When the Stars Go Blue

Ryan Adams

Dancin' where the stars go blue
Dancin' where the evening fell
Dancin' in your wooden shoes
In a wedding gown

Dancin' out on 7th Street
Dancin' through the underground
Dancin' little marionette
Are you happy now?

Where do you go when you're lonely
Where do you go when you're blue
Where do you go when you're lonely
I'll follow you
When the stars go blue
Stars go blue
Stars go blue
Stars go blue

Laughing with your pretty mouth
Laughing with your broken eyes
Laughing with your lover's tongue
In a lullaby

Where do you go when you're lonely
Where do you go when you're blue
Where do you go when you're lonely
I'll follow you
When the stars go blue
Stars go blue
Stars go blue
Stars go blue
Stars go blue
Stars go blue
Stars go blue
Stars go blue


Lyrics submitted by ang

When the Stars Go Blue Lyrics as written by Ryan Adams

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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When the Stars Go Blue song meanings
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  • +8
    Song MeaningThe stars going blue refers to the shift of the light of the stars. When the stars are moving away from us, the light appears red and the universe is expanding. When the stars go blue, the universe would be collapsing back in on itself. Thus when her universe collapses in on itself and her relationship is failing, he'll be there for her. Pretty clever stuff!
    crowscallon January 01, 2013   Link
  • +2
    General Commenti think the corrs and bono covered this....am i right?
    Mandyon May 04, 2002   Link
  • +2
    General CommentTim McGraw also did a cover of this, and it was actually the first version that I heard. Now that I've heard Ryan Adams' version, I love it to death. I just can't get over the amount of emotion he puts into his songs that most artists these days leave behind.

    But if you haven't heard Tim McGraw's version, I would highly recommend looking into it. It's different, but I honestly think it's nearly just as good as the original.

    Anyway, I really wish I knew for sure what the meaning behind this song, cause it's just so damn beautiful.
    BasketOfFishon February 14, 2007   Link
  • +2
    My InterpretationAs someone said, this is about a woman who got married but is unhappy. The first two verses point to that. She's dancing in her wedding gown, she's a marionette and he almost sarcastically poses the question to her if she's happy.

    He is still in love with her and wants her to know he'll always be there for her,

    "laughing with your pretty mouth, laughing with your broken eyes, laughing with your lover's tongue
    in a lullabye"

    She's faking happiness.
    cubbyblueson April 12, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI'm really not sure what it means, but I absolutly love it to death!
    marmarthecarebearon April 17, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General CommentI think it means that when you're feelin really lonely, there's always that certain someone that you can go to for comfort.
    Molon April 18, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Commentjeez, everyone has made a cover of t his song i swear lol. i've never heard the corrs/bono version but i have heard the tyler hilton/bethany joy galeotti versiona dn its pretty good.
    personally, i think when ryan sings it it sounds super sad. but it's a good song none the less
    iluvothon September 17, 2006   Link
  • +1
    Song ComparisonI've always loved this song. I used to listen to this song a LOT before my husband and I married. As I would listen I would dream of "dancing in my wooden shoes and a wedding gown." When we did marry this was one of the songs I thought about having our first dance to, but my final decision ended up being "Across the Universe" by the Beatles. It's hard to beat the Beatles :) ANYWAY! Back to my whole point here! I ran across it on youtube this morning after not hearing it in quite awhile. As I was listening to the lyrics I noticed how similar the meaning of the song is to the song "I will follow you into the dark" by Death Cab for Cutie. This song came out before DCFC's though (I'm pretty sure?) Who knows, maybe this song inspired their's when they wrote it? Either way I love them both. And I love the concept and meaning behind each of them. Many people have this fairy tale image of what marriage will be. I did as well when I was younger. After actually experiencing marriage, commitment, and real love, I've learned that marriage is nothing like a fairy tale, not even close. It can be really hard at times, it takes compromise, patience, selflessness, and a hell of a lot of work. Which I guess is why a lot of marriages don't last, because people have unrealistic expectations, and when they see that it's not all rainbows and butterflies they want out. But when you truly love someone no matter what struggles you may face you don't give up. You'd walk to the ends of the earth if that's what it takes. When my husband and I said our wedding vows we promised to love each other through it all, bad times and good, sickness and health, and most importantly til death do us part. I think this song, and DCFC's "I will follow you into the dark", capture what true love is really all about. Loving a person completely unconditionally, even the deepest darkest parts of who they are. Loving a person so much that you'd follow them anywhere, even to death. Loving a person so much that even if the world was ending, and the universe was collapsing in on itself, there's still no place you'd rather be than by their side. THAT is true love, not the stuff you see in the movies. And even though the lyrics are dark, just like real life can be, there's something so beautiful about the struggle. It shows you that if you truly love someone with all your heart and soul, and they love you the same, there's nothing that can't make it through together. And the hard times teach you not to take the good times for granted. When you go through those difficult times that come (because they will, NO ONE is immune to problems) it makes you appreciate the good times that much more. Without the bitter, the sweet just ain't as sweet <3
    carrieolsoncardenon July 14, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Commento. i LOVE this song. i think the lyrics mean that you love someone and you never want them to be lonely. and i think "when the stars go blue" means that when the bright sparkly things turn cold and hard... i'll follow you and help you w/out the sparkles. haha... no sparkles.
    pomegranatesROCKon April 27, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General CommentDid they? That would be an interesting combination... ;)
    Lilac Wineon May 08, 2002   Link

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