While she's been away
Livin' day-to-day's been tough
Without her at my side
Simply being alive's been rough
And though she won't be gone forever
There are many times I find it feels that way
And I'm not tryin' to forget her
Just understand how I'll be feelin' on that day

It's just like seein' her
For the first time again
It's just like seein' her
For the first time again

The time she's not around
Somewhere out of town's been hard
Somehow this old heart
Found time to work it out this far
And though I know she's comin' home soon
There are times I find it hard to feel that way
It's not inside me to forget her
Just understand how I'll be feelin' on that day

It's just like seein' her
For the first time again
It's just like seein' her
For the first time again
It's just like seein' her
For the first time again
It's just like seein' her
For the first time again

Overall Meaning

In Mac DeMarco's song "For the First Time," the lyrics reflect the feeling of missing someone dearly and the anticipation of seeing them again after a long time. The first line "While she's been away, Livin' day-to-day's been tough" reveals how the singer has been struggling to cope up without his loved one being by his side. He finds it hard to do even the most basic things as it has been challenging for him to live without his partner. However, he knows that he will meet her soon, which gives him hope.

The verses of the song convey the singer’s inner thoughts and feelings, while the chorus speaks about the moment when he will finally reunite with his loved one. The line "It's just like seeing her for the first time again" repeats in the chorus and emphasizes the significance of the moment. This line highlights the excitement and anticipation that the singer feels about being reunited with his partner finally. The singer is not trying to forget his loved one, but he needs to understand how he feels when he meets her again after a long time.

In conclusion, "For the First Time" by Mac DeMarco is a beautiful and emotional song about missing someone dearly and the anticipation of reuniting with them after a prolonged period. The singer expresses his emotions hauntingly and honestly, making the song relatable to anyone who has experienced the longing to be with their loved ones.

Line by Line Meaning

While she's been away
Since she's been gone

Livin' day-to-day's been tough
It's been hard to get through each day

Without her at my side
Because she's not here with me

Simply being alive's been rough
It's been hard just to keep going

And though she won't be gone forever
Even though she'll be coming back soon

There are many times I find it feels that way
It often feels like she's been gone for a long time

And I'm not tryin' to forget her
I'm not trying to move on from her

Just understand how I'll be feelin' on that day
Just know that I'll still be thinking about her

It's just like seein' her
It feels like

For the first time again
Like the first time I met her

The time she's not around
Her absence