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'm not a cool guy anymore
As if I ever was before
I took a look at all the signs
Then rolled it over in my mind
The feelings I could not release
Became a bitter part of me
What was I thinking of?
It couldn't stay the way it was
I looked at my reflection
And I saw a stranger's face
I saw where I was going
And I had to walk away
I lost a girl, it's Just as well
She tried to save me from myself
I've still got her on my mind
Tossing and turning in my bed
But if she had stayed another week
I would have dragged her down with me
She took it till she'd had enough
Is that what I though love was?
I told her "see you later"
But it's hard to see at all
At the bottom of the barrel
With your back against the wall
I'm not a cool guy anymore
Left it behind, then locked the door
I know you can't escape the past
Now I look back and have to laugh
I was my worst enemy
It almost got the best of me
What was I thinking of?
It couldn't stay the way it was
I looked up one day and saw that
It was up to me
You can only be a victim if you
Admit defeat
As if I ever was before
I took a look at all the signs
Then rolled it over in my mind
The feelings I could not release
Became a bitter part of me
What was I thinking of?
It couldn't stay the way it was
I looked at my reflection
And I saw a stranger's face
I saw where I was going
And I had to walk away
I lost a girl, it's Just as well
She tried to save me from myself
I've still got her on my mind
Tossing and turning in my bed
But if she had stayed another week
I would have dragged her down with me
She took it till she'd had enough
Is that what I though love was?
I told her "see you later"
But it's hard to see at all
At the bottom of the barrel
With your back against the wall
I'm not a cool guy anymore
Left it behind, then locked the door
I know you can't escape the past
Now I look back and have to laugh
I was my worst enemy
It almost got the best of me
What was I thinking of?
It couldn't stay the way it was
I looked up one day and saw that
It was up to me
You can only be a victim if you
Admit defeat
Lyrics submitted by black_cow_of_death
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
Bron-Y-Aur Stomp
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
This is about bronies. They communicate by stomping.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example:
"'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.
Blue
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.