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"
How are things on the west coast?
I hear you're moving real fine
You wear those shoes like a dove
Now strut those shoes, we'll go roaming in the night
Well, how are things on the west coast?
You keep it moving to your soul's delight
Now I've tried the brakes
I tried, but you know it's a lonely ride
How are things the west coast?
Oh, I'd move Heaven behind those eyes
Today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
But I don't want to take your heart
And I don't want a piece of history
No, I don't want to read your thoughts anymore
My god
'Cause today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
How are things on the west coast?
Hear you're moving real fine tonight
You wear those shoes side-to-side
Ah, strut those shoes, we'll go roaming in the night
Well, how are things on the west coast?
Yeah, but you're an actress and I don't identify
Today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
Say it
But I don't want to play the part
And I don't want a taste of victory
No, I don't want to read your thoughts anymore
My God
'Cause today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
Say it
'Cause today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
Let it come
'Cause I've got a chance for a sweet, sane life
I said, I've got a dance, and you'll do just fine
Well, I've got a plan with forward in my eyes
Let it come
Well, I've got a chance for a sweet, sane life
I said, I've got a dance, it moves into the night
Well, I've got a plan with forward in my eyes
But today my heart swings
I hear you're moving real fine
You wear those shoes like a dove
Now strut those shoes, we'll go roaming in the night
Well, how are things on the west coast?
You keep it moving to your soul's delight
Now I've tried the brakes
I tried, but you know it's a lonely ride
How are things the west coast?
Oh, I'd move Heaven behind those eyes
Today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
But I don't want to take your heart
And I don't want a piece of history
No, I don't want to read your thoughts anymore
My god
'Cause today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
How are things on the west coast?
Hear you're moving real fine tonight
You wear those shoes side-to-side
Ah, strut those shoes, we'll go roaming in the night
Well, how are things on the west coast?
Yeah, but you're an actress and I don't identify
Today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
Say it
But I don't want to play the part
And I don't want a taste of victory
No, I don't want to read your thoughts anymore
My God
'Cause today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
Say it
'Cause today my heart swings
Yeah, today my heart swings
Let it come
'Cause I've got a chance for a sweet, sane life
I said, I've got a dance, and you'll do just fine
Well, I've got a plan with forward in my eyes
Let it come
Well, I've got a chance for a sweet, sane life
I said, I've got a dance, it moves into the night
Well, I've got a plan with forward in my eyes
But today my heart swings
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More Featured Meanings
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Page
Ed Sheeran
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.
I really want to know why this song is titled what it is... hmm.
Everytime I've heard this song, I think of an Internet relationship. "How are things on the West Coast? I hear you're doing real fine..."
"You wear those shoes like a dove". She is very graceful. He admires her poise, the way she moves, her style.
He wants her, but he knows he can't pursue her... not only is she far away, but she is out of his league... he doesn't want to just be another guy (I don't want a piece of history)...
He has all these plans for them to be together and have a great time, but he knows how it would turn out... either she would turn him down completely because she is so much better than he is or he would end up being used or humiliated
He really has feelings for her, but he is having second thoughts (Today my heart swings) He knows the truth and part of him just wants to get away... so he doesn't want to read her thoughts anymore... because it would just make him realize the truth and he'd feel bad