Something always brings me back to you
It never takes too long
No matter what I say or do
I'll still feel you here 'till the moment I'm gone

You hold me without touch
You keep me without chains
I never wanted anything so much than to drown in your love
And not feel your reign

Set me free, leave me be
I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity
Here I am, and I stand
So tall, just the way I'm supposed to be
But you're on to me and all over me

Oh, you loved me 'cause I'm fragile
When I thought that I was strong
But you touch me for a little while
And all my fragile strength is gone

Set me free, leave me be
I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity
Here I am, and I stand
So tall, just the way I'm supposed to be
But you're on to me and all over me

I live here on my knees as I try to make you see
That you're everything I think I need here on the ground
But you're neither friend nor foe though I can't seem to let you go
The one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me down
You're keeping me down, eh ooh
You're on to me, on to me, and all over

Something always brings me back to you
It never takes too long


Lyrics submitted by killstar, edited by [delete me]

Gravity Lyrics as written by Sara Bareilles

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Gravity song meanings
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107 Comments

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  • +10
    General Comment
    She is trying to get out of this relationship, but when she tries to she keeps going back. She wants him to let her go, She is trying to be strong, but he makes her melt and something keeps her from staying away.
    michy77on July 17, 2007   Link
  • +9
    General Comment
    The piano and her voice combine to make this highly emotional piece...it's breathtaking. This man she loves isn't the best for her, and she knows it but she can't leave. It's just too powerful, what she feels for him. She's begging him to let her go because she knows she could never do it herself. I can identify with this song on some levels. Love can be so...consuming.
    mywreckofthedayon March 09, 2008   Link
  • +5
    My Interpretation
    To me this song is about a guy who has this emotional hold on a girl; no matter what she does to move on and not give in he has this power to persuade her to stay. Or perhaps he has this power over her emotionally that he's always with her. She can't forget him and that is also having power over a person. She's telling him to set her free and let her be because she doesn't want to be fragile and weak anymore. She wants to stand tall and be how she is supposed to be. So, she knows this guy is no good for her. He's neither friend or foe, but he still keeps her down. Beautiful song.
    Jhoana81on November 06, 2009   Link
  • +4
    General Comment
    I actually believe everyone suffers in some way from some form of addiction, and I can see this song relating to a vast array of addictions. I don't think dependencies or addictions always have to refer to substance abuse or something tangable like sex or money. For many it does, but for a lot of people I think they can be addicted to certain emotions. A need to be accepted, to be adored, to be needed or desired. Ever hear of an "emotional cutter?" This song makes me think of people like that. It's a person who knows exactly what they are getting into, knows they are going to lose everything in the end, but does it anyway again and again. I really believe you can be addicted to the way another person makes you feel; even if it keeps ending badly...or maybe especially if it keeps ending badly. I also love the sweet almost comforting melody of this song entwined with the heart wrenching lyrics. It makes me feel like even though some people acknowledge their dependencies, it doesn't mean they are willing to let the security of them go.
    aKatB1on October 25, 2009   Link
  • +3
    General Comment
    Beautiful song. I just saw her in concert and before she performed it, she said, "This one is about my first heartbreak" or something to that effect. I definitely agree it's about an unhealthy relationship. She wants to be rid of this guy, but since he had such a strong power over her, she can't help but go back to him. Falling for him is just as natural as falling to the ground, like gravity.
    EarlySunsetson August 03, 2008   Link
  • +3
    My Interpretation
    Gosh, I've listened to this so many times.. I think the other person in this relationship (and in my case, a close friend) tries to deny he doesn't want to be friends anymore. "You loved me 'cause I'm fragile." I just figured out that the friendship was really basically over a few weeks over... but.. "Something always brings me back to you." and "You hold me without touch.....You keep me without chains." "I did think I Was strong." I did the right thing and told this person that there was a get out of jail free card... he seemed reluctant.. i let it go for a bit. but nothing I do is ever right.. i always break some rule or bother the person.. kinda sucks when I have to be the person to let the friend go because I think he doesn't want to hurt my feelings ("You loved me 'cause I'm fragile.") because I am going through ALOT right now... but I think it's crystal clear now.and this friend's happiness is important. "I live here on my knees as I try to make you see that you're everything I think I need here on the ground." This just says to me I tried, I tried everything a friend could do.. just everything but it was never enough. Nothing is ever good enough - there are alot of rules I have to follow for when "the friend" is available to talk, etc.. But when u have to schedule a phone call or even a "hi, how's life? text" three weeks out.. it becomes more obvious. I still didn't want to let go, I don't now. but i actually deserve better. The friend has 100% power in this friendship. again, i deserve better. "Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be. But you're on to me and all over me." ~I love this person. Can't make them love me and want to be close friends.. I've tried so damn hard to get this person to be the close friend I wanted so bad.. but the truth was he KNEW I was fragile and I think didn't want to hurt me.. not sure which is worse, really. "The one thing that I still know is that you're keeping me down." ~I think what keeps me down is that I wanted to try so hard to see this friend happy... but NOTHING worked... and then something would happen which led me to tears and he'd be this kind friend.. again, not knowing his way out, either. I don't trust people easily. I trusted this person with EVERYTHING... remains to be seen moving forward if that was good or bad.. I have learned a ton about friendships because of this person. It breaks my heart into pieces but I think you have to do what's best for the other person.. This person will be so much happier without my constant interruptions.. wow - this is long --- i talk alot, looks like I write alot... and I so wish I could find a close friend where it's give and take.. but finding a friend out of the phonebook doesn't work..
    melissabarneson May 09, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment
    I can actually see this in one of two ways... The first one is where they are wrong for each other but yet she can't stay away. The second one that kind of hit me when I heard this song for the first time was kind of a sweet meaning, she cant stay away, and no matter how hard she tries, gravity pulls them back together because they are meant to be together. It just reminds me of an experience I went through.
    Scavs101on November 17, 2009   Link
  • +2
    My Interpretation
    This song is absolutly stunning! Her voice is amazing and it is so beautifully written. I think the song can be taken so many ways, but the way I hear it or the way I relate to is that she can't get over her ex. They aren't in contact anymore (neither friend nor foe) but he keeps pulling her in and she can't let him go. He holds her without touch, keeps her without chains suggest that he is not even around but something is always bringing her back to him, she can't let him go and its hindering her from moving on. He is her gravity, even though she knows its unhealthy - she can't forget him. JMO.
    beacheson September 23, 2011   Link
  • +2
    Memory
    Wow. I've been listening to this song on repeat because it hits so close to home for me. After years of a strictly platonic relationship, I now find myself with feelings for one of my best friends. At first, I felt that the feelings could have possibly been mutual but at this point, I don't think he feels the same way. I think this is exactly the situation Sara is talking about. Take the second verse for example: "You hold me without touch. You keep me without chains. I never wanted anything so much than to drown in your love And not feel your rain." I take this to mean that the person (or in my situation the guy) doesn't realize their affect on Sara. They don't see how they're making you fall deeper for them by merely being themselves. And Sara just wants to be loved so badly by this person but as the chorus says: "Set me free, leave me be. I don't want to fall another moment into your gravity. Here I am and I stand so tall, just the way I'm supposed to be. But you're on to me and all over me." And listening to the song, I don't see that Sara feels any animosity towards the person she's in love with, which especially makes me think that the person she's interested in is a friend. (It's harder to be angry at a friend for leading you on than a random person) I just think she wants the "gravity" to stop pulling her in. .
    musiclovahon April 19, 2013   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    Her voice, the piano and poignancy of her lyrics make this song better with each listen.
    churchlemonon June 19, 2007   Link

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