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The One Who Stayed and the One Who Left Lyrics
He went to visit an old, old friend
And it was long, long overdue
And though they stayed up very late
They never talked out of turn or tune
And every time they'd say goodbye
Well, he'd just stay another while
They started from a distant place
And were so happy face to face
The one who left wanted everything
The one who stayed never wanted more
It's not your choice, it's how you build
It's in the blueprint of your soul
The one who left, he dropped his smile
And they sat quiet for a while
Then the one who stayed began to speak
And in his words, he answered why
I'm just another drop in the bucket
I'm just another song on the jukebox
I'm just another face in the crowd
Another fish in the sea
Something to being one of the many
Something being one in the masses
Something to being surrounded by others
And not alone by yourself
I never wanted the bright lights in my eyes, I'm much too quiet
I never wanted them pointing their fingers at me
Oh, no, but
Something to being one of the many
Something being one in the masses
Something to being surrounded by others
And not alone by yourself
The one who left he knew it then
And he would never doubt again
He loved this life, he loved his friend
But he'd keep running till the end
All the words they said hovered above
All of the pain, all of the love
They hugged goodbye, and in his room
He sang real quiet to the moon
Something to being one of the many
Who get to sing the songs on the jukebox
Who get to stay awake all night
And dream half of the day
Something to waking up in a new town
Something to singing songs to a new crowd
Something to being surrounded by others
And not alone by yourself
I never wanted the bright lights in my eyes, I'm much too quiet
I never wanted them pointing their fingers at me
Oh, no, but
Something to being one of the many
Who get to sing the songs on the jukebox
Who get to stay awake all night
And dream half of the day
Then wake up in a new town
Just another face in the crowd
And it was long, long overdue
And though they stayed up very late
They never talked out of turn or tune
Well, he'd just stay another while
They started from a distant place
And were so happy face to face
The one who stayed never wanted more
It's not your choice, it's how you build
It's in the blueprint of your soul
And they sat quiet for a while
Then the one who stayed began to speak
And in his words, he answered why
I'm just another song on the jukebox
I'm just another face in the crowd
Another fish in the sea
Something being one in the masses
Something to being surrounded by others
And not alone by yourself
I never wanted them pointing their fingers at me
Oh, no, but
Something being one in the masses
Something to being surrounded by others
And not alone by yourself
And he would never doubt again
He loved this life, he loved his friend
But he'd keep running till the end
All of the pain, all of the love
They hugged goodbye, and in his room
He sang real quiet to the moon
Who get to sing the songs on the jukebox
Who get to stay awake all night
And dream half of the day
Something to singing songs to a new crowd
Something to being surrounded by others
And not alone by yourself
I never wanted them pointing their fingers at me
Oh, no, but
Who get to sing the songs on the jukebox
Who get to stay awake all night
And dream half of the day
Just another face in the crowd
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Hands down my favorite song on this album.
Each man represents a different way of living his life. One likes the sheltered, routine life he has grown comfortable with; the other, who I relate to myself, loves to travel, experience new things, and never really stay attached.
But at the end of the day, they have one similarity that differs only in context. They don't want to be alone. One achieves this by keeping the people he knows well close to him by staying put in one place; the other achieves this by going to new places and meeting strangers - new people every day. Both produce the same result.
This is such a powerful song to me. We are all different in the ways we live our life but we all share the similar quality of yearning for company. They both see the beauty in living their lives the way they were meant to live them and can both appreciate the beauty in each other's choices, as well. But they also know that they could never divulge in the other's way of life - it's in the "blueprint of their soul", it's how they get what they want out of life.
Masterpiece.
To me this song almost feels like it is the rare occasion when she is speaking her mind.
Picture this, she had went back to Moscow, meet the old time friends, chat about their life, and how she is the one who left, vs all other friends who stayed.
Then she speaks out her humble and grateful self, how she is built to want more and will keep running till the end. How she love quiet life but still appreciates what an artist life brought her.
This pureness is maybe just why we love her so much.