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"
So long ago
Certain place
Certain time
You touched my hand
On the way
On the way down to Emmeline
But if our paths never cross
Well, you know I'm sorry, but
If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end
I'll never live to match the beauty again
The rainbow's edge
(Aaron)
(Aaron)
So it's hard to find
Someone with that kind of intensity
You touched my hand, I played it cool
And you reached out your hand to me
But if our paths never cross
Well, no, I'm not sorry, but
If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end
I'll never live to match the beauty again
The rainbow's edge
(Aaron)
(Aaron)
So long ago
It's a certain time
It's a certain place
You touched my hand and you smiled
All the way back you held out your hand
If I hope and if I pray
Ooh it might work out someday
If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end
I'll never live to match the beauty again
If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end (I'll make a path there)
I'll never live to match the beauty again
(You'll never live to see the beauty, the beauty, that same same beauty)
If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end
I'll never live to match the beauty again
(Oh well if I hope and I pray, well, maybe it might work out some day)
Certain place
Certain time
You touched my hand
On the way
On the way down to Emmeline
But if our paths never cross
Well, you know I'm sorry, but
If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end
I'll never live to match the beauty again
The rainbow's edge
(Aaron)
(Aaron)
So it's hard to find
Someone with that kind of intensity
You touched my hand, I played it cool
And you reached out your hand to me
But if our paths never cross
Well, no, I'm not sorry, but
If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end
I'll never live to match the beauty again
The rainbow's edge
(Aaron)
(Aaron)
So long ago
It's a certain time
It's a certain place
You touched my hand and you smiled
All the way back you held out your hand
If I hope and if I pray
Ooh it might work out someday
If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end
I'll never live to match the beauty again
If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end (I'll make a path there)
I'll never live to match the beauty again
(You'll never live to see the beauty, the beauty, that same same beauty)
If I live to see the seven wonders
I'll make a path to the rainbow's end
I'll never live to match the beauty again
(Oh well if I hope and I pray, well, maybe it might work out some day)
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Magical
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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.
Punchline
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran sings about missing his former partner and learning important life lessons in the process on “Punchline.” This track tells a story of battling to get rid of emotions for a former lover, whom he now realized might not have loved him the same way. He’s now caught between accepting that fact and learning life lessons from it and going back to beg her for another chance.
Its about a chance one time encounter meeting someone that was special. The verse in the 6th line is a misunderstanding by Ms Nicks as being 'Emmiline' but was in actually 'you held the line' as originally written by Sandy Stewart.
The chorus reveals the meaning of the song:
Think of it as if someone who adores you says someting like :'I may have experienced all the seven wonders of the world, but you are my rainbow's end' Of course this refers to the legendary 'pot of gold', the 'grand prize' to be found at the end of the rainbow. 'I'll never be able to match the beauty I found then when I was with that person who was my Rainbow's end' Alternatively, 'If I live long enough to realize the goals I have already set for myself in life then I will call you!'
Lines 4 and 16 'You touched my hand' Thats a girl thing. You know the eroticism of a mere touch of the hand that some people can envoke strong feelings as a result. In other words this person 'Walks that walk and talks that talk' :-)
In line 17: 'You reached out your hand to me' line 29: 'All the way back you held out your hand' Both lines simply refer to temptation. Being tempted to stay with this person; 'Come with me' 'Stay with me. Please don't go', but also metaphoric reference to a temptation that could be life altering in a way that chances the course and direction one has chosen to to take in life: I'm tempted but 'if our paths never cross - Well you know I'm sorry but.. You were my rainbows end'
Nikki
@NikkiGirl I am 5 years late in replying to this, but I agree with you although I would love to see a source on the "Emmiline" part, but I do feel you are right.