Again And Again
Keane Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Was it all in real time
Or was it just in my mind
Or was I just a ghost passing through you?
Clinging to the wreckage
Until I got the message
Hanging at the edge of the room

Give me something to dream
Give me half of your bitterest pill
Something from under the surface
You actually feel

We say these words again and again
But they still sound the same
It was in your eyes, in your eyes
They were just easy lies

The lightest words are heavy
And promises are easy
And no one's ever happy or sad for very long
But just because I said it
It doesn't mean I meant it
I guess that was the way all along

I'm just shaping the sound
I'm just turning the syllables round
Dipping my toe in the water
And watching you drown

We say these words again and again
But they still sound the same
It was in your eyes, in your eyes
They were just easy lies

And it's been a long time waiting
And it's been a lifetime in the making

We said when you are alone and afraid
I will come to your aid
Was it just a dream, just a dream
Or was it real to me

We say these words again and again
But they still sound the same to me




Say these words again and again
And again and again

Overall Meaning

The song "Again and Again" by Keane is about the repetitive and cyclical nature of relationships and communication. The lyrics imply that the singer has been through similar situations multiple times, and they are reflecting on whether their experiences were real or imagined. The lines "Was it all in real time / Or was it just in my mind" suggest that the singer is questioning the authenticity of their memories.


The chorus of the song revolves around the idea that the singer and their partner have said the same things to each other many times but nothing ever changes. The line "We say these words again and again / But they still sound the same" highlights the feeling of frustration that comes with this repeated communication. The verse "I'm just shaping the sound / I'm just turning the syllables round / Dipping my toe in the water / And watching you drown" further emphasizes this idea that the singer is trying different ways of saying the same thing, but nothing seems to work.


The bridge of the song touches on the idea of promises and how they can be difficult to keep. The line "The lightest words are heavy / And promises are easy" suggests that people can say things they don't mean in the moment or make promises they can't keep. The final line "Was it just a dream, just a dream / