The song 'Fortnight' by Taylor Swift and Post Malone tells a story about strong feelings, complicated relationships, and secret wishes. It talks about love, betrayal, and wanting someone who doesn't feel the same. The word 'fortnight' shows short-lived happiness and guilty pleasures, leading to sadness. It shows how messy relationships can be and the results of hiding emotions. “I was supposed to be sent away / But they forgot to come and get me,” she kickstarts the song in the first verse with lines suggesting an admission to a hospital for people with mental illnesses. She goes in the verse admitting her lover is the reason why she is like this. In the chorus, she sings about their time in love and reflects on how he has now settled with someone else. “I took the miracle move-on drug, the effects were temporary / And I love you, it’s ruining my life,” on the second verse she details her struggles to forget about him and the negative effects of her failure. “Thought of callin’ ya, but you won’t pick up / ‘Nother fortnight lost in America,” Post Malone sings in the outro.
Cap off kneelin' at the back of the church
Feelin' water on your brow
With its' heal and it hurts
At first a sharpish pain that returns as a thought
That the needle in your skin won't bring you closer to god
As I watch
As your head
Turns full circle
All hopeless with old coffee and a medical text
It's too easy knowin' nothin' blowin' off the rest
And the riddles in the pages leavin' too much to guess
And the worry cracks a fracture from your hip to your chest
And I watch
As your head
Turns full circle
You got lost in your travels and a spiritual book
Mistook beaches for nirvana in the way that they look
And the crooks that run the island are killing to keep earning
They're burning seven tons of plastic and it seems to be working
Is that the best
That I
Can do?
As I watch
As your head
Turns full circle
You appear even-tempered though your looks will deceive
And the sparks are always flying cuz you drink for relief
With the heart of a child and the wit of a fool
It's a wonder why I don't try to build a wall around you
As I watch
As your head
Turns full circle
As I watch
As your head
Turns full circle
Yea I watch
As your head
Turns full circle
Feelin' water on your brow
With its' heal and it hurts
At first a sharpish pain that returns as a thought
That the needle in your skin won't bring you closer to god
As I watch
As your head
Turns full circle
All hopeless with old coffee and a medical text
It's too easy knowin' nothin' blowin' off the rest
And the riddles in the pages leavin' too much to guess
And the worry cracks a fracture from your hip to your chest
And I watch
As your head
Turns full circle
You got lost in your travels and a spiritual book
Mistook beaches for nirvana in the way that they look
And the crooks that run the island are killing to keep earning
They're burning seven tons of plastic and it seems to be working
Is that the best
That I
Can do?
As I watch
As your head
Turns full circle
You appear even-tempered though your looks will deceive
And the sparks are always flying cuz you drink for relief
With the heart of a child and the wit of a fool
It's a wonder why I don't try to build a wall around you
As I watch
As your head
Turns full circle
As I watch
As your head
Turns full circle
Yea I watch
As your head
Turns full circle
Lyrics submitted by actoroutofwork, edited by ggbm, AaronIMK, sokorny
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More Featured Meanings
Fortnight
Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
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"
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
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.
No interpretations yet?!
Well... Here's my ramble, then!
To me it seems to be about drug/alcohol addiction and/or general confusion and delusion.
"At first a sharpish pain that returns as a thought That the needle in your skin won't bring you closer to god" "And the sparks are always flying cause you drink for relief"
The person is struggling, trying to find relief in their addiction, but still conscious enough to realize that they're not doing fine.
"All hopeless with old coffee and a medical text It’s too easy knowing nothing blowing off the rest And the riddles in the pages leaving too much to guess And the worry cracks a fracture from your hip to your chest"
I think it's as if the person is overanalyzing everything. They get anxious about not having an answer to everything. The riddles is the pages seem to me as mysteries of life, ore problems that one can't resolve, no matter how much time and energy they spend trying to do so... And this very incapacity to find answers to these riddles creates an important worry to an already anxious mind. Perhaps that's what leads to the person addiction (or maybe what the addiction leads to, in fact.)
"I watch as your head turns full circle"
I see this as a metaphor of something cyclical. A never ending vicious circle, hard to get out of. Hence I think my previous paragraph goes along with this cycle. The person is lost ("lost in your travels and a spiritual book") and anxious, leading them to use more drugs/alcohol to try to find relief, to ease their mind. But the effect of the drugs/alcohol creates even more confusion and delusion, more anxiety... Then it starts over again.
