Sara Bareilles – Bright Lights and Cityscapes

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  General Comment:There's an error in the lyrics. First chorus is "She is bright lights and cityscapes
  I'm white lies and CAVALCADES"

  Flag Guest12on May 09, 2013   Link

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  My Interpretation:I believe that the song is about a strong relationship between two people, with one person in the relationship suffering depression. The "she" in the song is the depression itself. The person singing the song (I will reference as S) is the person in the relationship without the depression that is saying they will always love them no matter what. The "you" in the song is the person battling depression (which I will reference as C).
  
  The first verse talks about how stressful it is to be a S. S needs to keep calm (hold my breath and I'll count to ten) in order to be strong for C. However, C's constant mood swings can cause a lot of stress and end up taking over S's mood as well (I'm the paper and you're the pen; You fill me in and you are permanent). Since C isn't fully there to support S due to the depression, S is alone (And you'll leave me to dry). However, C always fights to get out of the depressed mood not only for him/herself, but also for S (I'm the writer and she's the muse; I'm the one that you always choose; She will falter and gift her blame). However, sometimes the depression overcomes C without his/her control (And it starts all over again, again, again, again).
  
  The depression can be blinding (She is bright lights and cityscapes) but also can cause C and S to keep things from each other and lie (And white lies and cavalcades). When the depression takes over C, C is not the person he/she normally is (And she'll take all you ever have). But despite everything, S will unconditionally love C no matter what (But I'm gonna love you). During each time C is not depressed, C tells S that he/she thinks the good mood will last (You say maybe it'll last this time). But S tells him/her that she/he will love them no matter what (But I'm gonna love you, you never have to ask). Many times C looks back at how he/she treats S during the times of depression and realizes his/her faults but S explains that she/he understands and forgives him/her ('Til you start looking back; I'm gonna love you; So right; I wouldn't need a second chance).
  
  C ultimately feels horrible for the struggle he/she is putting S through but S is there to tell C that she/he is here to help him/her and there is no need to dwell on the bad, she/he just wants C to tell her/him about the good (Shield you eyes from the truth at hand; Tell me why it'll be good again). At this point in the song, C is falling back into the depression while S is trying to pull him/her out (All those demons are closing in; And I don't want you to burn). S in the past has expressed she/he couldn't deal with the situation, but at this point she/he takes that all back and just wants C to be happy. (Nevermind what I said before; I don't want any less anymore). However, S was not successful at pulling C up and C dips into the depression yet again (You are carbon and I am flame; I will rise and you will Remain).
  
  Overall, the song deals with the strong relationship between two people when one person in the relationship has depression. It shows how unconditional love can provide strength for some one that is dealing with a tough situation on their own.

  Flag mlb8on March 13, 2013   Link

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  My Interpretation:First question: characters. Who are they? There is the narrator, who I’ll call “Sara” just for the hell of it. There is also the listener who I’ll call “you” and the other female who I’ll call “Shiny.” The first four lines detail a servile relationship between you and Sara. Sara accepts that her breathing is under your control and that your words are permanently written on her, even to the point that she becomes just a tool to be hung up to dry after use. The next four lines differentiate between Sara and Shiny as writer and muse, seemingly contradictory to the previous lines. It’s as if Sara is affirming that indeed, she has a voice, a writer’s voice, as opposed to Shiny’s lack of it. But in predicting Shiny’s behaviors and destiny, the lines blur themselves with wishfulness and blunt criticism. This mentality is prolonged through the chorus as Shiny is denounced as selfish and fickle, ultimately a lost cause. But at the lines, “Til you start looking back, / I’m gonna love you so right, / I wouldn’t need a second chance,” Sara becomes self-critical. To rephrase, the idea is: Because I loved you so right, you would not be able to look back and find anything that can incriminate me.
  
  Then “Shield your eyes from the truth at end, / Tell me why it’ll be good again,” a concession that everything is going to the shits someday. Sara would prefer that instead of being realistic and depressed, you have hope, no matter how small or irrational it is. When she proclaims herself rising “flame” to your remaining “carbon” self, it is part of her (poetic) writer’s voice and in spite of previous servility. Thus, Sara admits that both you and she write and are written on, being the powers that make up the relationship.
  
  As the chorus runs again, who Shiny is appears clearer. It seems that she and her attributes, although garish and unpleasant at times and what will in the end pull you apart, are what allow you and Sara to be thought of as a couple. So it seems to me that Sara would like you to love her as well and write on her as she does to you (because that’s what songs do).
  
  In conclusion, Ghost Sara expresses the “missing” “I’m gonna love you” line in wordless voice and emphasizes Sara’s “I wouldn’t need a second chance,” emphasizing also how erroneous human ways are. Ghost Sara reflects the shiny cityscape on the song’s outer gossamer.

  Flag azneel128on May 30, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:I think it's about a guy choosing his ex over her. She's saying she wouldn't need a second chance with him (like ex needs) because she would love him right the first time, and not let him go.
  
  I think the paragraph is what she wishes would happen: I’m the one that you always choose.
  
  But then she's saying what's happening: You say maybe it’ll last this time,But I’m gonna love you,You never have to ask,I’m gonna love you,
  And
  I’m gonna love you so right,I wouldn’t need a second chance.
  
  After that she's basically confirming that in the first bit of the song she's writing what she wishes would happen: Shield your eyes from the truth at end,Tell me why it’ll be good again,
  
  I think in the end she's saying if he chooses his ex, she won't take him back when he wants her:I’m gonna love you,‘Til you start looking back,I’m gonna love you so right
  
  So he has to make up his mind.

  Flag InWonderland22on May 28, 2012   Link

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    Or, she's his friend and he confides in her. He doesn't know that she loves him. And she'll love him until he realizes he loves her, then she'll run away scared.

    Flag InWonderland22on May 28, 2012  

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    More argument for the section of wishes: it starts right after she says, "I'm a writer," signaling that the reader should reflect on the consequences of that. Before the writer sequence ends with the command, "Shield your eyes from the truth," the chorus identifies this ex with "She is bright lights and cityscapes, and white lies and cavalcades," and seen through the scope of the criticizing writer seems rather shallow. To me, this is different from the second repetition, "For bright lights and cityscapes, and landslides and masquerades," because these are objectively described and seem more like natural phenomena.
    
    Good find.

    Flag azneel128on May 30, 2012  
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  General Comment:It's about burning it all the the ground before one departs. It's leaving everything broken and buned and damaged beyond repair. It's the only way to begin again...fresh and alone with a chance for happiness. NO MORE PAST. It's in ruins...

  Flag ILUVUon May 28, 2012   Link

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  General Comment:this is my favorite song off of her EP. so simple yet captivating.

  Flag ahcaton May 28, 2012   Link

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