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"
i missed you for so long
my garden's overgrown
i paced holes in the floor
i drink ocean water
kept to my attic room
while you sung your song
with a heart that would glow
and you've learned your lesson
are you coming home
are you coming home
and i've waited for you
high above the garden
heaven's angels descend
upon your bed
they will hold your sweet head
let you sleep like the dead
and with a sharp knife
they will give you their heart
and with needles and thread
you can plant them deep in your chest
out comes butterflies and a bird's nest
if i screamed at you
and you shook your fists at god
oh such a sorrow soul
who cowered and cried
i have a whole room
where your paintings hang
i have a whole heart
where you can plant your garden
it would grow, oh
and we will find a church
that fits both of our needs
and we'll forgive ourselves
and forgive our enemies
dump them into the sea
and i'll believe if you say
someone's hurt your children
so sail them away
to the most safe and loving arms
there they will grow old
and all my hair will fall out
and your mind will follow
i'll take you to see
all this endless beauty
that's collected for you and me
and i promise
i'll grow old and die
and i promise
i'll give you all my life
i have a whole room
where your paintings hang
i have a whole heart
where you can plant your garden
it would grow, oh
my garden's overgrown
i paced holes in the floor
i drink ocean water
kept to my attic room
while you sung your song
with a heart that would glow
and you've learned your lesson
are you coming home
are you coming home
and i've waited for you
high above the garden
heaven's angels descend
upon your bed
they will hold your sweet head
let you sleep like the dead
and with a sharp knife
they will give you their heart
and with needles and thread
you can plant them deep in your chest
out comes butterflies and a bird's nest
if i screamed at you
and you shook your fists at god
oh such a sorrow soul
who cowered and cried
i have a whole room
where your paintings hang
i have a whole heart
where you can plant your garden
it would grow, oh
and we will find a church
that fits both of our needs
and we'll forgive ourselves
and forgive our enemies
dump them into the sea
and i'll believe if you say
someone's hurt your children
so sail them away
to the most safe and loving arms
there they will grow old
and all my hair will fall out
and your mind will follow
i'll take you to see
all this endless beauty
that's collected for you and me
and i promise
i'll grow old and die
and i promise
i'll give you all my life
i have a whole room
where your paintings hang
i have a whole heart
where you can plant your garden
it would grow, oh
Lyrics submitted by sethbrown
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
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
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,
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
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.
and i promise i'll grow old and die
Possibly the most heartbreaking lines.