This could be the saddest dusk I've ever seen
Turn to a miracle
High alive
My mind is racing
As it always will
My hand's tired, my heart aches
I'm half a world away here
My head sworn
To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul it along
And hold it
Go it alone
Hold it along and hold, hold

Oh, lonely deep sit hollow
I'm half a world
Half the world away
My shoes are gone
My life spent
I had too much to drink
I didn't think
And I didn't think of you
I guess that's all I needed
To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul it along
And hold it
Blackbirds, backwards, forwards and fall and hold, hold

Oh, this lonely world is wasted
Pathetic eyes high alive
Blind to the tide that turns the sea
This storm it came up strong
It shook the trees
And blew away our fear
I couldn't even hear

To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul it along
And hold it
To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul
To go it alone
And hold it along
Haul it along
And hold it
Blackbirds, backwards, forwards, and fall and hold hold

This could be the saddest dusk
I've ever seen
Turn to a miracle
High alive
My mind is racing
As it always will
My hands tired, my heart aches
I'm half a world away and go


Lyrics submitted by Nelly

Half a World Away Lyrics as written by Peter Buck Bill Berry

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Half A World Away song meanings
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  • +4
    My Interpretation

    This is my favorite song on Out of Time. It's beautiful and achingly sad.

    I think it's about a fight between lovers that forces the narrator out of his home with his girlfriend- maybe a divorce, I don't know- and now he regrets it. "The storm it came up strong, and shook the trees... I had too much to drink, I didn't think of you." Even though he's lonely and pining for her, he still has "sworn to go it along, and hold it along, haul it along and hold it"- meaning, I think, to stay out there, away from her, living alone. Maybe he doesn't want to apologize, maybe he thinks living apart would just make things easier for her.

    The only thing I don't understand are the few lyrics that convey hope... "turn to a miracle, blew away our fear..." Maybe the narrator has some sliver of hope that they will reach a compromise and he will get to come home.

    "My hand is tired, my heart aches... I'm half a world away." I always equate hands with working. Sounds like the narrator has been working too hard, probably because his lover is no longer able to support him (although if I was living with someone who didn't work, I wouldn't enjoy that very much..." Half a world away. They are far apart, emotionally and physically.

    Y'know what the saddest line in this song is? "This lonely world is wasted, pathetic eyes, high alive." To me it conveys just not caring about life, about anoything, not even being able to hate it anymore, just feeling numb, resigned.

    EnduringChillon September 19, 2011   Link

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