“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.
She's addicted to nicotine patches
She's addicted to nicotine patches
She's afraid of the light in the dark
6:58 are you sure where my spark is here here here
She's convinced she could hold back a glacier
But she couldn't keep baby alive
Doubting if there's a woman in there somewhere here here here
You say you don't want it again and again but you don't don't really mean it
You say you don't want it this circus we're in but you don't, don't really mean it, you don't don't Really mean it
If the divine master plan is perfected
Maybe next I'll give Judus a try
Trusting my soul to the ice cream assassin here here here
You say you don't want it again and again but you don't, don't really mean it
You say you don't want it this circus we're in but you don't, don't really mean it, you don't don't Really mean it
How many fates turn around in the overturn
Ballerina's that have fins that you'll never find
You thought that you were the bomb yes well so did I
Say you don't want it say you don't want it
How many fates turn around in the overturn
Ballerina's that have fins that you'll never find
You thought that you were the bomb yes well so did I
Say you don't want it, say you don't want it, say you don't want it again and again but you don't, Don't really mean it
You say you don't want it
This circus we're in but you don't, don't really mean it
Don't really mean it
She's addicted to nicotine patches
She's afraid of the light in the dark
6:58 are you sure where my spark is here here here
She's addicted to nicotine patches
She's afraid of the light in the dark
6:58 are you sure where my spark is here here here
She's convinced she could hold back a glacier
But she couldn't keep baby alive
Doubting if there's a woman in there somewhere here here here
You say you don't want it again and again but you don't don't really mean it
You say you don't want it this circus we're in but you don't, don't really mean it, you don't don't Really mean it
If the divine master plan is perfected
Maybe next I'll give Judus a try
Trusting my soul to the ice cream assassin here here here
You say you don't want it again and again but you don't, don't really mean it
You say you don't want it this circus we're in but you don't, don't really mean it, you don't don't Really mean it
How many fates turn around in the overturn
Ballerina's that have fins that you'll never find
You thought that you were the bomb yes well so did I
Say you don't want it say you don't want it
How many fates turn around in the overturn
Ballerina's that have fins that you'll never find
You thought that you were the bomb yes well so did I
Say you don't want it, say you don't want it, say you don't want it again and again but you don't, Don't really mean it
You say you don't want it
This circus we're in but you don't, don't really mean it
Don't really mean it
She's addicted to nicotine patches
She's afraid of the light in the dark
6:58 are you sure where my spark is here here here
Lyrics submitted by Novartza, edited by terrysalt, cyanidefaery
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
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Midnight
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Midnight” is a song about finding a love that is so true that it provides a calming feeling through every storm. Ed Sheeran reflects on his good fortunes in landing someone with such peace and support and speaks of not fearing the dark days because he knows they’ll all end in the safety nets of her arms.
“Well, good morning there / What a way to start the day / With everything laid bare,” Ed Sheeran sings in the first verse, enthusiastic to be waking up beside his woman. He apologizes for missing her calls in the second verse and promises to return them because for him, speaking to her is the most important thing. “Well, I get lost inside my head / In this chaos, you’re my calm / And I will find my feet again / ‘Cause еven the worst days of my life will always еnd / At midnight in your arms,” sings Ed Sheeran in the chorus, revelling in his good luck.
Trouble Breathing
Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio
While the obvious connections with suicide or alcoholism could be drawn easily, more subtly this song could be about someone who views the world through a negative lens constantly and how as much as the writer tries to show the beauty in the world, this person refuses to see it. It's one or another between the rope and the bottle. There is no good option for this person. They can't see it. Skiba sings it in a kind of exasperated way like He's tired of hearing this negative view constantly and just allowing that person to continue feeling the way they feel knowing he can't do anything about it. You can hear it when he says maybe you're a vampire.
Zombie
Cranberries, The
Cranberries, The
"Zombie" is about the ethno-political conflict in Ireland. This is obvious if you know anything of the singer (Dolores O'Riordan)'s Irish heritage and understood the "1916" Easter Rising reference.
