Lyric discussion by beatrizct 

Cover art for Happy lyrics by Brandi Carlile

In my opinion, this song is about a girl who misses her ex-boyfriend (I had doubts about the name Amber Lee being male or female, because here in Brazil it can be both).

Anyways, here it is:

"I don't hang around that place no more I'm tired of wearing circles in the floor And I don't carry myself very well But I've gotten so much braver, Can you tell?"

In this part, she says she doesn't hang around the places they used to hang together (maybe she didn't want to remember all the things that happened in those places). She's tired of doing the same thing there and remembering all their past together. She had always been afraid of doing things by her own, or she was too young when they were together, but now that it had happened a long time ago (or a short time that made she grow up), she's feeling braver, and doing things that she didn't use to. And the ex could realize it, "Can you tell?"

"I'm happy, can't you see? I'm all right, but I miss you, Amber lee"

Here, I think that she's lying, trying to convince herself that she is happy (like when we say we're okay, even though we're not). She's "happy", but something is missing (or somebody, in this case, Amber Lee). She would be truly happy if Amber Lee were with her.

"And I lined my secrets up all one by one I put em all away when I was done And I would really love to hear your voice sometime To close a little distance in my mind"

In this part, I think she thought about all the things they had, they did, they felt together, and held it in her mind when she was done on remembering all of them. I feel that one part of her is trying to convince herself (again) that she'll never think about them again. But the other part wants to hear the voice of Amber Lee again, to be with him/her again, because when she was remembering all the "secrets", she started missing those times with Amber.

"I'm happy, can't you see? I'm all right, but I miss you, Amber Lee"

Same thing as the other.

"Where have you been all these years? And how could you just disappear? And when did you stop missing me?"

Here I have two interpretations. The first: She met Amber and asked all these questions. The second: She didn't meet him/her and is wondering all these things, trying to find the reason of why he/she left, where he/she have been, and when he/she stop missing her.

"I'm happy, can't you see? I'm all right, but I miss you, Amber Lee I'm all right, but I miss you, Amber Lee"

Same thing.

Orrrrrr, She and Amber Lee met each other after a long time, and she wants to look like she's fine, she's braver, and she doesn't care. But after being with Amber, all her feelings came back, and she starts wondering why they broke up, and she knows that she always missed Amber.

I'm sorry about the English mistakes :/

My Interpretation

@beatrizct Nope not about a buy-- She's gay- Obviously now I think you know that... She has a beautiful wife and 2 sweet little girls! Go Brandi! Love that you are representing our families so well!