I knew that I'd get like this again
That's why I try to keep at bay
Be a hundred percent when I'm with you and then
A perfect hearts length away

The stickler is you've played not one beat wrong
You never promised me anything
Even sat me down, warned me just how they fall
And I knew the odds were I'd never win
And here I am

It's a half life
With you as my courtier man
A daft life

Myself worth mentioning a text back tempo
It's been two days late minutes to slow
There may well be others but I still like to pretend
That I'm the one you really want to grow old with

Ive got scheduled stick, to guard a world keeps sweet
Its so much to everyone all the time
Will you ever slow down will I ever come first
The universe contracts decide

It's a half life
With you as my quarter back
A tough life
It's a half life
With you as my courtier man
A tough life

You know you'll never be lonely
No you'll always be loved
And maybe you'll never need more than that
Of the sad place that love, is whats to become of us
Does it even register on your conscience

Long for one last showdown, from a box in a crowd
Air compressed tight to explode
I'm clenching my ticket to the only way out
To disappear in a puff of smoke

It's a half life
With you as my courtier man
Its a tough life.



Lyrics submitted by beenie_08, edited by jooi2005

Track duration: 04:02

"Half Life" as written by Imogen Jennifer Jane Heap

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Half Life song meanings
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35 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:I've thought about this a bit. I think perhaps it's not autobiographical as you might expect, but perhaps from the point of view of someone (or anyone) who's had a significant other who's been a touring musician or in a band, perhaps a particularly sucessful one. It might even have been someone close to the Immi herself.
    There's a line "Will it ever slow down? Will I ever come first?" - This is perhaps a tribute to that: Putting that person first by writing a song for them. Life may not slow down and allow them to be together in the way that the singer might want because of the divergent needs of the musicians career, but this is the dedication to that love.
    Flag Aleph01on February 15, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I think it's about dating a guy in a band, possibly a drummer because of all of the references to tempo and rhythm. The section about holding a ticket and him disappearing in a puff of smoke makes me think of a rock concert.

    He is distant and she thinks he might be cheating on her. She is submissive in the relationship and keeps hoping that things will get better and that he will love her but it is a half-life because she only has half of his attention/love.
    Flag HedonisticHermiton January 18, 2013   Link
  • +2
    Lyric Correction:*YOU KNOW WHAT?!*

    I knew I'd get like this again.
    That's why I try to keep at bay,
    be a hundred percent when I'm with you,
    and then a perfect heart's length away.

    The stickler is you've played not one beat wrong,
    you never promised me anything,
    even sat me down, warned me just how they fall;
    I knew the odds were I'd never win,
    yet here I am...

    *chorus*
    It's a half life
    with you as my quarterback,
    a daft life.
    --

    My self-worth measured in text back tempo,
    it's been two days and eight minutes too slow.
    Well, there may be others, but I still like to pretend,
    that I'm the one you really want to grow old with.

    I've got a schedule to stick to, got a world to keep sweet.
    You're so much to everyone all the time.
    Will it ever slow down? Will I ever come first?
    The universe contracts to sigh...

    *chorus*

    Hold me, darling,
    hold me, darling, please.

    You know you'll never be lonely, no,
    you'll always be loved,
    and maybe you'll never need more than that.
    But for the surplus that loves, what's to become of us?
    Does it even register on your conscience?

    Long for one last showdown from a box in a crowd,
    air compressed tight to explode.
    I'm clenching my ticket to the only way out
    as you disappear in a puff of smoke.

    *chorus*

    THOSE ARE THE LYRICS. THERE.
    Flag FieryDreamer51on February 20, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I haven't come across any song so far that represents unrequited love as well as this one does. For anyone who knows the feeling, either through their own experiences or through those of someone else's, this song is a perfect depiction.
    Basically, in the song, she's given all she has to someone popular and loved by MANY OTHERS just like her. This person never did anything to actually break her heart (like reject her coldly or play her), but the fact that he doesn't love her back is enough to hurt. It's possible ("there may well be others") that the person she loves loves someone else, or he is just loved by a whole bunch of girls ("you'll never be lonely/you'll always be loved"). Either way, the truth is that he does not love her, and has told her this nicely, but she can't seem to let go.
    Flag FieryDreamer51on February 20, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:basically, all of these lyrics are wrong
    Flag kittykatmeowzaon February 17, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:basically, all of these lyrics are wrong
    Flag kittykatmeowzaon February 17, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Correction:
    My self worth measured in text-back tempo
    It's been two days and eight minutes too slow
    Flag wildebaton November 04, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I know the feeling well. Falling for someone... even when you know that you shouldn't and that it could never work out. It's an empty feeling.
    Flag xmakesherflyxon September 27, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think the song is about you known that guy that is everyones friend , maybe does like the attention of all the girls but never ever wants to get serious , and though the band the writer of the song and this person share is strong , its never enough to get him from being so important to everyone, not enough to get him of his habit of being everyones hero , and she wishes that he would be hers only hero , but actually more a lover, a story she knowes he is familliar with , and she promised to be different but in the end she still fals in love. The term quarterback to me is a symbol of the fact that he is so busy with everyone else but her.
    Flag LeeSawyeron July 13, 2011   Link
  • +2
    General Comment:It's a half life,
    With you as my quarterback.

    the quarterback is the one who gives, while the receiver, well, receives. in that sense she doesn't feel him giving her any love, the love she's feeling is a one way street, a half life.
    Flag strabon March 22, 2011   Link

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