We became the parade on the streets that we once cleaned
Expendable soldiers smiling at anything
Raised on a feeling our lives would have meaning eventually

We were once the answer and then you discover
You're actually just one thing after another
And what was the question and why was the lesson so deafening?

This is all that matters now
And that was all that happened anyhow
You can look back but don't stare
Maybe I can love you out of there

And when I went away what I forgot to say
Was all I had to say:
Eight letters, three words, one meaning

And outside forces didn't make it easy
So I thought I'd go before you leave me
Self-preservation was no explanation for anything

But the truth is more than we'll ever comprehend
I'm just starting to understand, my friend
All of that distance, 'cause I fell in love with the enemy

This is all that matters now
And that was all that happened anyhow
You can look back but don't stare
Maybe I can love you out of there

And when I went away what I forgot to say
Was all I had to say:
Eight letters, three words, one meaning

And when I went away what I forgot to say
Was all I had to say:
Eight letters, three words, one meaning

At last, we meet on no man's land
Just footprints in the sand
We meet on no man's land, at last

And when I went away what I forgot to say
Was all I had to say:
Eight letters, three words, one meaning

And when I went away what I forgot to say
Was all I had to say:
Eight letters, three words, one meaning

One meaning
Just one meaning


Lyrics submitted by fromevery

Eight Letters Lyrics as written by Robbie Williams Gary Barlow

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Eight Letters song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

6 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +3
    Song Meaning

    Like a couple of other Take That songs since their comeback, I think Eight Letters is another song about their reunion - this one mainly from Robbie Williams' point of view.

    "We became the parade on the streets that we once cleaned Expendable soldiers smiling at anything Raised on a feeling our lives would have meaning eventually"

    Is about their initial rise in the 1990's and possible naivety at the fickle world of the music industry.

    "We were once the answer and then you discover You're actually just one thing after another And what was the question and why was the lesson so deafening?"

    A point, probably as they were about to split, when they realised they were just another boy band and they weren't invincible or guaranteed anything.

    "And outside forces didn't make it easy So I thought I'd go before you leave me Self-preservation was no explanation for anything"

    From this point on it seems to come from Robbie Williams' point of view. "Outside forces" suggesting his head was turned by people outside of the band, he left because the band were fed up with him and "Self-preservation" was a poor excuse for his attitude at the time.

    "But the truth is more than we'll ever comprehend I'm just starting to understand, my friend All of that distance, 'cause I fell in love with the enemy"

    Robbie again, saying he's started to realise what the band meant to him and he seems to regret all the negativity he showed the other four and it was all because he had his head turned (by "the enemy").

    "This is all that matters now And that was all that happened anyhow You can look back but don't stare Maybe I can love you out of there"

    He now wants to move on with the other four (this is all that matters now), hopes they don't dwell on past feelings (you can look back but don't stare) and wants to change their view of him again - "maybe I can love you out of there", "there" being memories of when the rivalry was bitter.

    "And when I went away what I forgot to say Was all I had to say: Eight letters, three words, one meaning"

    He always loved the band but was never truthful enough to admit it because of "the enemy".

    "At last, we meet on no man's land Just footprints in the sand We meet on no man's land, at last"

    "No man's land" being a term for land avoided for fear, they're expressing their relief at finally getting back together and forgiving each other.

    sgninaemgnos2on June 15, 2011   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
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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
No Surprises
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.
Album art
American Town
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.