Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
You've got to get better,
Said, it's all in your head,
We could live through these letters
Or forget it altogether,
See the months they don't matter
Its the days I can't take
When the hours move to minutes
And I'm seconds away,
Just ask the question come untie the knot
Say you won't care,
Say you won't care,
Retrace the steps, as if we forgot,
Say you won't care,
Say you won't care,
You try to avoid it, but there's not a doubt
And there's one thing I can do nothing about
When all that we need is just a reaction,
Its too much to ask for when there's no attraction anymore,
Chasing our dreams is just a distraction
I want to remember what I know
That I can't go back,
Just ask the question, come untie the knot
Say you won't care
Say you won't care
Retrace the steps as if we forgot
Say you won't care
Say you won't care
You try to avoid it (try to avoid it)
But there's not a doubt
And there's one thing I can do nothing
There's one thing I can do nothing
There's one thing I can do nothing about
Just ask the question (just ask the question)
Come untie the knot
Say you won't care
Say you won't care
Retrace the steps (retrace the steps)
As if we forgot
Say you won't care
Say you won't care
You try to avoid it (try to avoid it)
But there's not a doubt
And there's one thing I can do nothing
There's one thing I can do nothing
There's one thing I can do nothing about
Said, it's all in your head,
We could live through these letters
Or forget it altogether,
See the months they don't matter
Its the days I can't take
When the hours move to minutes
And I'm seconds away,
Just ask the question come untie the knot
Say you won't care,
Say you won't care,
Retrace the steps, as if we forgot,
Say you won't care,
Say you won't care,
You try to avoid it, but there's not a doubt
And there's one thing I can do nothing about
When all that we need is just a reaction,
Its too much to ask for when there's no attraction anymore,
Chasing our dreams is just a distraction
I want to remember what I know
That I can't go back,
Just ask the question, come untie the knot
Say you won't care
Say you won't care
Retrace the steps as if we forgot
Say you won't care
Say you won't care
You try to avoid it (try to avoid it)
But there's not a doubt
And there's one thing I can do nothing
There's one thing I can do nothing
There's one thing I can do nothing about
Just ask the question (just ask the question)
Come untie the knot
Say you won't care
Say you won't care
Retrace the steps (retrace the steps)
As if we forgot
Say you won't care
Say you won't care
You try to avoid it (try to avoid it)
But there's not a doubt
And there's one thing I can do nothing
There's one thing I can do nothing
There's one thing I can do nothing about
Lyrics submitted by BrandNew1208
New American Classic Lyrics as written by Edward Reyes Adam Burbank Lazzara
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
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.
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.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Here's something else to think about, I think it's about a long distance relationship.
"We could live through these letters or forget it all together See the months they don't matter, it's the days I can't take"
It doesn't matter how long they are apart, it's just he can't stand how the days go by while he's alone.
"Just ask the question, come untie the knot Say you won't care, Say you won't care Retrace the steps as if we forgot Say you won't care, Say you won't care You try to avoid it, but there's not a doubt and there's one thing I can do nothing about"
He wants to go back to the time when they were happier together, and they were not seperated. But he can't do anything about it. And he wants her to say "I don't care," about the distance, but she's not going to because she's fallen out of love with him.
"Well all that we need is just a reaction It's too much to ask for when there's no attraction anymore If chasing our dreams is just a distraction I want to remember that I know I can't go back"
They're trying too hard to be in love again, but the distance has pulled them apart so far and she is no longer in love with him.
But even if that is wrong, it's easy to assume that this song is about a horrible break-up to a wonderful relationship. My distance theory was just a good assumption to the cause of it.
this is one of the greatest songs i ever did hear...
This is the first slow TBS song i can think of, apart from the acoustic versions of songs on TAYF. And this is by far their best slow song i've heard them create. I love it!
