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.
Some nights, I stay up cashing in my bad luck
Some nights, I call it a draw
Some nights, I wish that my lips could build a castle
Some nights, I wish they'd just fall off
But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh Lord, I'm still not sure, what I stand for, oh, oh, oh
What do I stand for? Oh, what do I stand for?
Most nights, I don't know anymore
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh
This is it, boys, this is war, what are we waiting for?
Why don't we break the rules already?
I was never one to believe the hype
Save that for the black and white
Try twice as hard and I'm half as liked
But here they come again to jack my style
That's alright, I found a martyr in my bed tonight
Stops my bones from wondering
Just who I, who I, who I am, oh who am I, mm, mm
Well, some nights, I wish that this all would end
'Cause I could use some friends for a change
And some nights, I'm scared you'll forget me again
Some nights, I always win, I always win
But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for, oh
What do I stand for?
What do I stand for?
Most nights, I don't know (oh, come on)
So this is it? I sold my soul for this?
Washed my hands of that for this?
I miss my mom and dad for this?
No, when I see stars, when I see, when I see stars, that's all they are
When I hear songs, they sound like a swan, so come on
Oh, come on, oh, come on, oh come on
Well, that is it, guys, that is all
Five minutes in and I'm bored again
Ten years of this, I'm not sure if anybody understands
This one is not for the folks at home
I'm sorry to leave, mom, I had to go
Who the fuck wants to die alone all dried up in the desert sun?
My heart is breaking for my sister and the con that she called, "Love"
And then I look into my nephew's eyes
Man, you wouldn't believe the most amazing things that can come from
Some terrible nights
(Alright, come on)
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh
The other night, you wouldn't believe
The dream I just had about you and me
I called you up, but we both agreed
It's for the best you didn't listen
It's for the best we get our distance, oh
For the best you didn't listen
It's for the best we get our distance, oh
Some nights, I call it a draw
Some nights, I wish that my lips could build a castle
Some nights, I wish they'd just fall off
But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh Lord, I'm still not sure, what I stand for, oh, oh, oh
What do I stand for? Oh, what do I stand for?
Most nights, I don't know anymore
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh
This is it, boys, this is war, what are we waiting for?
Why don't we break the rules already?
I was never one to believe the hype
Save that for the black and white
Try twice as hard and I'm half as liked
But here they come again to jack my style
That's alright, I found a martyr in my bed tonight
Stops my bones from wondering
Just who I, who I, who I am, oh who am I, mm, mm
Well, some nights, I wish that this all would end
'Cause I could use some friends for a change
And some nights, I'm scared you'll forget me again
Some nights, I always win, I always win
But I still wake up, I still see your ghost
Oh Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for, oh
What do I stand for?
What do I stand for?
Most nights, I don't know (oh, come on)
So this is it? I sold my soul for this?
Washed my hands of that for this?
I miss my mom and dad for this?
No, when I see stars, when I see, when I see stars, that's all they are
When I hear songs, they sound like a swan, so come on
Oh, come on, oh, come on, oh come on
Well, that is it, guys, that is all
Five minutes in and I'm bored again
Ten years of this, I'm not sure if anybody understands
This one is not for the folks at home
I'm sorry to leave, mom, I had to go
Who the fuck wants to die alone all dried up in the desert sun?
My heart is breaking for my sister and the con that she called, "Love"
And then I look into my nephew's eyes
Man, you wouldn't believe the most amazing things that can come from
Some terrible nights
(Alright, come on)
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh
Oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, whoa, oh, oh
The other night, you wouldn't believe
The dream I just had about you and me
I called you up, but we both agreed
It's for the best you didn't listen
It's for the best we get our distance, oh
For the best you didn't listen
It's for the best we get our distance, oh
Lyrics submitted by tauntingthepavement, edited by Mellow_Harsher, elizebeth, brodec271, BBW!SH
Some Nights Lyrics as written by Jack Antonoff Andrew Dost
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Hipgnosis Songs Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
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.
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
this isn't some nights intro, this is just some nights.