“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
(Xzibit talking)
Come here Tre, what's up son, come on
To whom it may concern, yeah, listen
Sorry I'm away so much, yeah, yeah
All the sons, daughters, penitentiary niggas, yeah feel me
Uh, sorry I'm away so much, yeah
(Xzibit)
My son was born about four and a half years ago
Loved and protected him, amazin how fast they grow
I came to know about his likes and his dislikes (yeah)
Video games, taught him how to ride his first bike (that's it)
This is the life my little nigga, I see you gettin all upset
When I leave the house, poutin, let me tell you about
Tryna make it in this world and provide for you
Cause on them overseat plane rides I miss you too
Never knew that I would have to be away so much
Five thousand dollar phone bills keepin in touch
We Starskey and Hutch, yeah, we partners for life, yeah
I rock mics, so I'm sorry when I hug you if I squeeze too tight
Long nights in the studio take me away
Gettin mad 'cause I'm tired and you want me to play
Money can't replace time, I'm just tryna get you outta the fine relyin
And expand your mind my lil' ni', yeah
Yeah, c'mon
(Chorus-X)
Look, sorry I'm away so much
Understand me, yeah
It's for you, hah, yeah (you, and you, and you)
c'mon, look, sorry I'm away so much
Huh, we keep it gangsta
Look
(Xzibit)
I got a brother locked down, he be out in a couple
Knuckle for knuckle, a veteran and nothin but muscle
Now broadcastin live from behind the wall
Stayin tight through long kites and telephone calls
Gettin hype when you see your brother on T.V.
Can't wait for your release so you can roll with me
Arrange everything exactly how it's supposed to be
For right now here's a thousand, J, stay lo-key
You say damn Xzibit, whyn't you pay a nigga a visit
Time limits got me movin a million miles a minute
Knee deep, gotta strike while the iron is hot
Still gotta eat and keep the lights on when it's not
Sleepin on cots, bullet wounds got you in knots
I wish I was there to snatch you up instead of the cops
Muthafuck it, do the time and get it out of the way
You goin from convict to corporate nigga in one day (in one day)
(Chorus)
(Quik)
Now I ain't never been this hot before
So in essence it's obvious, I ain't never been this out before
I'm spending 25-8 days, 366 times a year
Up in the studio freakin and mixin rhymes in here
Nothin but beer, bud smoke, Hen and Coke, women and sheer
Callin playa niggas there
Not the kinda place I really want to bring my son
Get on lil' Dane, gon' in there and have you some fun
Used to be that ??? be up there sewin ya clothes
While I'm with you on the PlayStation showin you codes
Hit the X button stupid, forward, left, right, X
Now I'm tryna get your college fund, bustin with X
(Suga Free)
Come here, give that here dada,
no no don't do that mama 'cause dada be back
Here go your ba-ba, Pampers, flashy ???, you can see that
You tryna figure out
why dada talkin to you through this glass on the phone
Ooh, I socked a bitch and then she snitched, but I'll be home
Can't keep me away, just can't stay away
(Chorus-Suga Free)
(Suga Free talkin to fade)
Come here Tre, what's up son, come on
To whom it may concern, yeah, listen
Sorry I'm away so much, yeah, yeah
All the sons, daughters, penitentiary niggas, yeah feel me
Uh, sorry I'm away so much, yeah
(Xzibit)
My son was born about four and a half years ago
Loved and protected him, amazin how fast they grow
I came to know about his likes and his dislikes (yeah)
Video games, taught him how to ride his first bike (that's it)
This is the life my little nigga, I see you gettin all upset
When I leave the house, poutin, let me tell you about
Tryna make it in this world and provide for you
Cause on them overseat plane rides I miss you too
Never knew that I would have to be away so much
Five thousand dollar phone bills keepin in touch
We Starskey and Hutch, yeah, we partners for life, yeah
I rock mics, so I'm sorry when I hug you if I squeeze too tight
Long nights in the studio take me away
Gettin mad 'cause I'm tired and you want me to play
Money can't replace time, I'm just tryna get you outta the fine relyin
And expand your mind my lil' ni', yeah
Yeah, c'mon
(Chorus-X)
Look, sorry I'm away so much
Understand me, yeah
It's for you, hah, yeah (you, and you, and you)
c'mon, look, sorry I'm away so much
Huh, we keep it gangsta
Look
(Xzibit)
I got a brother locked down, he be out in a couple
Knuckle for knuckle, a veteran and nothin but muscle
Now broadcastin live from behind the wall
Stayin tight through long kites and telephone calls
Gettin hype when you see your brother on T.V.
