We've all got a past
And these ghosts are holding us back

I listened to your message over and over again
I thought about how I let you down
I thought about who I am
I felt hopeless
I got caught up in this life
I'm such a mess
I wonder how I looked through your eyes

Baby take your time
Stop and see for once in your life
The things you're missing out on
Like me, like me in the sunshine
The summer's almost over
We're running out of time

Almost over

I look out on the city lights
Wonder where you are tonight
There's so much that I wanna' say
Will you ever let me
And if I pour my heart out
Do you want the truth?
Yeah, I'd pour my heart out
I at least owe that to you
I at least owe that to you

Open up your eyes
(There's so much I have to say, will you ever let me?)
I'm right in front of you
(There's so much I have to say, will you ever let me?)

It's too cold for June
How come I only hear from you when you're liquored up?
I've heard all about the others
And this side of you that you discovered this summer

Baby take your time
Stop and see for once in your life
The things you're missing out on
Like me, like me in the sunshine
The summer's almost over
We're running out of time


Lyrics submitted by fedorov1fan

Clocks And Time Pieces Lyrics as written by

Lyrics © Capitol CMG Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Clocks and Time Pieces song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

8 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    the whole cd is pretty much awesome, but this song is one of my all-time favs. to add to fedorov's description, it's also about how much he misses her...

    angel21minnieon January 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This is about a guy who messed up and made some mistakes and realizes this and just wants to be forgiven and have a another chance to talk to her about things and he's not getting it.

    Search The City is such an amazing band and this whole cd is amazing.

    fedorov1fanon June 26, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Yada, yada, yada, blah, blah, bah...I know I'm suppossed to say what I think this song means because the website is songmeanings and everything, but I just had to say...

    THIS SONG IS AMAZING!!! best song on the CD in my opinion

    BenefitOfTheDoubton April 15, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this songs about some dude realizing his chicks a fucking scumbag yo...

    "how come i only hear from you when you're liquored up" "i've heard all about the others"

    should i continue?

    DCswindleon May 05, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think DC and Federov have both points of the song...

    first he's explaining that yah he messed up and he does still care however later he begins second guessing the situation because of their distance and her attempts to make him jealous.

    He ultimately would like her to sit back and second guess her choices and realize she's better than that, especially when they're together.

    If he had a chance he mgiht be able to convince her of that, if only she'd make the effort...

    Thats what i got.

    beyondclarityon May 08, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think this song is about having a crush on a girl who is merely a friend. He made a move and she declined, just wanting to be friends.

    vampricon April 14, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I personally think this song is about Guy, who got caught up in alcohol (judging from the later "How come I only hear from you when you're liquored up?" lyric), and problems came up in his relationship with Girl. He let her down by never being there for her, always being too drunk to care.

    Finally, Guy get's out of it when Girl breaks up with him, but she's still down that path. He wants her to break free of it and see what she has around her. It might sound cocky, but I think his saying 'Like me, like me in the sunshine' means that if she keeps going, she's going to end up losing him as well. Even though they're broken up, it might just be a temporary thing, like she still thinks they can get back together with him whenever she wants to. But it seems like he's saying that she's missing out on him because of her drinking, and he won't get back together with her while she's like that.

    Also, another thought is that they probably met near summer, and he's the one who introduced her to that lifestyle during the summer, judging by all the lyrics hinting at something like that.

    However, that's only one of my theories. :) My thoughts on the other theories I have aren't formed well enough to bother you all with them. >_<

    I also like BeyondClarity's theory. They seem to have it pretty well spotted. :)

    CircusEateron August 03, 2010   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    I feel that ferdorov1fan, DCswindle, and beyondclarity brought out different parts of the songs to light but all together fit in the song at once my interpretation is a combination of your 3 insights to the song.

    I feel the song is about a guy who did mess up with the girl he was with,possibly she did to, this is in reference to the line "And these ghosts are holding us back"

    First verse: •The way I see it in the first verse he talks about a message she sent him which lead him to see his mistakes (and possibly stop blaming her for what she may have done). He begins realizing this as he thinks about How he let her down and the kinda person he is and even begins to wonder what she sees now when she looks at him making him want to change who he's become.

    Chorus: •In the chorus he begins to show that he may have become enlightened and may have changed his ways to be a better mam than he was before. I found this to be implied after he begins saying "Like me, like me in the sunshine" meaning he's a lot better than before and happierwith who he is. However in the beginning of the verse it seems that the "ghosts holding them back" (second line in the song) have affected her to where their roles now have flipped. Now he may be saying he wants her to see what she's "missing out on" (what they could have) and she can be happy like he is with him instead of possibly wasting her time stuck in the past. Also explainin summers about to end I do believe that's in reference to there being a limit to how long he can hold on which could imply that she's taking him for granted and he won't wait long for her to realize it.

    Second verse: I feel in this verse that he explains that how he does still care by saying how he wonders about what she does and where she is. Also that "there's a lot that he wants to say" possibly in order to fix the relationship. Although despite having a lot he wants to say he is worried and questions if she'll listen to him or is to hurt from the past to forgive him and or just listen to what he has to say. Being hes not even sure if she'll listen he wonders "And if I pour my heart out, Do you want the truth?" meaning that the truth could be painful. Also possibly wondering if she'd want him to lie to her to spare her feelings but ultimately concludes otherwise. "Yeah, I'd pour my heart out I at least owe that to you (2×)" Possibly meaning he realizes that he wants to pour his heart out to her the truth because he feels he owns her at least that much.

    following the second verse he states "Open up your eyes I'm right in front of you" which supports the idea that now he's alright, that now he's better, and that now she may became lost while waiting. This implies that she's as damaged as he was before not realizing what he had and hopes she'll realize it before it's to late. This idea is also supported in the third verse.

    Third verse: By saying it's "too cold for june" it seems it's in reference to the cold shoulder she's been giving him using June being that it's the first month of summer when its supose to feel warm. Following this line it seems to be more than a cold shoulder by questionING why she always seems drunk when he hears from her and no other time. Also how he is now the one being hurt in this "cold" summer saying that he's heard about "all the others" which sounds like guys she's tried dating but more like hooked up with (more than likely, to me anyways, in a sexual manner) in the time where she's now "discovered this side of her" which could be similar to how he was before. Possibly implying he drank a lot but also may have cheated and took her for granted. Then going back to the chorus to close saying again how he wants her to take the time to see how she's acting and/or what she's doing and how it's not her. How he wants her to be happy also for them to be happy again together. However there is a time limit as to which he can hold on ending the chorus with "we're running out of time" using 'we' in reference to their relationship. Possibly in fear of it being a cycle where they go in circles loving each other but at different times where he'll love her then get sick of the stuff she does. All just to have her fall for him again and realize her mistakes when she's to late turning their relationship to a poisonous cycle.

    Anyways this was my interpretation of the song it may not be perfect but this made the most sense to me. If anyone disagrees there are a lot of different possiblities to the interpretations of the song so share your thoughts and you could open new perspectives.

    Sebastian_M2000on July 14, 2016   Link

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

Album art
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve. The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future. Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere" The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Album art
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Album art
Gentle Hour
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,
Album art
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Album art
Page
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.