Yeah, at the end of the day
The end of the light
She keeps the remains of all of her foes
Miranda is dying with all of her might
She never comes, she always goes

She sticks the camera right into her arm
Anything to forget what the trouble's about
It causes her pain, that's part of the charm
She's down for the count then finally out

Miranda is taking the stars down
A little something to call her own
But the lion still rules Miranda
And Miranda is always alone

She sees her face in another magazine
And the walls all close in, as the fancy takes flight
Can't stand to be loved, but she loves to be seen
She slips down headlong into the night

Miranda is taking the stars down
A little something to call her own
But the lion still rules Miranda
And Miranda is always alone

And then all at once, the sun starts to rise
She sees her father holding her down
Oh the daylight is poison to her eyes
She slips down the shade and lets herself drown

Miranda is taking the stars down
A little something to call her own
But the lion still rules Miranda
And Miranda is always alone

The lights shine down the marina
All across her safety zone
But loneliness follows Miranda
And Miranda is always alone
Miranda is always alone
Miranda is always alone

Overall Meaning

The song "Miranda" by Fleetwood Mac tells the story of a woman named Miranda who appears to be struggling with drug addiction and a sense of overwhelming loneliness. The opening verses discuss her tendency to keep "the remains of all of her foes," which might be interpreted as a metaphor for her keeping physical remnants of her past struggles as a way to remind her of her strength. However, the lines "She sticks the camera right into her arm/Anything to forget what the trouble's about/It causes her pain, that's part of the charm/She's down for the count then finally out" suggest that Miranda is engaging in a dangerous form of self-harm. By using the camera as a way to document the experience, she seems to be attempting to distance herself from the pain and trauma of her addiction.

The chorus of the song speaks to Miranda's desire for something that she can claim as her own, even as she acknowledges the ever-present "lion" of addiction that continues to rule her life. She seems to be in a constant state of flux, moving between fleeting moments of ecstasy and the crushing weight of her isolation. The final verse describes her sense of overwhelming despair and her search for escape. She sees her father holding her down, a haunting image that might indicate a history of trauma or abuse. Despite the glimmers of hope offered by the sunrise and the lights of the marina, Miranda is ultimately unable to shake off her feelings of loneliness and despair.

Line by Line Meaning

Yeah, at the end of the day
At the end of everything

The end of the light
At the end of happiness

She keeps the remains of all of her foes
She retains the memories of her enemies

Miranda is dying with all of her might
Miranda is doing her best to die

She never comes, she always goes
She always leaves without coming back

She sticks the camera right into her arm
She films herself while taking drugs

Anything to forget what the trouble's about
Doing whatever it takes to forget problems

It causes her pain, that's part of the charm
Her drug use is enjoyable because it's painful

She's down for the count then finally out
Taking drugs until she can't stand it anymore

She sees her face in another magazine
She sees herself in a magazine again

And the walls all close in, as the fancy takes flight
Feeling trapped as her fantasy takes off