
Like lightning, whoa-whoa
White lightning
Carmen, Carmen, staying up 'til morning
Only seventeen, but she walks the streets so mean
It's alarming, truly, how disarming you can be
Eating soft ice cream, Coney Island queen
She says, "You don't want to be like me
Looking for fun, get me high for free
I'm dying, I'm dying"
She says, "You don't want to get this way
Streetwalk at night, and a star by day
It's tiring, tiring"
The boys, the girls
They all like Carmen
She gives them butterflies, bats her cartoon eyes
She laughs like God
Her mind's like a diamond
Audiotune lies
She's still shining
Like lightning, whoa-whoa
White lightning
Baby's all dressed up with nowhere to go
That's the little story of the girl you know
Relying on the kindness of strangers
Tyin' cherry knots, smilin', doin' party favors
Put your red dress on, put your lipstick on
Sing your song, song, now the camera's on
And you're alive again
Mon amour, je sais que tu m'aimes aussi
Tu as besoin de moi
Tu as besoin de moi dans ta vie
Tu ne peux vivre sans moi
Et je mourrais sans toi
Je tuerais pour toi
The boys, the girls
They all like Carmen
She gives them butterflies, bats her cartoon eyes
She laughs like God
Her mind's like a diamond
Audiotune lies
She's still shining
Like lightning, whoa-whoa
White lightning
Like lightning, whoa-whoa
White lightning
Darlin', darlin', doesn't have a problem
Lying to herself 'cause her liquor's top-shelf
Lying to herself 'cause her liquor's top-shelf
It's alarming, honestly, how charming she can be
Fooling everyone, telling 'em she's having fun
She says, "You don't want to be like me"
Don't wanna see all the things I've seen
I'm dying, I'm dying"
She says, "You don't want to get this way
Famous and dumb at an early age
Lying, I'm lying"
The boys, the girls
They all like Carmen
She gives them butterflies, bats her cartoon eyes
She laughs like God
Her mind's like a diamond
Audiotune lies
She's still shining
Like lightning, whoa-whoa
White lightning
Carmen, Carmen, staying up 'til morning
Only seventeen, but she walks the streets so mean
It's alarming, truly, how disarming you can be
Eating soft ice cream, Coney Island queen
She says, "You don't want to be like me
Looking for fun, get me high for free
I'm dying, I'm dying"
She says, "You don't want to get this way
Streetwalk at night, and a star by day
It's tiring, tiring"
The boys, the girls
They all like Carmen
She gives them butterflies, bats her cartoon eyes
She laughs like God
Her mind's like a diamond
Audiotune lies
She's still shining
Like lightning, whoa-whoa
White lightning
Baby's all dressed up with nowhere to go
That's the little story of the girl you know
Relying on the kindness of strangers
Tyin' cherry knots, smilin', doin' party favors
Put your red dress on, put your lipstick on
Sing your song, song, now the camera's on
And you're alive again
Mon amour, je sais que tu m'aimes aussi
Tu as besoin de moi
Tu as besoin de moi dans ta vie
Tu ne peux vivre sans moi
Et je mourrais sans toi
Je tuerais pour toi
The boys, the girls
They all like Carmen
She gives them butterflies, bats her cartoon eyes
She laughs like God
Her mind's like a diamond
Audiotune lies
She's still shining
Like lightning, whoa-whoa
White lightning
Like lightning, whoa-whoa
White lightning
Darlin', darlin', doesn't have a problem
Lying to herself 'cause her liquor's top-shelf
Lyrics submitted by dustybreeze, edited by aislington, Simbaaaa, lovegoods, Makemeover, pizzacat6, ForTheMoney, xKaylaMarie, carmenboy, ashonte2016, XLoveEpiphanyX, taylor1055, LionessLily, mauude1996
Carmen Lyrics as written by Justin Parker Elizabeth Grant
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Fortnight
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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.
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Hayalperest
Hayalperest
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.
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
In my mind, this is without a doubt inspired by Blanche DuBois from "A Streetcar Named Desire." If you love this song and have never read the play, its not very long or time consuming and you will see a lot of connections.
"Darling, darling, doesn't have a problem Lying to herself cause her liquor's top shelf It's alarming honestly how charming she can be Fooling everyone, telling how she's having fun"
In the play, Blanche suffers from some form of mental illness and drinks heavily, presumably to avoid the demons of her past. She charms and fools many people into thinking that she is something other than what she truly is.
"She says you don't want to be like me Don't wanna see all the things I've seen I'm dying, I'm dying She says you don't want to get this way Famous, and dumb, and no age My, I'm dying"
Blanche reveals the demons of her past at various point throughout the play. Her family dying off in front of her eyes, the loss the family plantation, the suicide of her husband which she is convinced is her fault. She is portrayed as the most notorious person from her home in Laurel because of her sleeping around after the death of her husband, hence the "famous, and dumb...." line.
"Baby's all dressed up, with nowhere to go That's the little story of the girl you know Relying on the kindness of strangers Time and cherry marks while doing party favours Put your red dress on, put your lipstick on Sing your song, song, now, the camera's on And you're alive again "
Blanche's clothing and jewelry are often spoken of throughout, as well as her enjoyment of wearing them. She truly does get dressed up with no where to go as she does not work, is seldom mentioned leaving Stella's, and can't leave New Orleans because she was run out of her home town and can't afford to support herself. "I have always relied on the kindness of strangers" is her last line in the play... This was what really sold me on the Blanche influence and made me examine the lyrics more closely.
There are other small similarities that may be a stretch... the lines in French might be from Blanche speaking in French and talking of her French heritage. The mention of "light" and "lightning"... Light, or lack there of, was important symbolism in the play for Blanche, and is mentioned in her most important and telling monologue (the one about her husband.)