I'll see you on the outside and we'll
Never be the same
After all that's happened what is it that
We've gained?
Well I've made mistakes before and
Never lived them down
After all you've done for me i'm bound
(don't say another word)

To see you on the outside where we can
Both be sane
(you're speaking for yourself)
I'm bleeding on the inside
A place you might have been but now I
Know I'll (never be the same)

Well I heard you got a place and it's far
Away from here
Reality has sunken in now confirming
All my fears
I'm not gonna track you down and it's
Too late to stop
Thinking 'bout the time that we have lost
(I'm happy without you)

I'm trying to forget you and everything
We had (we didn't stand a chance)
We're miserable and it's true I haven't
Learned a thing
But now I know I'll trust no one else

(There was a time when we were back
And forth, it wasn't easy)
I guess that we're back where we belong
One thing is for sure, it wasn't strong

I'll see you on the outside where we can
Both feel shame
(you've never been more right)
I'm dying on the inside, you're never
Coming back
And now I know whatever we go through
My heart is stuck with you


Lyrics submitted by oofus, edited by misterzan81

On the Outside Lyrics as written by Danny Elfman

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

On The Outside song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

16 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    General Comment

    This is so crazy... I sort of went through this myself and she ended getting married right after.

    luckyskyraton May 11, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    Great freakin song. I think its a couple talking about their failed relationship. They have both done some stupid things "where we can both feel shame(you've never been more right)". And they know they cant take them back. It seems more like shes happy without the relationship than he is, but they both know it couldnt go on. Even though deep down theres a part of him that wishes it would be like it was before.."my heart is stuck with you". all in all bomb ass song.

    TrojanJoeon May 29, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is soo amazing..i think its about a relationship..the girl breaks up with him nd hes trying all his best to keep her, they keep going 'back and forth'..then he just gives up and agrees with her wen really hes broken hearted cos he'll always love her..aww so saddd its how i felt with my ex cept im girl kinda thing yea

    Pretty in Punkon May 05, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This was the first No Use song that I heard and to this day remians the best and most important one to me. Tony and Karina's vocals work extremely well together and the musicianship is pretty much faultless.

    dance_hall_crasheron May 12, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    ohhhhhh my god¡¡¡this song is absolutely amazing¡¡¡

    Diliferon July 02, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is so great; I feel like it was written for me. I pretty much agree with everyone who posted so far. It makes me sad everytime I hear it, and it prompts me to remember all my failed relationships...sadness, but great song!

    NotYerSaveYeron July 12, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    wow, what a sad song...that's all I have to say. Oh and "my heart is stuck with you"? what the hek!? people get out the tissue boxes! aww..=p

    pureOwTkAsTemotionon July 12, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    my ex boyfriend showed me these lyrics after we broke up...heart breaking isn't it?

    chanceXtoXflyon July 13, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    The first NUFAN song I heard! It's a really great song! I like almost every NUFAN song, but this is my favorite!! I'm looking forward to hear it live in some weeks :)

    Rayvenon August 23, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    agree with trogan joe... mad ass song, sad, but great music behind thelyrics... thats tops \m/

    punk_tinkerbelon March 14, 2003   Link

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

Album art
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him. There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Album art
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
No Surprises
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.
Album art
Page
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.