Photograph
艾德·希兰 Lyrics

I found this photograph,
The singer discovered a photograph, which they are now reflecting on.

Underneath the broken picture glass.
The photograph was found with some damage to its protective cover.

Tender face of black and white,
The person in the photograph has an appearance that is gentle and endearing.

Beautiful, a haunting sight.
The artist is deeply moved by the image and finds something melancholic about it.

Looked into an angel's smile,
The person in the picture has an expression of joy and kindness that is reminiscent of an angel.

Captivated all the while.
The singer finds themselves unable to look away from the photograph, feeling entranced.

From the hair and clothes she wore,
Based on the hairstyle and clothing, the singer is able to make an educated guess about the time period when the photograph was taken.

I'd place her in between the wars.
The artist believes that the person in the photograph lived during the times between, before or after the great wars.

Was she willing when she sat
The artist wonders whether the person in the photo was posing for it willingly.

And posed the pretty photograph?
The artist is suggesting that the photograph is quite aesthetically pleasing.

Save her flowering and fair,
Apart from being young and pretty, the singer doesn't know anything else about her in the photograph.

The days to come, the days to share.
The artist laments the fact that the person in the photograph has lived through her days and the joys she experienced can only be reminisced upon.

A big smile for the camera,
The subject of the photograph was smiling for the camera.

How did she know?
The singer is questioning how the person in the photograph could have known that the moment would be captured in time.

The moment could be lost forever
The singer understands that any moment could be lost to time, whether captured by a photograph or not.

Forever more
The artist is emphasizing that the moment is lost and can never be retrieved.

Stashed between the old joist walls,
The artist found the photograph in a hidden place, between the walls that hold the house up.

In a place where time is lost,
The singer's point of view is that the place where they found the photograph is not bound by the regular constraints of time.

Lost behind, where all things fall.
The singer feels a sense of hopelessness when it comes to time, believing that it's only a matter of time before everything falls apart.

Broken books and calendars,
Other items found near the photograph are books and calendars that are broken or damaged in some way.

Letters script in careful hand,
The artist found some letters written in a beautiful way, possibly by somebody with good handwriting.

Music too, a standard tune by
The artist has also found a piece of sheet music, which seems to be a common composition.

Some forgotten big brass band.
The singer believes that the sheet music was composed by a large brass instrument ensemble, but they can't place the specific group that created it.

From the threshold what's to see
The artist is wondering what the world has to offer beyond the bounds of the space they currently occupy.

Of our brave new century?
The singer is considering the technological advancements that have progressed in the century.

The television's just a dream,
The singer believes that anyone in the photograph's time would think of TV as a distant dream.

The radio, the silver screen.
The singer is naming two other forms of popular entertainment from the era they believe the person in the photograph lived in.

Was her childhood filled with rhymes,
The artist is curious about whether the person in the photograph grew up with a lot of nursery rhymes.

Stolen hooks, impassioned crimes?
The artist's mind is wandering, perhaps imagining a story behind the person in the photograph and wondering if she engaged in any kind of criminal activity during her lifetime.

Was she innocent or blind
The singer is unsure whether the person in the photograph was truly innocent or just ignorant of the wrongs happening around her.

To the cruelty of her time?
The singer is considering the possibility that the person in the photograph was too innocent to realize the harshness of the era she lived in.

Was she fearful in her day,
The artist is imagining the person in the photograph facing difficult situations and wondering if she was afraid of what could happen during her time.

Was she hopeful, did she pray?
The artist is considering the possibility that the person in the photograph had faith in something higher and prayed for better things to come.

Were there skeletons inside,
The artist is wondering if the person in the photograph was hiding some sort of dark secret about her life.

Family secrets, sworn to hide?
The singer is considering the possibility that the person in the photograph's family could have been keeping something hidden from the world for a long time.

Did she feel the beat that stirs,
The artist is wondering what kind of music the person in the photograph listened to and how it made her feel.

The fall from grace of wayward girls?
The singer is considering if the person in the picture had to deal with the consequences of a rebellious past, like other women.

Was she tempted to pretend,
The singer wonders if the person in the photograph ever felt tempted to fake their emotions for the sake of others around them.

The love and laughter, 'til the end?
The singer is curious if the person in the photograph ever pretended to be happy and full of love even when they weren't sure of themselves and their emotions.