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"
The doctor came in the morning
She held my hand
And asked "was it worth it?"
"Could it be worse than this?"
Please recall
Give me a hint
Anything will do
If this was the last time now you should tell us what to do
I was afraid I guess
Now I can't think no more
I was so concentrated
On keeping things together
I've learned to focus on
I didn't want to disappoint
Now where is everybody
Is it still light outside?
She held my hand
And asked "was it worth it?"
"Could it be worse than this?"
Please recall
Give me a hint
Anything will do
If this was the last time now you should tell us what to do
I was afraid I guess
Now I can't think no more
I was so concentrated
On keeping things together
I've learned to focus on
I didn't want to disappoint
Now where is everybody
Is it still light outside?
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More Featured Meanings
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
People are missing the obvious about the time frames here- The doctor came in the MORNING, but the patient is asking if it is STILL light outside. It seems to me that this patient has been in a coma for a VERY long time but doesn't realise it, and so is very out of the loop on how light it should be. Compounded by the fact that they ask "where is everybody?". People can't hang around a hospital bed for years.
I always think the start of the song almost sounds like somebody waking up aswell, you know that feeling when you've been asleep and you slowly start to surface conciousness.
I also think it's about a suicide attempt, but it could equally be about some kind of other nervous breakdown brought about by stress. Love the idea of the long scandinavian days and nights aswell.
"Is it still light outside?"
This last line, which is presumably central to the theme of the song, makes me think of the never ending daylight during parts of the year in Scandinavia, the group's home. I believe I've heard of that environment causing increased incidence of depression, though I thought it was more related to the times of never ending night rather than day. Regardless, dealing with that situation through drug use could certainly cause the senario in the first verse.
visitscandinavia.or.jp/en/scandinavia/general_information.aspx
I'm quite sure it's about a young person who damaged herself in a suicide attempt. She needs medical care, the doctor seems to be trying to comfort her in part (hand holding), but also suggests she brought on her own malady with a phrase often directed at suicide attemptees ("could it be worse", "it" being whatever caused her to attempt suicide). The narrator then seems to give a fragmented account of the mindset leading to the attempt. It almost sounds like a student under tremendous pressure for higher education entrance exams, or exams within higher education, or something of that sort.
If "is it still light outside" refers to the constant daylight (in addition to the obvious metaphor) I wonder if that gives a clue. Are there exams or some other pressure-inducing thing around that time of year in Sweden?
I don't like assigning such a specific scene to this song. To me it's very general. Very post-apocalyptic. I like to think it could be applied to almost any struggle someone's going through with their health, mentally or physically. It's very moving.
To me it seems to be about suicide and depression, the Doctor trying to reach out to the patient: "If this was the last time now you should tell us what to do"
Also I love the last line, it's such an effective song, so short, so sad
This is the story of my suicide attempt, scarily well done! Makes me shiver, like they were there when it happened.
Must be my favourite Knife song.
"Is it still light outside?" Is a way of asking, "do I still have a second chance at this?"
At life. At anything.
"Now I miss everybody."
This person is now realizing there are people and things to love and to live for.
"Is it still light outside?" Is a way of asking, "do I still have a second chance at this?"
At life. At anything.
"Now I miss everybody."
This person is now realizing there are people and things to love and to live for.
This song is really sad.
I feel like it might be about abortion.
Abortion is a good guess...
I also can imagine it is how you feel after the doctor tells you that you have had an overdose of something and you allmost died. Or you that you have got permanent damage after a period of addiction to something like amphetamines for example.