I swapped my innocence for pride
Crushed the end within my stride
Said I'm strong, now I know that I'm a leaver
I love the sound of you walking away, you walking away
Mascara bleeds the blackened tear, oh
And I am cold
Yes I'm cold
But not as cold as you are
I love the sound of you walking away
You walking away
I love the sound of you walking away
Walking away, hey, hey

Why don't you walk away?
Why don't you walk away?
Why don't you walk away?

No buildings will fall down
Don't you walk away
No quake will split the ground
Won't you walk away
The sun won't swallow the sky
Won't you walk away
Statues will not cry
Don't you walk away
Why don't you walk away?
Why don't you walk away?
Why don't you walk away?

I cannot stand to see those eyes
As apologies may rise
I must be strong, stay an unbeliever
And love the sound of you walking away
You walking away
Mascara bleeds into my eye, oh
And I'm not cold, I am old
At least as old as you are

And as you walk away
Oh as you walk away
And as you walk away

My headstone crumbles down
As you walk away
The Hollywood wind's a howl
As you walk away
The Kremlin's falling
As you walk away
Radio Four is static
As you walk away
Oh as you walk away
Oh as you walk away
Oh as you walk away, hey

The stab of stiletto
On a silent night
Stalin smiles and Hitler laughs
Churchill claps Mao Tse-Tung on the back

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Lyrics submitted by m3gsi

Walk Away Lyrics as written by Matthew Cahill Oliver Geoffrey Lindop Green

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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Walk Away song meanings

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95 Comments

+5
General Comment
To the Americans that sugested that a BRITISH band would want you write about the twin towers, your arogant and illinformed, please get a clue. Franz Ferdinand are not American, there fore should'nt be refered to as US ("... the title 'walk away' is obviously about us leaving Iraq ...") However i do see where your coming from, ohh yes, seeing as Americans are so perfect Franz Ferdinand MUST be American because they produce good music, it would'nt be on for someone of a difffrent nationality to be supeior. The song is about a relationship, not 9/11, maybe im giving an incorrect opinion but as a Brtish person i can say they we dont care about the happeneings of america 4 years ago, let elone have enough feeling to write a song about it. Get a clue.

To the Americans that sugested that a BRITISH band would want you write about the twin towers, your arogant and illinformed, please get a clue. Franz Ferdinand are not American, there fore should'nt be refered to as US ("... the title 'walk away' is obviously about us leaving Iraq ...") However i do see where your coming from, ohh yes, seeing as Americans are so perfect Franz Ferdinand MUST be American because they produce good music, it would'nt be on for someone of a difffrent nationality to be supeior. The song is about a relationship, not 9/11, maybe im giving an incorrect opinion but as a Brtish person i can say they we dont care about the happeneings of america 4 years ago, let elone have enough feeling to write a song about it. Get a clue.

Reason:

HIuuyon October 12, 2005 Link
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@HIuuy

I think you insult all british people when you say they dont care about 9 11. WE certainly do, just because you are not only ignorant but also too stupid to realise that 9.11 has also impacted on us brits in a big way.

Dont be such a fool.

And those guys above were no way impying that franz ferdinand were american so i dont know where you get that idea from.

Dont open your mouth, youre a bad advert for british people. Most of us are nice, honest.

the-lifted-loraxon November 10, 2008

I think you insult all british people when you say they dont care about 9 11. WE certainly do, just because you are not only ignorant but also too stupid to realise that 9.11 has also impacted on us brits in a big way.

Dont be such a fool.

And those guys above were no way impying that franz ferdinand were american so i dont know where you get that idea from.

