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Flowers in Your Hair
The Lumineers Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

When we were younger
We thought everyone was on our side
Then we grew a little
And romanticized the time I saw
Flowers in your hair

See, it takes a boy to live
Takes a man to pretend he was there

So then we grew a little
And knew a lot
And how we demonstrated it to the cops
And all the things we said
We were self-assured

'Cause it's a long road to wisdom
But it's a short one to being ignored

Be in my eyes
Be in my heart
Be in my eyes, aye-yeah-yeah
Be in my heart

So now I think that I could love you back
And I hope it's not too late
'Cause you're so attractive
And the way you move
I won't close my eyes

'Cause it takes a man to live
It takes a woman to make him compromise

So be in my eyes
Be in my heart
Be in my eyes, aye-yeah-yeah
Be in my heart

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of the song 'Flowers in Your Hair', by The Lumineers, sets the pace of the theme being nostalgia. The band reminisces about being youthful, naive and feeling like the world was on their side. However, as time went on, they realized this was not the case, and they became aware that things were not as easy as they once thought. The reference to seeing flowers in the girl's hair speaks to the idealistic imagery of youth, beauty and the carefree nature of the past.


As the song progresses, the lyrics touch on the idea of growing up and the wisdom that comes with life experiences. The line, "it takes a boy to live, and a man to pretend he was there," speaks to the realization of the responsibilities of life and the challenge of living up to expectations. The Lumineers sing about the moments of rebellion, where they felt self-assured, and how they demonstrated to the world their newfound knowledge. However, they acknowledge that with wisdom, comes obstacles, and it is a long road to reach this level.


Towards the end of the song, the lyrics take an interesting turn, as the band sings about their emotions towards someone they once knew. They express admiration and attraction towards them, and the desire to not let the opportunity to make things right pass by. The line, "it takes a man to live, it takes a woman to make him compromise," brings the idea full circle, where they talk about the delicate balance of sharing oneself with another person.


Line by Line Meaning

When we were younger
In our youth, we were naive and trusting, believing that everyone had our best interests at heart.


We thought everyone was on our side
As children, we perceived the world as a friendly, welcoming place, where everyone was supportive and helpful.


Then we grew a little
With time, we matured and gained more life experiences, becoming wiser and more knowledgeable.


And romanticized the time I saw Flowers in your hair
We look back fondly and reminisce about a particular moment in the past when we saw you adorned with flowers in your hair, as a symbol of beauty and innocence.


See, it takes a boy to live Takes a man to pretend he was there
It is easy to go through life without fully engaging and taking risks, and only a truly mature and confident person can pretend to have been there and experienced it all.


So then we grew a little And knew a lot And how we demonstrated it to the cops And all the things we said We were self-assured
As we grew up, we became more knowledgeable and assertive, thinking we knew better than authority figures and speaking up without fear or hesitation.


'Cause it's a long road to wisdom But it's a short one to being ignored
Becoming wise takes time and effort, but sometimes even the wise are ignored or dismissed by others who do not appreciate their insights.


Be in my eyes Be in my heart Be in my eyes, aye-yeah-yeah Be in my heart
You are so important to me that I want you to be part of my very being, in my thoughts and feelings.


So now I think that I could love you back And I hope it's not too late 'Cause you're so attractive And the way you move I won't close my eyes
I realize now that I might have feelings for you too, and I don't want to miss the opportunity to explore them, because you are so captivating and alluring to me.


'Cause it takes a man to live It takes a woman to make him compromise
Life requires maturity and responsibility, but it also requires the ability to compromise and work with others, which often comes more naturally to women than men.




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Jeremy Fraites, Wesley Schultz

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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