This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be countin' stars
Yeah, we'll be countin' stars
I see this life like a swingin' vine
Swing my heart across the line
In my face is flashin' signs
Seek it out and ye shall find
Old, but I'm not that old
Young, but I'm not that bold
And I don't think the world is sold
On just doing what we're told
I feel something so right
Doing the wrong thing
And I feel something so wrong
Doing the right thing
I couldn't lie, couldn't lie, couldn't lie
Everything that kills me makes me feel alive
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be countin' stars
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be
We'll be countin' stars
Hey, yeah
I feel your love and I feel it burn
Down this river, every turn
Hope is our four-letter word
Make that money, watch it burn
Old, but I'm not that old
Young, but I'm not that bold
And I don't think the world is sold
On just doing what we're told
And I feel something so wrong
Doing the right thing
I couldn't lie, couldn't lie, couldn't lie
Everything that drowns me makes me wanna fly
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be countin' stars
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be
We'll be countin' stars
Oh
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I learned
Everything that kills me makes me feel alive
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be countin' stars
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be
We'll be countin' stars
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be countin' stars
Yeah, we'll be countin' stars
I see this life like a swingin' vine
Swing my heart across the line
In my face is flashin' signs
Seek it out and ye shall find
Old, but I'm not that old
Young, but I'm not that bold
And I don't think the world is sold
On just doing what we're told
I feel something so right
Doing the wrong thing
And I feel something so wrong
Doing the right thing
I couldn't lie, couldn't lie, couldn't lie
Everything that kills me makes me feel alive
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be countin' stars
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be
We'll be countin' stars
Hey, yeah
I feel your love and I feel it burn
Down this river, every turn
Hope is our four-letter word
Make that money, watch it burn
Old, but I'm not that old
Young, but I'm not that bold
And I don't think the world is sold
On just doing what we're told
And I feel something so wrong
Doing the right thing
I couldn't lie, couldn't lie, couldn't lie
Everything that drowns me makes me wanna fly
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be countin' stars
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be
We'll be countin' stars
Oh
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I learned
Everything that kills me makes me feel alive
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be countin' stars
Lately, I've been, I've been losin' sleep
Dreamin' about the things that we could be
But baby, I've been, I've been prayin' hard
Said, no more countin' dollars, we'll be
We'll be countin' stars
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Take that money, watch it burn
Sink in the river the lessons I've learned
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings, edited by zackfairthepuppy, lylylove, 21Minute, hghg, Sheep0007, peanutleah9, Pocketkid2, Paul123456, rdubeau
Counting Stars Lyrics as written by Ryan Tedder
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Well for me, I get the impression that this song is about a long distance relationship. When he says he's been loosing sleep thinking about the things they could be, it makes me think he's just tossing and turning in bed thinking about how much more amazing their relationship would be if they were actually together. And he's been praying hard to see her. And no more counting dollars, as in he doesn't have enough money to go see her because he's been struggling with money problems, so he's counting stars.
In the verses, I feel like he's contemplating the situation with himself. He sees the signs that one day he'll see her, but there's just so many things holding him back with money issues, maybe rent and debt, bills. But he's not giving up because basically what doesn't kill him makes him stronger, and he loves her too much to stop trying. And he finds himself trying to save up money to see her, when he should be worrying about his bills, which is why he feels "so right doing the wrong thing" or "so wrong doing the right thing"
I could be completely wrong, but that's just how I interpret this song.