In my opinion, this song can't just be thrown in the category of an ending relationship, because there's so much more to it. He's weighing the options of trying to relive everything they once had (live through these letters) or just forgetting everything that happened altogether. But in the end of the first verse, he confesses that he can't take the present knowing everything that's happened: "The months they don't matter, it's the days I can't take when the hours move to minutes and I'm seconds away." Also, that these feelings are constant, not just every once in a while, like every "month" or so, but every second really. In the chorus, it seems like he's wanting her to converse with him about the situation, and maybe "untie the knot", to fix things and confess of her feelings about the situation. The second half of the chorus really shows how helpless he is ("there's one thing I can nothing about"), and how bad he wants to "retrace the steps" of everything they once had. The only thing I'm slightly confused about is why the title is what it is. I don't understand that. BUT! That's about it. It's beautifully delivered, heartfelt song. Personally, it relates to me in the sense that we both had to grow up and live on different highways. This song speaks to me and often makes me wonder if it's possible for me to retrace the steps.
I think this is about a relationship that isn't going anywhere. They can't be together, for whatever reasons, and there is too much of a risk.
You've got to get better; it's all in your head = the way the turmoil is causing them to break. The way one questions how the other feels, because they're desperate to know they are loved by the person. The other one is saying either 1.) It's all in their head that they think it could work out or 2.) Their paranoia over wondering what the other is feeling is driving them crazy.
Live through these letters or forget it all together= means they can keep at this fruitless facade, risk hurting others so they could be together. They can try a friendship from a distance, unable to fully let go of what they both want. Or they can accept reality.
Months don't matter/days I can't take When the hours move to minutes and I'm seconds away = the well-known feeling of how slow time goes by when you're missing someone. They know once they get over the initial pain, it will be bearable. But the minutes are excruciating. And I think the seconds away could mean from running back to the person. From picking up the phone. Or from doing something dumb like getting plastered. Or from simply losing their mind.
Just ask the question, come untie the knot = he wants to give it another try. Maybe it's not rational, but he wants to open that door back up and immerse himself in her. He's hoping she will feel the same, and know that even though it'll get them nowhere, it's ok to give in.
Retrace the steps as if we forgot = meaning experiencing their love as if it was fresh, without all the risks, restraints, and negativity that has led them to where they are now. Just going for it, like old times. Forget reality.
Try to avoid it, but there's not a doubt and there's one thing I can do nothing about = he knows it's not for the best. He knows he needs to stay vigilant. He knows he has to let go. But at this time he also knows it's totally worth it to go around one more time. But she's not so sure, and he can't make her give in. He's ultimately powerless if she says no.
When all that we need is just a reaction = this love is doing no good. But if she would accept his proposal to go around again, it could maybe work this time. She just needs to answer him. She just needs to say she's still there. One of them needs to speak up.
There's too much to ask for when there's no attraction anymore = on the surface this probably means that she isn't attracted to him anymore and wants to end the relationship, but also I wonder if it means something else....I'll come back to this thought.
Chasing our dreams is just a distraction = how it's pointless to live in a fantasy world where they can be together. Holding onto each other so tightly is creating holes in their individual lives. Or he's saying if they could just focus their energy on something other than each other, then they'd see there's more to life.
I want to remember what I know that I can't to back = he wants the feelings of acceptance to stay. He wants closure within himself, not necessarily from her. He wants the urges to subside and to focus on reality. It hurts too much to stay in this cycle.
(I might come back and clean this interpretation up a bit.)
amazing song,the album is awsome,its different then the last but wont dissapoint.
probably about ending a long relationship. saddening.
ps:this song is spectacular.
This album didn't disappoint me at all. Yeah the songs aren't exactly the same as the last album, but i love them all none-the-less. Especially this song.
I agree that this is about ending a long relationship. There's just nothing you can do about it sometimes.
I'm in love with this album. <3
this has to be my favorite song on the entire album, other than "the union".
constant,everyone knew that the second cd wasent gonna live up to the first how could it?But this cd is as close to being as good as the first as it could get,your lookin for another tell all your friends and thats not what the band wanted and im sure its not what most fans wanted.