"Another head hangs lowly
Child is slowly taken
And the violence caused such silence
Who are we mistaken
-
Another mother's breaking
Heart is taking over"
Laments the Warrington bomb attacks in which two children were fatally injured on March 23rd, 1993. Twelve year old Tim Parry was taken off life support with permission from his mother after five days in the hospital, virtually braindead.
"But you see it's not me
It's not my family"
References how people who are not directly involved with the violence feel about it. They are "zombies" without sympathy who refuse to take action while others suffer.
"Spark is about when I miscarried, in 1996. I was three months pregnant and very excited. All of a sudden I woke up one morning and started to feel bad. The songs started coming soon after. I was really angry at God. Going into a shopping mall and seeing some woman knock the head off her child, I'm going - 'So this is fair?' I don't know where the spirit went, whether she picked another mummy, like, "OK, choose her, then! Hope you're tone deaf!"
Q: One last question. Who is the ice cream assassin? Tori: "Who do you think that is? Q: I have no idea Tori: "Well, people have been praying to him for a very long time and more wars have been fought in his name. The big guy. Think about it."
Tori so often speaks/sings my truth! It seems 6.58 is the measurement of her baby when she is getting an ultrasound, and the tech is searching, and she is thinking it could be the tech's fault at first for not finding her 'spark', because she knows she's pregnant 'here', 'here'. After my 3 miscarriages/infertility, I said I did not want to get pregnant again, but 'you don't really mean it.' You just 'don't want the circus your in.' (Going to doctors, getting pregnant,getting your hopes up,losing the baby, more procedures, etc.)
'How many fates turn around in the overtime'..... It sounds like how many times can you continue to test fate(either later in life for a woman) or just after multiple tries and finally have a successful pregnancy?
'Ballerinas that had fins that you'll never find.' Infertility brings about tests of sperms counts, mobility- 'fins' and 'ballerinas'- eggs. (the male sperm decides on the sex of the child) Sounds like the "problem" may have been with her partner. 'You thought you were the bomb.''yes, so did I.'
Her songs are always your own interpretation, that's why I love her so!
rubberduckie, I think the "6:58 are you sure where my spark is" is a reference to phrases like, "it's 10:00, do you know where your children are?" That makes it even harder for Tori because her child isn't where it's supposed to be, in her womb.
I believe that "6:58 are you sure where my spark is" refers literally to what time it was when she realized she was losing her child.
I've heard her say the 'ballerinas that have fins that you'll never find' is to do with mermaids - what is a ballerina with fins? a mermaid. she felt like she could never be a mermaid, and she'd never be a mother.
I think the "nicotine patches" are because she quit smoking because of the baby -- and now all she's got are the nicotine patches. She's addicted to them because they remind her of being pregnant.
Similarly, I have a very straightforward interpretation of "are you sure where my spark is?" The "spark" is the baby, the mysterious and miraculous spark of life. And there's nothing like the sensation of lying there while someone tries to find it (with an ultrasound)...
Of course, I recently miscarried, so all I can hear in this song is pregnancy.
These are the actual lyrics:
She's addicted to nicotine patches. She's addicted to nicotine patches. She's afraid of the light in the dark. 6.58 are you sure where my spark is? Here... Here... Here...
She's convinced she could hold back a glacier, (Between cotton balls and xylophones) But she couldn't keep Baby alive. (I'm getting old) Doubting if there's a woman in there somewhere. (Give it to me, tell it to me) Here... Here... Here...
You say you don't want it again and again. But you don't, don't really mean it. You say you don't want it, this circus we're in. But you don't, don't really mean it. You don't, don't really mean it...
If the Divine master plan is perfection, (Swing low) Maybe next I'll give Judas a try. (Swing low, sweet chariot) Trusting my soul to the ice-cream assassin. Here... Here... Here...
You say you don't want it again and again. But you don't, don't really mean it. You say you don't want it, this circus we're in. But you don't, don't really mean it. You don't, don't really mean it...
