Leave the Light On
Marissa Nadler Lyrics
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in the driveway muttering profane
'I never want to see your face again' (repeats)
But I will leave the light on
Leave the light on
In case you're coming back
Change my heart and count the days
All I remember all I remember is 'we'
Things fall to pieces
Hold the reasons for another day
But I will leave the light on
Leave the light on (repeats)
In case you're coming back
But I will leave the light on
Leave the light on (repeats)
In case you're coming back
I saw your car in the street
I saw you looking back
Why does everything end up like that?
I saw your car in the street
I saw you looking back
Why does everything wind up like that?
But I will leave the light on
Leave the light on (repeats)
In case you're coming back
The lyrics of Marissa Nadler's "Leave the Light On" reflect the dark and melancholic nature of love and heartbreak. The singer of the song has clearly been hurt by someone she loved and trusted deeply, as shown by the last thing she said to them: "I never want to see your face again." However, despite the pain and anger, she cannot bring herself to completely give up on the possibility of reconciliation. Thus, she decides to leave the light on, in case the person in question has a change of heart and decides to come back.
The repetition of "Leave the light on" underscores the singer's desperation and hope that her love will return. It is a metaphor for her unwillingness to completely let go of the relationship, even though she knows it has been toxic and destructive. The lines "Change my heart and count the days/All I remember all I remember is 'we'" reveal her longing to recapture the good times they shared and forget the bad.
The lines "Things fall to pieces/Hold the reasons for another day" indicate that the singer is still in the process of trying to make sense of what went wrong. She is holding on to the reasons for the breakup, perhaps to avoid making the same mistakes in future relationships. However, the fact that she leaves the light on suggests that she is not quite ready to move on just yet.
Overall, Marissa Nadler's "Leave the Light On" tells a poignant story of heartbreak, hope and regret. It captures the ambivalence of love and the desire to hold on to something even when it is hurting us.
Line by Line Meaning
Last thing that I said to you
Referring to the last negative interaction between the two individuals
in the driveway muttering profane
Describing the negative nature of the interaction
'I never want to see your face again' (repeats)
The specific words spoken in the interaction, emphasizing finality
But I will leave the light on
Despite the negative words spoken, the artist is still holding onto hope
Leave the light on
Repeating the desire to hold onto hope
In case you're coming back
The reason for holding onto hope
Change my heart and count the days
Hope for reconciliation and willingness to wait for it
All I remember all I remember is 'we'
Memories of the positive aspects of the relationship
Things fall to pieces
Acknowledgment of the negative events that led to the current situation
Hold the reasons for another day
Delaying the processing and acceptance of the negative events for the sake of hope
But I will leave the light on
Repeating the desire to hold onto hope
I saw your car in the street
Recognizing the possibility of the individual's return
I saw you looking back
The individual also acknowledging the possibility of reconciliation
Why does everything end up like that?
Questioning the negative events and outcomes
Why does everything wind up like that?
Repeating the same question for emphasis
But I will leave the light on
Final repetition of hope for reconciliation
Leave the light on (repeats)
Final repetition of the desire to hold onto hope
In case you're coming back
Final restatement of the reason for holding onto hope
Contributed by Alexandra M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.