The Cure – Seventeen Seconds

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Time slips away
And the light begins to fade
And everything is quiet now
Feeling is gone
And the picture disappears
everything is cold now
The dream had to end
The wish never came true
And the girl
Starts to sing

Seventeen seconds
A measure of life

Send "Seventeen Seconds" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by oofus

Track duration: 05:54

"Seventeen Seconds" as written by Robert James Smith, Laurence Andrew Tolhurst, Simon Gallup, Matthieu A. Hartley

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Seventeen Seconds song meanings
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8 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:i believe it's about how making a small decision can affect your life forever, this song's about suicide, about how everything's over for that small decision.
    Flag tefon January 19, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Contemplation of suicide but finally realising that you have something to live for "And the girl starts to sing" -= could have something to do with the fact that every 17 seconds someone commits suicide (if indeed that is a fact) the lyrics at the end do seem to confirm that theory.
    Flag bananahammock316on April 15, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i love it, it's too short though
    Flag awakening 09on April 11, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I've always assumed this to be about how your life can fall apart in seventeen seconds, and that in the end, seventeen seconds can mean as much as the rest of your life.
    Flag Death Discoon September 13, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Billy Corgan also used 17 seconds in the Adore artwork:
    (don't know if it has anything to do with this song.)

    17 seconds of compassion
    17 seconds of peace
    17 seconds to remember love is the energy
    behind which all is created
    17 seconds to remember all that is good
    17 seconds to forget all your hurt and pain
    17 seconds of faith
    17 seconds to trust you again
    17 seconds of radiance
    17 seconds to send a prayer up
    17 seconds is al you really need
    Flag onbewuston August 23, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:one of my favorite songs. adore it.
    Flag lipssocoldtheyburnon January 12, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I don't know if this has any importance, but every seventeen seconds someone commits suicide. therefore, i always have associated this song with suicide.
    Flag indignityon November 23, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Rob Smith wrote this song about that moment when you know it's now or never... and you don't act.

    That moment when you blew your last chance for something is your seventeen seconds... a measure of your life.

    Pretty depressing song, and it fits the tone of the album very well.
    Flag Hollowmanon May 08, 2003   Link

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