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"
It's time to make a start
To get to know your heart
Time to show your face, time to take your place
In every speck of dust
In every universe,
When you feel most alone, you will not be alone
Just shine a light on me, shine a light
I'll shine a light on you, shine a light
And you will see my shadow on every wall
And you will see my footprint on every floor
It only takes a spark to tear the world apart
These tiny little things that make it all begin
Just shine a light on me, shine a light
I'll shine a light on you, shine a light
And you will see my shadow on every wall
And you'll see my reflection in your free fall
Ooh, oh ooh, ooh, oh ooh!
Just shine a light on me, shine a light
I'll shine a light on you, shine a light
Cause when your back's against the wall
That's when you show no fear at all
And when you're running out of time
That's when you hitch your star to mine
We won't be leaving by the same road that we came by
We won't be leaving by the same road that we came by
We won't be leaving by the same road that we came by
We won't be leaving by the same road that we came by
Oh ooh, oh ooh, oh ooh, oh ooh!
To get to know your heart
Time to show your face, time to take your place
In every speck of dust
In every universe,
When you feel most alone, you will not be alone
Just shine a light on me, shine a light
I'll shine a light on you, shine a light
And you will see my shadow on every wall
And you will see my footprint on every floor
It only takes a spark to tear the world apart
These tiny little things that make it all begin
Just shine a light on me, shine a light
I'll shine a light on you, shine a light
And you will see my shadow on every wall
And you'll see my reflection in your free fall
Ooh, oh ooh, ooh, oh ooh!
Just shine a light on me, shine a light
I'll shine a light on you, shine a light
Cause when your back's against the wall
That's when you show no fear at all
And when you're running out of time
That's when you hitch your star to mine
We won't be leaving by the same road that we came by
We won't be leaving by the same road that we came by
We won't be leaving by the same road that we came by
We won't be leaving by the same road that we came by
Oh ooh, oh ooh, oh ooh, oh ooh!
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
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
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”
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,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
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.
Going through some tough times right. This song is giving me perspective and helping me keep it together.
This song really puts things into perspective for me. It tells me that I can escape the times when the microcosm of my life gets me down. I can move on, do other things and embark on something really fulfilling and worthwhile, if unorthodox.
Very nice song... I't tells you that you'llalways have an escape and that when you're on trouble that's the most perfect time to show how brave you are.
my first impressions of this song were that it was about friendship... just one telling the other that they will always be there for them, and even if they don't get recognized until the last second, that's OK. i think it's a really beautiful song! i'm surprised more people haven't commented on it.
Somehow this song brings tears to my eyes every time I listen to it... Simply amazing. I wish they had included it in their album...
This song reduced me to tears on first hearing it, and still does. Something about the way he sings "And you will see My Shadow, on every wall".
As for the meaning, it's about trying to realise where we stand in life, and how insignificant the world can make us seem and feel. It also touches upon friendship; that no matter how hard it'll be, you'll always have somebody there, and that you have to be bravest at your lowest.
All in all, I love this song. I'm even considering having it played at my funeral. Seems fitting, as it's comforting, and has a certain moral to it.
Oh! What does everybody interpret from the line; "We won't be leaving by the same road that we came by".
maybe like since we came from flesh and weren't conscious until we were born, the spiritual eternal existence that awaits us is a different road, so to speak?<br /> <br /> just taking a crack.
I took that as a reference to Tom's stint in drug rehab and how he's turned his life around, but that was four years previous to Night Train's release so I'm not really sure if this interpretation is valid.<br /> In any case, I think it's a strong message that the road you take in life is not set and can be changed for the better at any time. :)
@lovefromcharli That we are changed by life's experiences.
Hmmm...yeah there's definitely something spiritual about this song (ironic really, after what he declared in Perfect Symmetry(the song)). This is the only song on the album that I can actually listen to, and listen to it I will, over and over again...
This song is beautiful, if not inspiring. Great way to end Night Train.
This song is my all time favourite Keane song, every time I hear this song it brings a tear to my eye. I reminds me of a close friend of mine :(