Finally, despite this person's habits and addiction, despite their behaviour, he still has got support from the narrator of the song:
"Is that the best that I can do? As I watch as your head turns full circle"
"With the heart of a child and the wit of a fool It’s a wonder why I don’t try to build a wall around you"
The narrator recognizes the struggling person's good nature, good heart, but knows their mind and wit are not clean. He knows the person needs help, he wants to provide them help, but yet knows he's helpless. He's wondering if it's the best he can do, if there's anything more he could do to help, as his friend is stuck in this never ending cycle.
The narrator sees that no matter he does, his friend is not doing any better, not changing, hence he wonders why he "doesn't try to build a wall around them"...
I think it's a rather sad song. Trying to help someone out of such a situation, or trying to help clearing their mind a little, but not achieving it.
I might be wayyyyy off, but that's how I personnally understand the lyrics!
These are the actual lyrics:
cap off kneelin at the back of the church feelin water on your brow with its' heal and it hurts at first a sharpish pain that returns as a thought that the needle in your skin won't bring you closer to god
as I watch as your head turns full circle
all hopeless with old coffee and a medical text it's too easy knowin nothin blowin off the rest and the riddles in the pages leavin too much to guess and the worry cracks a fracture from your hip to your chest
and I watch as your head turns full circle
you got lost in your travels and a spiritual book mistook beaches for nirvana in the way that they look and the crooks that run the island are killing to keep earning they're burning seven tons of plastic and it seems to be working
is that the best that I can do?
as I watch as your head turns full circle
you appear even-tempered though your looks will deceive and the sparks are always flying cuz you drink for relief with the heart of a child and the wit of a fool it's a wonder why I don't try to build a wall around you
as I watch as your head turns full circle
as I watch as your head turns full circle
yea I watch as your head turns full circle
...
Source: the band's official website
@writingwriting
Thank you for posting the corrected lyrics.
I heard this for the first time in a game trailer for the game, Assassins Creed. If not for this trailer, I may have missed this impressive interpretation of what these young gentlemen believe that someone they knew was going through with their addiction to alcohol and drugs and how powerless they were in protecting this person. These guys are the real deal. Excellent musicians and fantastic lyrics.
Anyhow, I believe they are describing the "problem" cycle of addiction.
First verse I believe describes a IV user, likely heroin, who is in church and feels the beginning of withdrawal and they get a "painish" thought of using again. They know that the drug will no longer benefit them and this is a point that many addicts come to. A "moment of clarity perhaps". "Won't bring you Closer to God" may be how they feel about what their use of drugs did for he or she. Although typically heroin users are "satiety" users not "transient" users. Transient users typically have this notion. Such as psychedelic drugs..
The next verse discusses the users overall confusion likely with the big book of Alcoholics Anonymous. Many addicts and alcoholics feel "Hopeless" when they first get into the rooms. They are not certain if they are getting the principals and themes presented in the book. So they "worry" and become restless, irritable and perhaps discontented....
So then what happens? As described in the next long verse, not chorus(which I will interpret next) They return to using again. They were "lost in the travels in the Spiritual book" which this person no longer was perusing sobriety and do what most addicts do, relapse. They isolate themselves "Mistook beaches for nirvana" and then "And the crooks that run the island are killing to keep earning They're burning seven tons of plastic and it seems to be working" I believe "Island" specifically refers to isolation and the crooks are the drug dealers making money off of the "burning seven tons of plastic" which essentially is poison. Drugs are poison. You don't ever know what your actually getting..
It's asked "Is that the best That I Can do?"
Here, either the writer of the song is asking this question or the user is doubting their use again. I prefer the latter because of the next verse....
"You appear even-tempered though your looks will deceive And the sparks are always flying 'cause you drink for relief With the heart of a child and the wit of a fool It's a wonder why I don't try to build a wall around you"
This is a very powerful verse (which makes me believe that someone in this band may have personal experience with addiction) They see the person again, perhaps at a time when they are dry again, but they now know that they are not fully well yet and at any point they will "drink for relief" The do not feel the person has changed spiritually.
"Heart of a child and the wit of a fool" I believe points out one of the many REAL problems with addiction and its cause. Maladaptive behaviors learned early in life. Poor coping skills. We all feel pain at some point in our lives. If you learn the wrong way to deal with it, then perhaps these behaviors will repeat themselves. They have not progressed emotionally since the day they started using drugs and alcohol so they have the "heart of a child and the wit of a fool". They simply dealt with life the wrong way....
Powerless!! The writer of the song states that they simply can't protect them from themselves. "It's a wonder why I don't Build a wall around you" if the writer did build this metaphoric wall, it simply would not work. They can't do anything until the person is throughly convinced they have a problem. I personally believe that this first step is the hardest.
Now... The Chorus and title of song... "And I watch As your head Turns full circle"
They are caught in the cycle of addiction. If you do a 180, you end up in different place. Full circle is 360 degrees and you end up in the same place. They simply can't break this destructive cycle.
