1
Everything is quiet, Since you're not around,
And I live in the numbness now.
In the background.
I do the things we did before,
I walk Haight Street to the store,
And they say where's that crazy girl?
You don't get drunk on red wine, and fight no more,
'Cause I don't see you anymore,
Since the hospital,
But the plans I make still have you in them,
Then you come swimming into view,
And I'm hanging on your words like I always used to do,
The words they use so lightly, I only feel for you,
I only know this because I carry you around,
In the background.
Words they come and memories all repeat,
I lift your head while,
They change the hospital sheets,
I would never lie to you, No
I would never lie to you, No
I felt you long after we were through.
And the plans I make still have you in them,
Cause you come swimming into view,
And I'm hanging on your words like I always used to do,
The words they use so lightly, I only feel for you,
I only know this because I carry you around,
In the background.
And I live in the numbness now.
In the background.
I do the things we did before,
I walk Haight Street to the store,
And they say where's that crazy girl?
You don't get drunk on red wine, and fight no more,
'Cause I don't see you anymore,
Since the hospital,
But the plans I make still have you in them,
Then you come swimming into view,
And I'm hanging on your words like I always used to do,
The words they use so lightly, I only feel for you,
I only know this because I carry you around,
In the background.
Words they come and memories all repeat,
I lift your head while,
They change the hospital sheets,
I would never lie to you, No
I would never lie to you, No
I felt you long after we were through.
And the plans I make still have you in them,
Cause you come swimming into view,
And I'm hanging on your words like I always used to do,
The words they use so lightly, I only feel for you,
I only know this because I carry you around,
In the background.
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!
this song is so touching.. the first time I heard it, I didn't take much to the melody.. but it grew on me, and is now one of my favourite songs - I wish I knew the deeper meaning of the lyrics.. what I've come to is that it's about a guy, whose girl friend must've gotten seriously hurt and put in the hospital, seemingly unable to contact with him.. either a coma or death. So he was so dependant on this girl in the past, that he doesn't know what to do with himself anymore, he can't work without her.
write to me with your views or comments at akerman@oncable.dk - I would love to discuss this song!
The faded lyrics seem as if it's someone singing in the background. It would make perfect sense that it's about a girl in a coma. The title "The Background" to me implies she may be laying in the hospital bed but still sort of hears his faded voice in the background.
i dont think that the girl that stephan jenkins is singing about in this song got hurt and went to the hospita, i think that there is something more meaningful, like a struggle in the relationship which the hospital represents and they had to end their relationship and it is basically like she has passed on becasue he cant live without her.