How many fates turn around in the overtime? Ballerinas that have fins that you'll never find. You thought that you were the bomb, yes well so did I. (You thought that you were) Say you don't want it, say you don't want it... (Say you don't) How many fates turn around in the overtime? (How many...) Ballerinas that have fins that you'll never find. (Searching... to the end... of the world... until...) You thought that you were the bomb, yes well so did I. Say you don't want it, say you don't want it. Say you don't want it again and again. But you don't, don't really mean it. Say you don't want it this circus we're in. But you don't, don't you don't really mean it. (Don't really mean it) You don't, don't really mean it...
She's addicted to nicotine patches. She's afraid of the light in the dark. 6.58 are you sure where my spark is? Here... Here... Here...
I hated this song when I first listened to it, back in 1998, when MTV was a music chanel. But after some time, it's the one that got me hooked into Tori... It's like all of her demonds mixed into just one song...
There's a lot of irony in the song. It seems pretty ironic to be addicted to nicotine patches rather than actual cigarettes. I think what she means with the words (particularly in the first verse) is that she's saying that she's so useless that she's managed to get addicted to nicotine patches. She feels this way because of her miscarriages. She feels like there's no point in trying anymore and she may just give in to the world. She used to think that she was a strong person, that she could conquer everything, but now that's all gone and she feels weak. The barrier has finally been pulled down and everyone can see how vulnerable she is.
Such a sad song to start with, but I feel that in the third verse it's almost like she's fighting it, she's going to keep on trying.
I'm glad she finally got Tash, she's such a lovely person to meet and her music is amazing.
Well, i see the song pulled so many memories in every one of us) as for the video, that's my take at it: First, Tori is driven somewhere in a car, tied up, in the junk. I guess, it represents the miscarriage: like she never thought of anything bad to happen, she just took this long ride called life, never actually thinking who sat at the wheel. (Turns out, many of us never actually know - or want to know who the driver is, do we?) And this very attitude got her trapped: literally and metaphorically. She thought she was a big star, riding in that chick car? Nope, ma'am...you put too much trust in someone you didn't know - so, it might mean she smoke, was toying with drugs, ate junkfood, didn't care about her lifestyle etc. You see, when things feel deceptively secure, do we ever wonder what happens? Sorry, but the answer is 'generally not'. And so the driver (I think he is the Inner Enemy - as a Jungian philosopher Clarissa Pincola Estes puts it - btw, you better check her up,cause her book 'Women who run with the wolves' seems to me to be often read and re-read by Tori - they have so much in common when it comes to the WOMAN issues)...well, the driver gradually takes over Tori, who lost the control and isn't watchful anymore. But! The miscarriage happens - that is the BUMP into the tree. When I was thinking about why this dreadful driver is searching for Tori (I was sure he trapped her and was going to kill her), it just klicked! He was taken by surprise as much as she was - only for her (for her Inner Woman, in Ms Pincola's terms) it was the awakening moment - and for him the moment of panic: she got free, she may run away, she may take over him and rule her life from then on! It is almost as if he's more afraid than she is - remember how the driver is truly anxious to find her - the Inner Enemy can't be when the Inner Woman (or Man) is free. And she wanders through the forest (her doubts and fears, and at the same time - the place of primal instincts that help her survive the pain), plunges - blindly - into the river, where the tissue falls from her eyes (she is re-baptized, re-born, she got cleared of the lies around her, she SAW. Also water may mean the water in the womb hat surrounds the baby - she came back to that moment and SAW). Finally, she gets to the other side (another meaningful symbol - the river means a para-normal experience, like communicating with the Other World: she went inside (remember her words about the time of Boys for Pele when she told about going inside and letting all those suppressed parts of her woman free?) and she watched the things in a different light). And when she gets out of the water, the driver can no longer get her - remember how he looks at the river- he's perplexed and annoyed, he can't get to the other side - he has to stay where he is and go back.
About the 658 lyric. If you watch the music video for "Spark" the man chasing her looks at his watch quickly and it says 6:58. I just noticed that.