I love all interpretations and respect them all. This song is fantastic. If you read this, thank you for reading.
@writingwriting I've corrected the lyrics thanks
I agree with the other comment, i think it is very accurate, however i would like to build on it. in my opinion, i think the friend who turned to drugs had a reason to do that. i think s/he has a friend who is very sick, and in the hospital. When the singer says "our hope is with old coffee and a medical test" it makes me think that his/her friend is in the hospital, being tested for for something, possibly cancer. s/he wants to be the first to know, and is trying to stay awake, which is why he talks about the coffee. I think the friend of the singer's friend was diagnosed with something serious, so s/he started turned to praying for the friend, when he says "Cap off kneeling at the back of the church..." s/he is very stressed about his/her friend, so that's when i think s/he turned to drugs "that the needle in your skin won't bring you closer to God" when the friend isn't getting better, s/he becomes hopeless and gives up."we got lost in the travels of the spiritual book" S/he then turns to drugs/alcohol, thinking it would be an escape from the stress, but it just makes it worse."missed the beaches from nirvana and the way that they look" s/he thought that when she was high, it would be paradise, or nirvana. but she was wrong. That's why the singer says "missed the beaches from nirvana". when the singer sees his friend so stressed, and ultimately having their life ruined, he asks himself if their is anything he can possibly do to help. "is that the best that i can do?" s/he is trying to act like everything is alright, trying to look strong. "you appear even tempered though your looks will deceive" and the singer is worried his friend is going to hurt/kill him/herself which is why he says "It's a wonder why i don't try to build a wall around you" i might be completely wrong, but that;s what the song means to me, thanks for reading
if this is the case and the singer is writing this for a suffering friend.. then why would the hospitalised friend be "drinking for relief" pretty sure that wouldn't be allowed? but the whole drugs thing in general seems accurate - great song
I would like to change just one thought of yours and then I completely agree.<br /> <br /> This paragraph:<br /> All hopeless with old coffee and a medical text<br /> It’s too easy knowing nothing blowing off the rest <br /> And the riddles in the pages leaving too much to guess <br /> And the worry cracks a fracture from your hip to your chest <br /> <br /> I believe she caught something from the needle she used and is trying to hopelessly diagnose herself. She reads this book and doesnt understand and cannot come to any conclusion about her diagnoses. She then starts to worry profusly.<br /> <br /> I understand this paragraph as:<br /> You appear even tempered though your looks will deceive<br /> And the sparks are always flying cause you drink for relief<br /> With the heard of a child and the wit of a fool <br /> It’s a wonder why I don’t try to build a wall around you <br /> <br /> She is putting up a front that she is alright and not worrying about her sickness.<br /> And she uses alcohol to drink away the worry.<br /> <br /> The last two phrases im not 100% sure about but I interpret them as this,<br /> She has a pure heart and the wit of a fool (for doing the drugs in the first place)<br /> And the singer doesnt know why he was drawn to this person in the first place and doesnt know why he stays around even with her being so self destructive.
"I watch as your head turns full circle"
I take this lyric literally, as in The Exorcist. The singer is aghast at witnessing his partner's nakedness of spirit, and can only watch in horror as his friend spins out of control and off the tracks, as if possessed.
I enjoy the singer's abrupt singing.
I agree with the other comments, the song seems to be about drug addiction and depression but i think the; "I watch as your head turns full circle" means that the person or friend is stuck with the same problem and cant find the solution/answer so they turn to drugs and alcohol this cycle/circle just puts them in the same place and they cant break it, while the other friend is stuck watching them and cant do anything. "That the needle in your skin won't bring you closer to god and the sparks are always flying cause you drink for relief" -drugs and alcohol
this person is obviously suicidal, he\she self harms, needle to the skin, and drinks, and starves, due to starvers only drink tea or coffee.
What a great band!
To me its a story of how most of humanity is lost and trying to find lifes greatest mysteries. Using drugs (work, money, as well) are distractions but also tools that we THINK we use to get us closer to God. To make us whole with him again. Instead of listening to our spiritual selves, we get caught up in spiritual texts (old testament, torah, koran, bible). Also how the crooks (that know the truth and prevent humanity from reaching their goal) sell us plastic (credit card, money) to keep us pre-occupied. The last verses has what maybe God would to say to all his people at this time in our lives.
Agree - the song is about drug addiction..... the "head turns full circle" is the motion an addict's head makes when they main-line their drug. Their head always falls forward a bit, then around to the back.... that's the "full circle." I don't think there's a friend who's sick or any medical dilemma. Sounds to me like someone flunking out of life.... medical school. blowing off everything to do drugs.