Can't wait for your release so you can roll with me
Arrange everything exactly how it's supposed to be
For right now here's a thousand, J, stay lo-key
You say damn Xzibit, whyn't you pay a nigga a visit
Time limits got me movin a million miles a minute
Knee deep, gotta strike while the iron is hot
Still gotta eat and keep the lights on when it's not
Sleepin on cots, bullet wounds got you in knots
I wish I was there to snatch you up instead of the cops
Muthafuck it, do the time and get it out of the way
You goin from convict to corporate nigga in one day (in one day)
(Chorus)
(Quik)
Now I ain't never been this hot before
So in essence it's obvious, I ain't never been this out before
I'm spending 25-8 days, 366 times a year
Up in the studio freakin and mixin rhymes in here
Nothin but beer, bud smoke, Hen and Coke, women and sheer
Callin playa niggas there
Not the kinda place I really want to bring my son
Get on lil' Dane, gon' in there and have you some fun
Used to be that ??? be up there sewin ya clothes
While I'm with you on the PlayStation showin you codes
Hit the X button stupid, forward, left, right, X
Now I'm tryna get your college fund, bustin with X
(Suga Free)
Come here, give that here dada,
no no don't do that mama 'cause dada be back
Here go your ba-ba, Pampers, flashy ???, you can see that
You tryna figure out
why dada talkin to you through this glass on the phone
Ooh, I socked a bitch and then she snitched, but I'll be home
Can't keep me away, just can't stay away
(Chorus-Suga Free)
(Suga Free talkin to fade)
Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings
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More Featured Meanings
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it.
“I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.
Midnight
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Midnight” is a song about finding a love that is so true that it provides a calming feeling through every storm. Ed Sheeran reflects on his good fortunes in landing someone with such peace and support and speaks of not fearing the dark days because he knows they’ll all end in the safety nets of her arms.
“Well, good morning there / What a way to start the day / With everything laid bare,” Ed Sheeran sings in the first verse, enthusiastic to be waking up beside his woman. He apologizes for missing her calls in the second verse and promises to return them because for him, speaking to her is the most important thing. “Well, I get lost inside my head / In this chaos, you’re my calm / And I will find my feet again / ‘Cause еven the worst days of my life will always еnd / At midnight in your arms,” sings Ed Sheeran in the chorus, revelling in his good luck.
Trouble Breathing
Alkaline Trio
Alkaline Trio
While the obvious connections with suicide or alcoholism could be drawn easily, more subtly this song could be about someone who views the world through a negative lens constantly and how as much as the writer tries to show the beauty in the world, this person refuses to see it. It's one or another between the rope and the bottle. There is no good option for this person. They can't see it. Skiba sings it in a kind of exasperated way like He's tired of hearing this negative view constantly and just allowing that person to continue feeling the way they feel knowing he can't do anything about it. You can hear it when he says maybe you're a vampire.
Somewhere Only We Know
Keane
Keane
Per the FAQ on Keane's website, Keane's drummer Richard Hughes, stated the following:
"We've been asked whether "Somewhere Only We Know" is about a specific place, and Tim has been saying that, for him, or us as individuals, it might be about a geographical space, or a feeling; it can mean something individual to each person, and they can interpret it to a memory of theirs... It's perhaps more of a theme rather than a specific message... Feelings that may be universal, without necessarily being totally specific to us, or a place, or a time..."
With the nostalgic sentiment and the overall tone of the song, I think Keane is attempting to express a Portuguese term known as 'saudade', which does not have a direct English translation but roughly means "that which we remember because it is gone."