This town was a lovers stage
But now you can't recognize
The streetlights that are daggers to your eyes
You can't find your bearings
You're slipping into the ground
The scene has no color and no sound

You still believe in me
After the things I've done
You fear for what we have become
The ground is uneven
We stumble from day to day
You shelter where it's easy
Although your feet are like lead
But you gotta get underway

Drag your heart up to the starting line
Forget the ghosts that make you old before your time
It's too easy to get left behind
I know you've been kicked around
But tie up your thoughts and lay them down on me

Each heart is a paper kite blown around by the breeze
Love won't rest 'til it brings you to your knees
Some find it easy, some will never even know
You think you've done your journey
Then you stumble and find that there's such a long way to go

Drag your heart up to the starting line
Forget the ghosts that make you old before your time
It's too easy to get left behind
I know you've been kicked around
You wanna be lost and not be found
But let's take the back way into town
Drink to the bad times
Lay them down on me

Girl, I still believe in you
You're too good to fall so low
We're gonna find a better life I know
Things will be clearer
As soon as we make a start
We'll be that much nearer
We're too old to just stand here waiting to break apart

Drag your heart up to the starting line
Forget the ghosts that make you old before your time
It's too easy to get left behind
I know you've been kicked around
But tie up your thoughts and lay them down on me
On me, on me


Lyrics submitted by GoRockTheirWorld, edited by ProvidenceXz

The Starting Line Lyrics as written by Richard David Hughes Jesse Quin

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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The Starting Line song meanings
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2 Comments

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  • +3
    My Interpretation

    I feel like this song is about a man in love with a woman who is facing adversity of some kind. She's obviously very stressed out about it, and it's taking a toll in their relationship. She's got emotional baggage and he's totally understanding about it. He wants her to know that no matter what she goes through, he'll be there for her. He's trying to cheer her up, say that he knows she's got it bad, but she has him and it'll all be alright in the end.

    On a seperate note, I absolutely love this song. It's sweet and a real pick-me-up.

    Nanningtonon May 26, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    I don't think this song is strictly about love and relationships.

    The first verse sets some context:

    This town was a lovers stage But now you can't recognize The streetlights that are daggers to your eyes You can't find your bearings You're slipping into the ground The scene has no color and no sound

    So, something happened around the narrator and someone he is talking to. Could be anything. A critic of society, etc. But somehow they were affected by it. It affected them to the point that there is something the narrator did in the past not so good:

    You still believe in me After the things, I've done You fear for what we have become

    The rest of the lyrics are full of motivation lines and encouragement despite all the suffering. This is evident on the line:

    Drag your heart up to the starting line

    Drag doesn't seem to me like a random verb. It's a strong verb to be unintentionally.

    Drag your heart up to the starting line Forget the ghosts that make you old before your time It's too easy to get left behind I know you've been kicked around You wanna be lost and not be found But let's take the back way into town Drink to the bad times Lay them down on me Girl, I still believe in you You're too good to fall so low We're gonna find a better life I know Things will be clearer As soon as we make a start We'll be that much nearer We're too old to just stand here waiting to break apart Drag your heart up to the starting line Forget the ghosts that make you old before your time It's too easy to get left behind I know you've been kicked around But tie up your thoughts and lay them down on me On me, on me

    This is actually one of the band's best songs. One of the scenarios were I can easily see these words is from a father/mother to his sun/daughter.

    ruben11449on August 12, 2020   Link

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