Song for No One
Miike Snow Lyrics

I met you on the palisades
I first encountered you along the meeting point of steep cliffs, by the seashore.

The sun was spilling kerosene
The sun was setting and captivating the sky, causing it to look like it was spilling kerosene.

And I was feeling wide awake
I was alert, sober, and fully present at that moment.

Girl, you can be so obscene
You can have vulgar, indecent or unpleasant behavior at times.

And when you sang a lullaby
At one point, when you sang a soothing song meant to lull someone to sleep,

A missionary called your name
A religious worker identifying themselves as one who travels to spread their religious messages, addressed you by name.

You disappeared and hopped a flight
You vanished from sight and hastily boarded a plane.

For the Serengeti plain
The plane, in which you traveled away, happened to be going to the Serengeti, a vast plain in Tanzania.

Tell everyone you know
Make an announcement to everybody in your personal network.

Open up the door
Start sharing some hidden or secretive details of your life.

When your love has gone
When the person you love has moved on or isn't part of your life anymore.

You carry on
You continue living your life and handling your affairs.

This is her song
This song was inspired by a woman who's not the singer's love interest anymore.

This is a song for no one
This song doesn't belong to a particular person or group of people. It's impartial.

I think I own a photograph
I believe I possess a picture.

That shows her in the freezing rain
The photo depicts her standing in the pouring rain while the temperature is below zero degrees Celsius.

With the Italians on the bank
In the picture, she's standing alongside some Italian people along a river bank.

They know how to entertain
The Italians were good at keeping themselves and others engaged, by doing something interesting or pleasant.

A string of pearls behind your head
You had a string of pearls around your neck or behind your head.

A music box to catch your tears
You brought a music box that was meant to make a tinkling sound when tears landed in it.

Now call your mother in L.A.
It's time to ring your mother who lives in L.A.

She hasn't heard your voice in years
You have not called or spoken to her in years, so it's been long overdue.

You can jump a ride
You can embark on a journey or trip without much planning.

But don't ask why
You don't need to question the reason behind the journey; it can just be for its own sake.

And don't close your eyes
Be aware and attentive throughout the journey.