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"
Saw you at a party
You asked me to dance
Said music was great for dancing
I don't really dance much
But this time I did
And I was glad that I did this time
And the song said "Let's be happy"
I was happy
It never made me happy before
And the song said "Don't be lonely"
It makes me lonely
I hear it and I'm lonely more and more
Where I belong, where I belong
I wasn't dressed right, I rarely am
You told me that you didn't care
I laughed as you wobbled in your platform shoes
You laughed when I called Andrea true Anita Ward
And the song said "Let's be happy"
I was happy
It never made me happy before
And the song said "Don't be lonely"
It makes me lonely
I hear it and I'm lonely more and more
Where I belong, where I belong
And the song said "Let's be happy"
I was happy
It never made me happy before
It asked "Do you remember?"
And I remember, remember like it wasn't long ago
And the song said "Don't be lonely"
It makes me lonely
I hear it and I'm lonely more and more
Where I belong, where I belong
You asked me to dance
Said music was great for dancing
I don't really dance much
But this time I did
And I was glad that I did this time
And the song said "Let's be happy"
I was happy
It never made me happy before
And the song said "Don't be lonely"
It makes me lonely
I hear it and I'm lonely more and more
Where I belong, where I belong
I wasn't dressed right, I rarely am
You told me that you didn't care
I laughed as you wobbled in your platform shoes
You laughed when I called Andrea true Anita Ward
And the song said "Let's be happy"
I was happy
It never made me happy before
And the song said "Don't be lonely"
It makes me lonely
I hear it and I'm lonely more and more
Where I belong, where I belong
And the song said "Let's be happy"
I was happy
It never made me happy before
It asked "Do you remember?"
And I remember, remember like it wasn't long ago
And the song said "Don't be lonely"
It makes me lonely
I hear it and I'm lonely more and more
Where I belong, where I belong
Lyrics submitted by punchyk
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
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
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.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
this song reminds me of little awkward high school proms in old gymnasiums. but it's about love and happiness and dancing and people who make you feel good about yourself and lamenting over that time you danced to that one song with that nice person who didn't care how bad you were at dancing and you felt perfectly comfortable.
Wow, No one has had much to say on this song. This is by far one of my favorite Yo La Tengo songs. It's exploring the emotions of a guy who is pretty sidelined in life. We all know the guy. He's geeky and lonely and wants to have an emotional connection. But has no idea how. He also feels that somehow he deserves to be sidlined. That since he is so bad at social interactions that he needs to be content with it.
He first see's a girl he knows at a party. And she wants him to dance. He's very uncomfortable and feels out of place. He dances with her and conveys how uncomfortable he is and she doesn't care. So, he is in essence remembering one time where he felt happy, and that this social interaction was not forced and worked well.
They did a great job of painting that picture of akwardness and the feeling of not belonging. I would love to know if he is referring to a real song. Does anyone know it? Also, if anyone knows who Andrea is
"You laughed when I called Andrea true Anita Ward"
If I could, I'd put 30+ on this comment. We all know that guy.
i associate this song with the after effects of having your heart broken, where you look back
I've always liked to think that this song is about when Ira and Georgia first met. I hope it's true, since it's so beautiful.
matsientst, Andrea True (True was her surname) was a disco singer and so was Anita Ward.
This lyrics make me think that is an old man talking to her wife in her grave, remembering old times...
I agree jackwhite...it always reminded me of georgia and ira's first encounter.
anyone else think the title is a reference to the whit stillman movie? am i totes off and wrong?
the perfect song to share with Cali on a sunday afternoon
This reminds me of an idealized version of a dance like homecoming, most likely during a slow dance. Either way, I feel as if I am the narrator (or I wish I was!)
no song interpretation, the lyrics are easy enough to understand.