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"
I want to be somebody
I want to make a difference
Little boy caught in a drive-by
Witnessed the killer who made his daddy die,
And 'cause he identified and signed the dotted line,
He could feel it in his stomach, he signed away his life
Little boy who once was the leader of his class
The little source of joy, always neatly dressed
Now would hang his head and be left crying at his desk,
Was found with his mother, lying in her lap
With two bullets in his chest
And,oh my god,what is this madness?
I will not let it kill by gladness
And,oh my god, what is this madness?
My joy inside will send this message
I want to be somebody
I want to make a difference,
For we all are children of the Mother
I want to be somebody
I want to make a difference,
For we all are children of the Father
Outspoken man, leading sisters and brothers,
Picked himself up from hustling,drugs and gutters
Doing time on the inside, he found a higher power
Now, back with a mission to help us help each other
Respected from bourgeoisie to homeless in the street
From universities, Africa, the Middle East
And through the threats of death he spoke truth and set men free
But the power of the truth made enemies of the weak
He was killed by his own people
And, oh my god, what is this madness?
I will not let it kill my gladness
And, oh my god, what is this madness?
My joy inside will send this message
I want to be somebody
I want to make a difference,
For we all are children of the Mother
I want to be somebody
I want to make a difference
for we all are children
Ignite This Fire inside, this light that is the Truth
Shake off the system's chains, no longer be their fool
In the face of brutality, show the other cheek
Trigger-happy policing will never kill our dignity
And,oh my god, what is this madness?
I will not let it kill my gladness
And, oh my god, what is this madness?
My joy inside will send this message
Lift up your heart and See
Open your heart and See
Lift up your voice and Sing...
I want to be somebody
I want to make a difference,
For we all are children of the Mother
I want to be somebody
I want to make a difference,
For we all are children of the Father
I want to make a difference
Little boy caught in a drive-by
Witnessed the killer who made his daddy die,
And 'cause he identified and signed the dotted line,
He could feel it in his stomach, he signed away his life
Little boy who once was the leader of his class
The little source of joy, always neatly dressed
Now would hang his head and be left crying at his desk,
Was found with his mother, lying in her lap
With two bullets in his chest
And,oh my god,what is this madness?
I will not let it kill by gladness
And,oh my god, what is this madness?
My joy inside will send this message
I want to be somebody
I want to make a difference,
For we all are children of the Mother
I want to be somebody
I want to make a difference,
For we all are children of the Father
Outspoken man, leading sisters and brothers,
Picked himself up from hustling,drugs and gutters
Doing time on the inside, he found a higher power
Now, back with a mission to help us help each other
Respected from bourgeoisie to homeless in the street
From universities, Africa, the Middle East
And through the threats of death he spoke truth and set men free
But the power of the truth made enemies of the weak
He was killed by his own people
And, oh my god, what is this madness?
I will not let it kill my gladness
And, oh my god, what is this madness?
My joy inside will send this message
I want to be somebody
I want to make a difference,
For we all are children of the Mother
I want to be somebody
I want to make a difference
for we all are children
Ignite This Fire inside, this light that is the Truth
Shake off the system's chains, no longer be their fool
In the face of brutality, show the other cheek
Trigger-happy policing will never kill our dignity
And,oh my god, what is this madness?
I will not let it kill my gladness
And, oh my god, what is this madness?
My joy inside will send this message
Lift up your heart and See
Open your heart and See
Lift up your voice and Sing...
I want to be somebody
I want to make a difference,
For we all are children of the Mother
I want to be somebody
I want to make a difference,
For we all are children of the Father
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
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
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.
such a good message. it's true. we need to help each other. one person CAN make a difference.