This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Waiting for a train
Going nowhere in a nowhere station
Staying up last night
Going nowhere with my trains of thought
Sleeping with your boy
Going nowhere in a long distance relation
Blinded of your senses
By the fear of unrequited love
Once more I woke up in the moonlight
Once more our paths crossed through the night
And a moment's hesitation
Your silent invocation
But you shielded me from your glow
Like a moth against your window
And I'm too shy to stop you in your tracks
Oh you leave me in the dark
Drifting in my boat
Going nowhere with my aspirations
You and me connected
Unexpected in our drifting thoughts
But you still see him
And I am sinking in the storm of separation
Blinded of my senses
By the fear of unrequited love
Once more I woke up in the moonlight
And twice more our paths crossed through the night
And a moment's hesitation
Your silent invocation
But you shielded me from your glow
Like a moth against your window
And I'm too shy to stop you in your tracks
Oh you leave me in the dark again
And I need someone
To stop me from drifting
It's getting late to be traveling
Destined to go nowhere
By the fear of unrequited love
Going nowhere in a nowhere station
Staying up last night
Going nowhere with my trains of thought
Sleeping with your boy
Going nowhere in a long distance relation
Blinded of your senses
By the fear of unrequited love
Once more I woke up in the moonlight
Once more our paths crossed through the night
And a moment's hesitation
Your silent invocation
But you shielded me from your glow
Like a moth against your window
And I'm too shy to stop you in your tracks
Oh you leave me in the dark
Drifting in my boat
Going nowhere with my aspirations
You and me connected
Unexpected in our drifting thoughts
But you still see him
And I am sinking in the storm of separation
Blinded of my senses
By the fear of unrequited love
Once more I woke up in the moonlight
And twice more our paths crossed through the night
And a moment's hesitation
Your silent invocation
But you shielded me from your glow
Like a moth against your window
And I'm too shy to stop you in your tracks
Oh you leave me in the dark again
And I need someone
To stop me from drifting
It's getting late to be traveling
Destined to go nowhere
By the fear of unrequited love
Lyrics submitted by Zopilote Steel
Boats and Trains Lyrics as written by Brian David James Briggs
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
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
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
Holiday
Bee Gees
Bee Gees
@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
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.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
The first verse he’s saying that both physically and mentally, he’s not going anywhere; he’s not moving, he’s stuck. And the same goes for this girl he speak of. Because of this long distance relationship she’s in, their love won’t last but she can’t see that due to her fear of her man falling out of love with her.
In the chorus, he saw her in the moonlight, and their paths crossed. I took this as he saw her in his sleep, he can only see her or be with her, in his dreams. But even in his dreams, their love is once again spoiled. She pulls away from him and shuts him out. He’s so close, but she won’t fully give herself to him (“But you shielded me from your glow/ Like a moth against your window”). And he won’t stop her, he’s too shy to make such a bold statement.
Next verse: He is so down from his emotions & feelings, he is just drifting along his ambitions; not taking action upon them. He was surprised that this girl & he connected, due to how fluttery both of their minds are (maybe), and he’s reflecting on this. However, she is still with the other fella, and this causes our main man to feel even more torn from her. Now, he too, can’t believe that the relationship the girl & he once had, is no longer there.
At the end he finds himself still broken and states that he won’t love another because he’s too scared that he will feel this pain once again.