Retrograde

I think it says:

"Suddenly I'm hit Is this darkness before the dawn?"

It would make sense this way - on the other hand I'm trying hard to figure out the overall meaning of the song. Who is he talking to? What is he trying to say? How do the words tie in with the title Retrograde?

Retrograde means to go back in position or time. To regress, retreat, go backward... iT COULD BE that he's waiting for her to go back, come back, to the girl he knew before, the way she used to be. For her to find her place again, where she felt like she fit in. And he'll be there for her, no matter what she puts him through ("suddendly I'm hit"), thinking it's just one more thing before she goes back to what he knew her to be ("is this the darkness before the dawn?).

Suddenly I'm hit!*

My heart breaks and reforms again at "Ignore everybody else/We're alone now." I like that is sounds as if he is simultaneously provoking and supporting the subject.

So sexy it hurts. Everywhere.

kinda sounds like his partner had a breakdown or some kind of loss. He is challenging her, provoking her to pull herself back together and come back to him. the line "Show me how you're strong" telling her it's there pull it together. You alone can do this. No friends. Be the girl you love, you have this imagine, reach out and grab it.

He is talking to someone special (love interest)

"You're on your own, in a world you've grown"

to me it doesn't mean she been alone all her life, she lived with the world in a world, she has had many people around her helping her.

"Few more years to go, Don't let the hurdle fall So be the girl you loved, Be the girl you loved"

he knows things will get better He's known her for a long time she is strong and beat many obstacles in her life (with the help of people around her), but now shes getting weak shes alone for once,

"I'll wait, so show me why you're strong Ignore everybody else, We're alone now I'll wait, so show me why you're strong Ignore everybody else, We're alone now"

He wants to have a relationship but she isn't ready, she going through so much and she doesn't want to lose him, he is willing to help her in her lonely times. he knows she's strong deep down, the people who once helped her betray and discourage her.

"We're alone now We're alone now We're alone now I'll wait"

He's constantly telling her everything will be ok, he wants her to get better when she doesn't think she will.

I hear "the starkness of the dawn" the second time "darkness overgrown" comes around, but I could be wrong.

Either way, fucking perfect.

Is it suddenly I'm hip or suddenly I'm hit? I saw the lyrics somewhere else and it was hit.

Interesting song. In my opinion it is about loss, and pain, and trying to cope. The lyrics depict a conversation, possibly between two lovers, or two close people. But I like another idea better: I think that James is talking to himself. That this is some kind of a pep talk, he is in a bad place and he is trying to make himself feel better.

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"Suddenly I'm hip" - this may be too obvious, but could refer to his overnight success last year (upon releasing his EP). It may not have been an easy experience. A lot of changes, a lot of expectations, a lot to deal with. The name of the album may also hint to that - "Overgrown". As if the young musician has been through a lot in a short time.

Either way, this event that starts the 'story' of the song is abrupt, sharp, almost impossible to prepar to. And it hits hard. When the dust settles, things are not good. "Darkness". Emptyness. "Your friends are gone...". Nevertheless, he still hangs on to hope - "Is this the darkness of the dawn?..." he asks. He seeks reassurance that this is just the beginning (=dawn) and not the end. That it's going to get better.

Comes the answer - the voice in his head telling him to hang in there - "Few more years to go, don't let the hurdle fall." Yes, this IS just the beginning. Have faith. But it's not going to be easy, so use what you have. "Be the girl you loved." She is someone you think highly of, so learn from her (her strength? Her patience? We'll never know...). She can be your inspiration in this journey.

Just remember, James, when you go back out there, "You're on your own". You can't expect help from others, "Your friends won't come." You should not trust others, "Ignore everybody else." This is no longer your place. You need to get up and find a new place for yourself. "Show me where you fit."

It will take time. But it's okay, "I'll wait". You have it in you. Now prove to me, to yourself, that you can move on. "Show me why you're strong."

"We're alone now", he repeats to himself, like a mantra, until it will sink in.

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The name of the song - "Retrograde" - could also support this interpretation. "Retrograde" - move backword, retreat, go back to an earlier condition. As if (very freely -) he needs to pull out of the race, to retreat to a safe place, so he can to gather his strength, so he can go back to being who he was before all this.

Another definition (just discovered this now when I looked it up, and I love it :) ): "Retrograde motion" - to move opposite to something else (as in a satellite orbiting its planet opposite to the planet's rotation direction.) (Again, very freely -) you don't have to keep walking the same path as most of the others do. Even if that means that you'll be alone from now on, be true to yourself, be strong, ignore everybody else. Show me where YOU fit.

He actually said he wrote the song after a call with his girlfriend. He was pisses after they finished that call, so assuming it had to do with an argument with her. Also it's 'I'm hit' not hip hahaa. And the song is really obvious and self explanatory like he said in interviews!

To me it seems like this girl is someone he once had as whatever, and she has been through life and has seen how the world is, and he is waiting for her to return as she was with him, when she thought her friends were her friends and life was better after him, but now all has changed and he wants her to come as she left, they are alone now, so show me the person I once knew before so I can fit my dick back up in that lol, that's what he meant to me.

I could be way off but it seems to be from the perspective of the woman's own psyche. It reminds me of someone talking themselves through a negative experience and convincing themselves into moving forward. Not going into retrograde.