Editors – Lights

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  My Interpretation:I think this song is about being afraid to talk to someone.
  
  
  "I still love the light on baby, it keeps me awake but I don't mind"
  
  This is a metaphor to explain his fear. He loves the light on (he is too afraid to confront his fear even though it holds him back).
  
  I also feel like the "I don't mind" bit is a rationalization to himself. He really does mind, but he says to himself that he is happy so that he doesn't need to confront his fear.
  
  
  The rest of the lyrics are self-explanatory.
  
  
  "Everything I ever wanted is right here but soon it won't be" This refers to him wanting to talk to a girl but soon his chance will be gone.
  
  
  
  "Oh, if fortune favours the brave I am as poor as you come "
  
  He is a huge coward for not confronting his fear.
  
  
  

  Flag allactionandyon May 31, 2011   Link

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    Thanks for explaining it 'cause I haven't been able to figure it out. I love the band, but some of its songs are confusing (for me).

    Flag freetobemeon March 25, 2012  
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  General Comment:i know no one has written on this thread in a while, but nevertheless...
  
  I agree with the above that the phrase
  
  "if fortune favors the brave
  I am as poor as they come"
  
  is just a way to say he lacks bravery. "Fortune favors the brave" is common saying. I even got it in my fortune cookie last week. Don't look too hard into the lyrics.

  Flag oogabooga2009on February 24, 2009   Link

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    To my ears it sounds like he's using the word 'pauper' as an adjective (paupel perhaps?). For those that don't know a pauper is a poor person.
    
    To me it reads like he is afraid of losing someone, but is not brave enough to say the millions of things he wants. Keeping the lights on is a comfort thing for kids, so that's just reinforcing the bravery issue.

    Flag NorthernDownpouron May 20, 2009  
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  General Comment:this song fits my situation right now i dont think its the real meaning but...anywho...
  
  im seeing someone from another country, and its the closest thing to the real deal ive ever been. however neither of us are big on attachment and commitment and what not and so its sort of an all or nothing situation. either end it because we are too far apart or stay together because its working so well.
  
  I still love the light on baby
  It keeps me awake but I don't mind
  
  to me this is sortof just prolonging our time together, like the end of an amazing day when you turn out the lights and its sort of officially over, and our time together is nearly over and we know whats going to happen now but the future is very much in the dark.
  
  Everything I ever wanted
  Is right here but soon it won't be
  
  pretty obvious...he has to go home soon.
  
  Oh, if fortune favours the brave
  I am as poor as you come
  
  if i or we were braver wed face this but the two options are both to much to think about...so we are just ignoring an elephant or something.
  
  Well I've got a million things to say
  Well I've got a million things to
  
  theres so much but yet nothing to say.
  and this keeps repeating himself....hes got so much to say but cant spit it out or make sense of himself which is how i feel most of the time. not the most articulate person ever.
  
  
  but it could be about trying to prolong a moment and put off a looming life altering decision or change.

  Flag sullenon February 02, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:Hi all,
  I think you should all stop trying to be so literal. I don't think it's anything to do with sleeping with someone (that's a very boyish teenage interpretation). After all, the light only keeps one person awake, ("It keeps me awake" and not "it keeps us awake") so I think we can assume there's actually only one person in the room; to start with. Try to look beyond a sexual interpretation, for me the song is much more about the fear of daring to express yourself. Albums are a body of work, and the second track - Munich - continues the theme with "You'll speak when you're spoken to..."

  Flag owilkinsonon January 31, 2008   Link

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  General Comment:"Oh, if fortune favours the brave
  I am as poor - poor as you come"
  
  The last part 'poor as they come' is an addendum/ addition to the 'I am as poor' and a standing phrase/ figure of speech. He simply wants to emphazise his lack of braveness.
  
  But that's just my 2 cents, and I could be wrong (but I bet i'm not) - my dear friends.

  Flag Shichoon December 28, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:Oh, if fortune favours the brave
  I am as poor as you come
  
  i think he is afraid to take risks but thinks if he did, good unexpected things would happen to/for him.

  Flag sullenon December 05, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:i agree with jonathanycox maybe he loves to talk and stay up [i still love the lights on baby, it keeps me up awake but i dont mind, ive got a million things to say] but lines like [everything i ever wanted its all here but soon it wont be, and if fortune favors the brave im as poor as they come] suggest that he's scared that if he cant guts up and sleep with her she will leave him shes [everything he ever wanted] and she will leave him [its alll here but soon it wont be] i think hes debating in his head wheather or not to sleep with her

  Flag KodaBearon November 29, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:"I still love the light on baby
  It keeps me awake but I don't mind "
  
  This line reminds me on something I said to my bf who I have a long-distance relationship with...it was late and he asked me if we better go to sleep and I was like "no, 'cause when you sleep time passes by so quickly.."
  
  just a thought, though...
  
  love this song!

  Flag GuessWhoon October 14, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:To me this song is about the fear of taking a friendship with a member of the opposite sex to the next level.
  Lay uses "baby" suggesting he is talking to a girl.
  He says that all he wants is here, but soon won't be. To me this is the fear of starting a relationship having been hurt in the past.
  This is a fear as true as the one that he felt as a child and as childish in many ways.
  Love this song.

  Flag brotherwarrenon September 16, 2007   Link

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  General Comment:""I am as poor FOOL as they come" is right. I guess."
  
  I think he just stresses the word 'poor' so it sounds like 'poor-or as they come', I don't think there's another word in there.
  
  As for the meaning; afraid of taking opportunities (could be represented by the lights) and one of those may be sleeping with someone. He thinks he's a coward which has led to him being a poorer person for it and he's kept awake thinking about the missed opportunities (the lights) - but that might be over analysing!
  
  Great song either way.

  Flag OverTheRiveron July 31, 2007   Link

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