This Ain't Goodbye

Nope. It's not about convincing, it's not about feeling anything is falling apart. It's about two people who are perfect for each other (friends from outer space), two people who should be together, but they never stepped up, never initiated anything physical, only words. They were waiting and waiting.. possible for the other to do something, but neither of them did. 'words aren't warm enough', it was all words, nothing more, nothing physical once again. They had the love for each other, but not the balls to get it out in the open. They just kept beating around the bush. 'I know you can't be mine, by the way you've always been' - maybe she's so bloody shy that she s**ts herself whenever an opportunity to step it up comes along, or maybe that's her excuse for not going for it. Either way he loves her, always will, and it's her personality, her nature that perhaps holds them back. Nevertheless, it's not all her fault, it's the fact that neither of them had the balls to step it up, that a relationship never materialised: 'afraid to let go' .. let go and fall in love.

I'd say there's still a chance, if she's strong enough to hold on, but she's probably too scared.. it's easier for her to just slip back into the 'bubble'

To me, the song is about two people who are very much in love, soul mates even, but their love was destined to fail from the start due to circumstances beyond their control. It could be racial differences, age difference, something that places their love outside of society's norm and something they know they won't be able to overcome. "As bold as we were blind" and "Just another perfect mistake, another bridge to take on the way to letting go"... they knew going in that they wouldn't be together forever, not as lovers, but they ignored common sense and let their hearts lead them. "When words aren't warm enough to keep away the cold"... they've finally reached the point where their differences are too much to bear and as much as it hurts, it's time to end what they have together. They're not saying goodbye, though, not completely; they love each other too much for that. But they love each other enough to know when it's time to move on. "As long as we've got time this ain't goodbye"... as long as they're on this earth, they'll always hold a special place in each others' heart, so they're really not saying goodbye.

I'm in this exact situation now. I knew from the beginning it would hurt like hell when we had to end it, and sadly I was right, but oh... the ride along the way. I'll never forget.

I think the speaker is in denial. He is remembering good times he had with a girl that he loves very much, but feels that his relationship with her is falling apart and he is trying to convince himself that its not over. The following phrases in the lyrics "but I know that you can't be mine, by the way you've always been" and "mabye we were vicitims of all the foolish plans" suggest that deep down he knows that it really is "good-bye". "Maybe we were victims of all the foolish plans" also suggests that they ignored problems they had in their relationship and just passed them off as "just where love goes" and that "as long as we've got time" they can fix these problems. But really if they stayed together, they would be spending more time fixing their problems then enjoying eachother because "words aren't warm enough to keep away the cold".

I think the chorus makes it sound like they will still be friends, but they just wont be more. its not goodbye because they will still be around each other, its only goodbye in the sense of a relationship

I think this song is about two friends who have had feelings for eachother for a long period of time. They have been friends for years, yet there is something which prevents them from working out as a couple. This could be age or they could be at different stages in their lives etc. The two friends have contemplated and talked about being together many times and fooled themselves into thinking that they could work out, only to realise that it is not possible in the real world - 'maybe we were victims of all the foolish plans' as well as that their words arent enough anymore, as they cant mean anything under their circumstances - 'words arent warm enough to keep away the cold'. Instead, they are relying on the idea of the 'right timing' in which they can finally be together, as 'this aint goodbye, this is only where love goes'.

To me, it's not about a love that never happened, but one that fell apart. Simple as that.

To me, this song is about a love between two people that can't exist at the moment. These two people were friends from "outer space", they were perfect for each other, but the conditions their love had to exist in made it impossible for it to happen at the moment. They know they can't be together at the moment, "the words aren't warm enough" meaning their thoughts and hopes and dreams that they share together aren't enough to keep the relationship together, so they have to wait. It's not goodbye because they have time. They need to wait until it's convenient enough for both of them to be together, as long as they have time, they'll be together in the end.

It's "not the way you've always been" not "by the way" I think this is my favorite song off of Save Me San Francisco. To me, it's a song about soul mates. Not just romantically - but two people who are just always meant to be together and friends, whether platonically or not. They just know each other perfectly. Their love for each other is eternal, but not romantically. The pair tried a romance, but it didn't work out, and the singer is telling the other that it's not the end. They will always have each other no matter what. "you can't be mine, not the way you've always been" - it will never be the same relationship, but the relationship is still there.

just my .02

The line 'we were waiting for our time' is supposed to be "we were way before our time" ;)

This song reminds me of my dad. I was always a daddy's girl. We were really close. Then my parents got a divorce and my mom got full custody of me and my brother. We moved five hours away. This ain't goodbye, Daddy <3