Goodnight Travel Well
♫ The Killers Lyrics
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Stares back at my grieving frame
To cast my shadow by the holy sun
My spirit moans with a sacred pain
And it's quiet now
The universe is standing still
[Chorus]
There's nothing we can do now
There's nothing I can say
There's nothing we can do now
And all that stands between the souls release
This temporary flesh and bone
We know that it's over now
I feel my faded mind begin to roam
Every time you fall
And every time you try
Every foolish dream
And every compromise
Every word you spoke
And everything you said
Everything you left me, rambles in my head
[Chorus]
Up above the world so high
And everything you loved
And every time you try
Everybody's watching
Everybody cry
Stay, don't leave me
The stars can't for your sign
Don't signal now
[Chorus]
Goodnight, travel well
Goodnight, travel well
And there's nothing I can say
There's nothing I can do now
The song "Goodnight Travel Well" by The Killers, is a tribute to a friend of the band who died of suicide. The lyrics reflect the mournful perspective of the singer, who is struggling to come to terms with the loss. The first stanza describes a feeling of infinite sadness and isolation, as the singer looks towards the unknown expanse of the afterlife. The chorus repeats the line "there's nothing I can say, there's nothing we can do now," which reflects the powerlessness and helplessness felt by those left behind after a suicide.
The second stanza imagines death as a release from physical limitations, but also as a faded mind, which suggests a sense of confusion and despair. The third stanza references memories of the loved one, and the pain that arises from the knowledge that these memories will never be shared again. The last stanza includes a plea to the departed, asking them not to leave, and ends with the repetition of the title phrase "Goodnight, travel well."
This song is a beautiful tribute to anyone who has lost someone to suicide or is trying to make sense of their own grief. It speaks to the interplay of sadness and hope in the aftermath of a suicide and the importance of finding a way to hold on to what was loved and let go of what cannot be changed.
Line by Line Meaning
The unknown distance to the great beyond
We don't know how far away death is.
Stares back at my grieving frame
Death is staring back into my eyes as I grieve.
To cast my shadow by the holy sun
As I stand in the sunlight, I realize I'm just a shadow cast by the sun.
My spirit moans with a sacred pain
I'm in so much pain that it feels holy or sacred.
And it's quiet now
Everything is silent around me now.
The universe is standing still
Time seems to have stopped.
There's nothing I can say
I have no words to express how I feel about the situation.
There's nothing we can do now
There's nothing we can do to change what's happened.
And all that stands between the souls release
The only thing stopping the release of the soul from the body is the physical body itself.
This temporary flesh and bone
Our bodies are only temporary and will eventually decay.
We know that it's over now
We are aware that someone has passed away and we can't change that.
I feel my faded mind begin to roam
My mind is wandering aimlessly because I am in a state of shock and disbelief.
Every time you fall
Each time you experience failure or disappointment.
And every time you try
Every attempt you make to succeed or improve.
Every foolish dream
All the naive and unrealistic aspirations you had.
And every compromise
All the times you settled for less than what you truly wanted or deserved.
Every word you spoke
Every phrase, sentence or conversation you had.
And everything you said
All the words you uttered, whether good or bad.
Everything you left me, rambles in my head
I am unable to get over the memories and thoughts of you that linger in my mind.
Up above the world so high
Looking towards the sky, trying to find comfort in the unknown.
And everything you loved
All the things that brought you joy and happiness.
Everybody's watching
Many people are paying attention to what is happening.
Everybody cry
People are emotional and expressing their feelings about the situation.
Stay, don't leave me
A plea for the person who has passed away to stay and not leave them alone.
The stars can't for your sign, Don't signal now
Even the stars can't guide you back, so please don't leave now.
Goodnight, travel well
Wishing someone a peaceful journey in death.
And there's nothing I can say
Still feeling helpless and unsure how to deal with their passing.
There's nothing I can do now
Coming to terms with the fact that there is nothing they can do to bring them back.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BRANDON FLOWERS, DAVE BRENT KEUNING, MARK AUGUST STOERMER, RONNIE JR. VANNUCCI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind