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"
[Yo, Play, I never expected that from you
A guy's entitled to one mistake, Cheryl
One mistake? That ain't what I heard (laughs)
Yo, what are you trying to say?]
Look, let me kick it to you like this
It's not that I don't miss your kiss
Well what is it?
I'm scared of gettin' hurt (what?), much afraid
Of who? Me? Come on, baby, don't try to play me
It's true
But you know that I feel for you
Yeah, I do but (what?) yo, Play, I can't trust you
Come on, why?
How could you stand there with a straight face and ask
I ain't the first or will not be the last
You got it all wrong, those days they all gone
Yeah right, I ain't goin' out like a pawn
Come on, you make it sound like I'm a little ho
Yo, let me tell you somethin', buddy
I really don't know
Oh, I get it, now I see
I really don't know
After all the time you spent with me?
I really don't know
All the good things that we had in our mind
I really don't know
First I was sad now I'm gettin' mad
[You gettin' mad?
That's right, mad
What are you gettin' mad about?
Yo, you better...yo, girl, I'm tryin' to tell you
I better what? Tell me what I did
Look what I've done for you, you are ungrateful
Yo, Salt, I'm tellin' you lead that's goin' to your head
Look how you...look how you dissed me
Aw...
Shut up]
Now how could you forget so soon
All the nights with dim lights in the bedroom
The things we said, the things we did
All the talk about the house, the cars, and the kids
Yo, I'm not sayin' those things didn't happen but
That was before I found out you was a slut
Rappin' to all the girls in and out town
It didn't take long for word to get around
Yo, if you walk out on me, I'll understand
And have to take my lumps like a man
You see, nobody's perfect, neither are we
Love is knowin' when to say you're sorry
Yes, and I apologize
You sure that's not a lie?
Yeah, cross my heart and hope to die
Just let me know what is it with you men?
And don't tell me it's a Tom and Dick thing
Is it a must you lust for every big butt?
You realize it caused the end of us?
Ok, it's understood, the things I did it wasn't good
Now can we live our lives like normal couples should?
Mmmm, no
No?!
Well, I mean, I still don't know, it may be a mistake
Don't think it's fake
I poured my heart out, and you still don't believe me?
Well go ahead then, you might as well leave me
I think you're right, though
I know I'm right
Yeah, so?
So what?
Yo, I really don't know
Come on now, I ain't gonna beg
I don't know
Didn't you hear a word I've said?
Yo, man, this ain't gonna work
Word, they're tryin' to play us like a bunch of jerks
Yo, I ain't gettin' on my knees for no one
I'm with you, true
Let's go have a cold one
Oh, you the dude
[Well, how'd it go?
Oh, I don't know
At least we're still friends...
Yeah, me, too, so what's goin' on tonight?
I got a date
Already? So do I
Oh yeah? That's great]
A guy's entitled to one mistake, Cheryl
One mistake? That ain't what I heard (laughs)
Yo, what are you trying to say?]
Look, let me kick it to you like this
It's not that I don't miss your kiss
Well what is it?
I'm scared of gettin' hurt (what?), much afraid
Of who? Me? Come on, baby, don't try to play me
It's true
But you know that I feel for you
Yeah, I do but (what?) yo, Play, I can't trust you
Come on, why?
How could you stand there with a straight face and ask
I ain't the first or will not be the last
You got it all wrong, those days they all gone
Yeah right, I ain't goin' out like a pawn
Come on, you make it sound like I'm a little ho
Yo, let me tell you somethin', buddy
I really don't know
Oh, I get it, now I see
I really don't know
After all the time you spent with me?
I really don't know
All the good things that we had in our mind
I really don't know
First I was sad now I'm gettin' mad
[You gettin' mad?
That's right, mad
What are you gettin' mad about?
Yo, you better...yo, girl, I'm tryin' to tell you
I better what? Tell me what I did
Look what I've done for you, you are ungrateful
Yo, Salt, I'm tellin' you lead that's goin' to your head
Look how you...look how you dissed me
Aw...
Shut up]
Now how could you forget so soon
All the nights with dim lights in the bedroom
The things we said, the things we did
All the talk about the house, the cars, and the kids
Yo, I'm not sayin' those things didn't happen but
That was before I found out you was a slut
Rappin' to all the girls in and out town
It didn't take long for word to get around
Yo, if you walk out on me, I'll understand
And have to take my lumps like a man
You see, nobody's perfect, neither are we
Love is knowin' when to say you're sorry
Yes, and I apologize
You sure that's not a lie?
Yeah, cross my heart and hope to die
Just let me know what is it with you men?
And don't tell me it's a Tom and Dick thing
Is it a must you lust for every big butt?
You realize it caused the end of us?
Ok, it's understood, the things I did it wasn't good
Now can we live our lives like normal couples should?
Mmmm, no
No?!
Well, I mean, I still don't know, it may be a mistake
Don't think it's fake
I poured my heart out, and you still don't believe me?
Well go ahead then, you might as well leave me
I think you're right, though
I know I'm right
Yeah, so?
So what?
Yo, I really don't know
Come on now, I ain't gonna beg
I don't know
Didn't you hear a word I've said?
Yo, man, this ain't gonna work
Word, they're tryin' to play us like a bunch of jerks
Yo, I ain't gettin' on my knees for no one
I'm with you, true
Let's go have a cold one
Oh, you the dude
[Well, how'd it go?
Oh, I don't know
At least we're still friends...
Yeah, me, too, so what's goin' on tonight?
I got a date
Already? So do I
Oh yeah? That's great]
Lyrics submitted by spliphstar
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More Featured Meanings
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
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/
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Page
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.