Before It Breaks You
Lewis & Clarke Lyrics
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And so are their fingers tonight
It's been dark for so long
Could it be there's the one with the light?
Their stars are crossing
Like lovers' stars do
Sometimes you cross it
Before it crosses you
It's cold in december
We wish it were summertime still
We're all in denial
Winter of death in its will
We can't help running
Avoiding its call
Another heartbroken winter
Will be the death of us all
The radio is broken
She sings out the truth in the night
You might see a horizon
But the ending is never in sight
The radio is broken
She's singing the truth
Sometimes you break it
Before it breaks you
The roar of the engine
Is pushing the dark from the night
And the further we travel
Our eyes will adjust to the light
The roar of the engine
Is calling to you
And you'd better answer
Before it calls someone new
Knocked knees and bad teeth
Golden dreams
Yes, please, let's take these
And fall to sleep
When you're gone don't lose your keys
Or you'll have no more home
Take your fruit from other trees
And you'll have none of your own
The song "Before It Breaks You" by Lewis & Clarke is a poetic and insightful look into the inevitability of change and how we can choose to either resist it or embrace it. The lyrics paint a picture of a cold, dark winter where people are struggling to find their way, both literally and metaphorically. The stars, which symbolize destiny and fate, are crossing and fingers are intertwined in hopes of finding some semblance of light in the darkness. The song provides a sense of urgency that if we don't take action before change overtakes us, we risk being left behind.
The second verse talks about denial and the fear of death that can come with a harsh winter. The line "We can't help running, avoiding its call" speaks to the natural tendency to avoid pain and seek comfort, even if that means denying the harsh reality of our situation. The broken radio that sings out the truth in the night is a metaphor for the harsh reality that we can't always control our destinies. The line "You might see a horizon, but the ending is never in sight" is a reminder that sometimes we can see the end goal, but we can never fully predict the path to get there.
The final verse talks about the roar of the engine and how it can propel us forward into the light. The line "And you'd better answer, before it calls someone new" is a reminder that opportunities don't wait for us and we need to be ready to take action when they present themselves. The final lines about not losing our keys and taking fruit from other trees are a reminder to hold onto what is important to us and not to rely on others for our own happiness.
Line by Line Meaning
Their stars are crossing
Their paths are intersecting
And so are their fingers tonight
They are holding hands tonight
It's been dark for so long
They have endured a long period of darkness
Could it be there's the one with the light?
Is there someone who can bring light to their darkness?
Their stars are crossing
Their destinies are intertwining
Like lovers' stars do
As two lovers' stars would
Sometimes you cross it
Sometimes you make it to your destiny
Before it crosses you
Before it destroys you
It's cold in december
The month of December is cold
We wish it were summertime still
We wish it was still summer
We're all in denial
We are refusing to accept reality
Winter of death in its will
Winter is deadly in nature
We can't help running
We can't resist running away from winter
Avoiding its call
We're avoiding its invitation to die
Another heartbroken winter
Another winter filled with heartbreak
Will be the death of us all
It will be the end of us
The radio is broken
The radio is not functioning
She sings out the truth in the night
She sings out the truth during the night
You might see a horizon
You might see a future
But the ending is never in sight
You can't predict the outcome
She's singing the truth
The truth is being conveyed in her song
Sometimes you break it
Sometimes you destroy the truth
Before it breaks you
Before the truth consumes and destroys you
The roar of the engine
The loud noise of the engine
Is pushing the dark from the night
It is eliminating the darkness of the night
And the further we travel
As we travel further
Our eyes will adjust to the light
Our eyes will adapt to the light
Is calling to you
It is summoning you
And you'd better answer
You should respond quickly
Before it calls someone new
Before someone else responds to the call
Knocked knees and bad teeth
Physical imperfections
Golden dreams
Hopes for success and prosperity
Yes, please, let's take these
Let's embrace these dreams
And fall to sleep
Let's rest and dream
When you're gone don't lose your keys
When you leave, don't forget your belongings
Or you'll have no more home
Otherwise, you'll have nowhere to return to
Take your fruit from other trees
Don't rely on others for your sustenance
And you'll have none of your own
Otherwise, you won't have anything to call your own
Contributed by Eliana C. Suggest a correction in the comments below.