Cast your mind back to the days,
When I pretend' I was OK.
I had so very much to say,
About my crazy livin'.
Now that I've stared into the void,
So many people, I've annoyed.
I have to find a middle way,
A better way of livin'.

So I haven't given up,
That all my choices, my good luck
Appear to go and get me stuck,
In an open prison.
Now I am tryin' to break free,
In a state of empathy.
Find the true and enemy,
Eradicate this prison.

No-one can take it away from me,
And no-one can tear it apart.
'Cause a heart that hurts,
Is a heart that works.
A heart that hurts,
Is a heart that works.

A heart that hurts,
Is a heart that works.
No-one can take it away from me,
No-one can tear it apart.
Maybe an' elaborate fantasy,
But it's the perfect place to start.

'Cause a heart that hurts,
Is a heart that works.
A heart that hurts,
Is a heart that, works.



Lyrics submitted by Sabiine

Track duration: 03:23

"Bright Lights" as written by Stephen Gordon Mcbean, Amber Erica Webber, Joshua Mark Wells, Jeremy Victor Schmidt, Matthew Camirand

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., EMI Music Publishing, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Bright Lights song meanings
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15 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:to me this is how music changed his way of expressing himself
    "had so very much to say"
    "So many people, I've annoyed. I have to find a middle way, A better way of livin'."
    In the past he couldn't talk openly. He needed a way of expressing himself but when he used words something always seemed to go wrong

    In the second verse, in an interview for his album battle for the sun, he explains that he was driven by dreams and a slight delusion to be on stage, and that this madness at age 16 was what pushed him to never giving up despite the obstacles.

    "No one can take it away from me"
    It seems pretty obvious, nobody can take his music away from him.
    "a heart that hurts is a heart that works"
    And his feelings will forever drive his music, that's why placebo music touches so many fans' hearts (:

    So authentic <3
    Flag joolsjoolson June 14, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me, it describes some kind of a narcissistic behaviour. The inner prison... the desired state of empathy. The pretending to be OK and the crazy living, of which sooo much could be told, in contrast to staring into the void... This describes pretty good the polarity of a some kind of narcissistic personality (in a more pathological meaning).
    Flag HenryWottonon May 14, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me, it describes some kind of a narcissistic behaviour. The inner prison... the desired state of empathy. The pretending to be OK and the crazy living, of which sooo much could be told, in contrast to staring into the void... This describes pretty good the polarity of a some kind of narcissistic personality (in a more pathological meaning).
    Flag HenryWottonon May 14, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:To me, it describes some kind of a narcissistic behaviour. The inner prison... the desired state of empathy. The pretending to be OK and the crazy living, of which sooo much could be told, in contrast to staring into the void... This describes pretty good the polarity of a some kind of narcissistic personality (in a more pathological meaning).
    Flag HenryWottonon May 14, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Beautiful song, but really it's all about keeping your chin up and trudging through this funny thing we call life - isn't it?
    Flag illykon March 01, 2010   Link
  • 0
    Memory:Second chorus:
    "Maybe's an elaborate fantasy" -> "Its an elaborate fantasy"
    Flag Inferno_str1keon January 15, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:so overall, i think the song just tell you that first impression is vital, and rumors are bad. we need to treat everyone in ways that we want them to treat us.
    eventhough it doesnt really related, but i did mentioned that rumors are bad. it is because when you treat people badly, then they'll started to tell the bad character in you to other people.people are bad in judging people, you see. they just listen to other people. people are also good in manipulating our mind,so, the moral of the story, start doing good alright.
    Flag Ferzaeron October 15, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Cast your mind back to the days
    When I pretend' I was OK
    I had so very much to say
    About my crazy living
    Now that I've stared into the void
    So many people I've annoyed
    I have to find a middle way
    A better way of giving

    in this verse, i think he's talking about how before he's such a jerk, always talking about himself and annoyed all the people around him. because of his past behaviour, he doesnt have any more friends left that like him nowadays. then, he think that he need to be a better person.

    So I haven't given up
    But all my choices, my good luck
    Appear to go and get me stuck
    In an open prison
    Now I am trying to break free
    In a state of empathy
    Find the true and inner me
    Eradicate this schism

    then, i guess he wants to start all over again with everybody but he got no luck and he's stuck inside his old self and people doesnt see that he had change because people still think him as the old him. so, maybe he was discriminated.

    A heart that hurts
    Is a heart that works
    No-one can take it away from me
    No-one can tear it apart
    Maybe's an elaborate fantasy
    But it's the perfect place to start

    so, he says that, it seems like nobody can ever change how people see him, he will always be what people thought of him, it is - as a bad annoying guy. a heart that hurts, is a heart that work probably means that all people curse him when he do bad things to them, that's why he didnt have the lucks. so, he will never be other people, people dont believe in him anymore and he say that, maybe imagining people to like him will make things better though it's not real.

    anyway, i love this song and what i wrote is only an opinion. i see it as literally, not deep into it because it's good enough.

    it's not just that, i like the intro of this song.
    so, peace no war, alright! love placebo
    Flag Ferzaeron October 15, 2009   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I hated this song on first listening. Okay, not hated, that's a bit extreme - but I just didn't really like it. Now? I love it. It's catchy, it's dark enough to please me and the music is beautiful.

    Meaning-wise?

    The first verse is clearly a reflection of his life (as astarte stated).

    The second verse seems more like conformity and Brian going off and doing his own thing - fuck the consequences. "Open prison" could be in reference to the rules or expectations of morality and society. He accepts that he is different to what is considered acceptable as he tries to "break free" from the social expectations imposed on him. "Eradicate the schism" - well schism is kind of like a rift or segregation (I think) so maybe he is alluding to the obvious shunning that non-conformists are subject to.

    "No-one can take it away from me
    And no-one can tear it apart"
    Pretty straight forward if we're reading this literally; he wont change who he is for other people. And the "heart that hurts..." may be reference to the fact that despise being unusual he is still a human being and realises that inside we all have similar emotions, etc.


    Anyway, that's my take. Feel free to disagree!
    Flag cameoon June 28, 2009   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion:teenagewife "which IMO is the worst song off the album. "

    Come Undone is one of the best song of the album (IMO).
    Flag imalwaysrighton June 17, 2009   Link

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