Dont open your mouth, youre a bad advert for british people. Most of us are nice, honest.

the-lifted-loraxon November 10, 2008

Actually Franz Ferdinand is Scottish. And no, It's not about 9/11. If you listen to the themes of other Franz Ferdinand songs, you hear a recurring style and theme. Relationships, love, etc. Not to insult Franz Ferdinand, I love their music, but I doubt they would write such a well masked political song. They may be named after the guy who caused WWI, but I doubt they would write something about 9/11. Franz Ferdinand is brilliant.

kuroginon February 19, 2009

kurogin franz ferdinand was the first VICTIM of ww1, he didnt cause it, gavrillo princip shot franz ferdinand to start ww1. this song isnt about the twin towers and despite how massive the 9/11 was the only real effect it had on britain was being pulled into iraq.

harknesssimmon March 08, 2009

And you don't think that's serious harknesssimm? People are dying out there, is that real to you? I think Alex and the band are definitely capable of writing a 'well masked political song' in fact a lot of their songs are loosely based on political ideas and morals. They're clever people...

mtdwebon May 16, 2011
+3
General Comment
I love this song... It's very simple and yet so strong. Obviously he is trying to convince himself he doesn't need her as much, and has to be glad for leaving her. But then, he simply realises that it's not true, and that he loves her, despite leaving her. He was only convincing himself, since she had walked away, being much colder than he could ever have been. (I believe he had left her as he said: "I swapped my innocence for pride, crushed the end within my stride; said I'm strong, but now I know that I'm a leaver")

I love this song... It's very simple and yet so strong. Obviously he is trying to convince himself he doesn't need her as much, and has to be glad for leaving her. But then, he simply realises that it's not true, and that he loves her, despite leaving her. He was only convincing himself, since she had walked away, being much colder than he could ever have been. (I believe he had left her as he said: "I swapped my innocence for pride, crushed the end within my stride; said I'm strong, but now I know that I'm a leaver")

Reason:

ImyourVillainon August 05, 2009 Link
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@ImyourVillain
+3
General Comment
Personally, I doubt it's about 9.11. Not because Franz Ferdinand isn't American (Which by the way is completely true, they're Scottish), or because no one outside America cares about that tragedy (Which isn't true, I'm Australian and and trust me, we felt it too), but simply because Franz Ferdinand tend to write songs on more trivial topics than this. It's not in their nature to write a cryptic song about terrorism. Not saying they couldn't, but I doubt that's what this is. There are some parts to it which are very confusing and don't seem to make sense in the genre of love songs, and some reference to political leaders and such, but that doesn't mean it's a song about war. I truly believe it's a love song, not just because that's how I interpret the lyrics but because the other theories seem flimsy. And for god sake people, I'm fourteen and I know more about 9.11 than most of you. If you're going to be writing about something, at least know what you're talking about.

Personally, I doubt it's about 9.11. Not because Franz Ferdinand isn't American (Which by the way is completely true, they're Scottish), or because no one outside America cares about that tragedy (Which isn't true, I'm Australian and and trust me, we felt it too), but simply because Franz Ferdinand tend to write songs on more trivial topics than this. It's not in their nature to write a cryptic song about terrorism. Not saying they couldn't, but I doubt that's what this is. There are some parts to it which are very confusing and don't seem to make sense in the genre of love songs, and some reference to political leaders and such, but that doesn't mean it's a song about war. I truly believe it's a love song, not just because that's how I interpret the lyrics but because the other theories seem flimsy. And for god sake people, I'm fourteen and I know more about 9.11 than most of you. If you're going to be writing about something, at least know what you're talking about.

Reason:

SexyLikeTheTARDISon July 10, 2011 Link
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@SexyLikeTheTARDIS
+2
General Comment
THERUSSIANCOBWEB and raised by puffins: WTF?? universal remonster is completly right. "i cannot turn to see those eyes, as apologies may rise I must be strong and stay an unbeliever" He has to keep believing that she's cold and loveless so he can go through with breaking up with her.

THERUSSIANCOBWEB and raised by puffins: WTF?? universal remonster is completly right. "i cannot turn to see those eyes, as apologies may rise I must be strong and stay an unbeliever" He has to keep believing that she's cold and loveless so he can go through with breaking up with her.

Reason:

orchiDanceon October 03, 2005 Link
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@orchiDance
+1
General Comment
To me it seems to be about pretending to be glad a girlfriend/boyfriend is leaving, but inside, you're heartbroken.

To me it seems to be about pretending to be glad a girlfriend/boyfriend is leaving, but inside, you're heartbroken.

Reason:

Jane Doeon February 12, 2005 Link
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@Jane Doe
+1
General Comment
lol the last comment by raisedbypuffins show that he/her/it is just joking bout everythin he/she.it wrote i don't think anybody would write an album about mike tysons life and not have a song bout biting someones ear off. franz ferdinand are scottish and absoultetly rock

lol the last comment by raisedbypuffins show that he/her/it is just joking bout everythin he/she.it wrote i don't think anybody would write an album about mike tysons life and not have a song bout biting someones ear off. franz ferdinand are scottish and absoultetly rock

Reason:

jackisswishon December 08, 2005 Link
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@jackisswish
+1
General Comment
This song reminds me of my pet monkey and how it ran away. I think Mr. Ferdinand must have had a pet monkey as well. Mr. Ferdinand, I would recommend Maybelline Waterproof Mascara. It will not run into your eyes when your monkey runs away.

This song reminds me of my pet monkey and how it ran away. I think Mr. Ferdinand must have had a pet monkey as well. Mr. Ferdinand, I would recommend Maybelline Waterproof Mascara. It will not run into your eyes when your monkey runs away.

Reason:

Ochikanobeeon December 18, 2005 Link
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@Ochikanobee
+1
General Comment
Great song, very serious and different from the rest of their (great) work. I like the interpretations above: a break up, he's angry and stubborn and won't give in, the girl leaves and then he realizes he was wrong letting her go.

Great song, very serious and different from the rest of their (great) work. I like the interpretations above: a break up, he's angry and stubborn and won't give in, the girl leaves and then he realizes he was wrong letting her go.

Reason:

Gabigson February 16, 2006 Link
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@Gabigs
+1
General Comment
Am I the only person here who's noticed the obvious contradiction in a *guy* singing 'mascara bleeds into my eye'? Alex Kapranos is indie, but not that indie. I don't know the song very well - I only just listened to it for the first time - but the first thing that struck me when the song got to that line was that the entire song up to that point makes the listener think it's the boy singing to the girl (since, you know, it's a guy's voice singing it); but that line suddenly turns the perspective around and makes you realise that all this time, it's been the girl talking to the boy and that Alex is simply telling the story from her point of view. Make sense? No? That's fine, I don't know the song at all and I can't be arsed to analyse the lyrics in depth right now.

Am I the only person here who's noticed the obvious contradiction in a *guy* singing 'mascara bleeds into my eye'? Alex Kapranos is indie, but not that indie. I don't know the song very well - I only just listened to it for the first time - but the first thing that struck me when the song got to that line was that the entire song up to that point makes the listener think it's the boy singing to the girl (since, you know, it's a guy's voice singing it); but that line suddenly turns the perspective around and makes you realise that all this time, it's been the girl talking to the boy and that Alex is simply telling the story from her point of view. Make sense? No? That's fine, I don't know the song at all and I can't be arsed to analyse the lyrics in depth right now.

Reason:

henreon September 05, 2007 Link
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@henre
+1
General Comment
I cannot turn to see those eyes, as apologies may rise I must be strong and stay an unbeliever And love the sound of you walking away, you walking away Mascara bleeds into my eye ... Strong I have to agree that there is no obvious connection between the song's lyrics and September 11 attacks. Buildings, ground, etc are used as symbols, in my opinion.

I cannot turn to see those eyes, as apologies may rise I must be strong and stay an unbeliever And love the sound of you walking away, you walking away Mascara bleeds into my eye ... Strong I have to agree that there is no obvious connection between the song's lyrics and September 11 attacks. Buildings, ground, etc are used as symbols, in my opinion.

Reason:

InBetweenTheLineson April 01, 2012 Link
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@InBetweenTheLines

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Walk Away

Franz Ferdinand

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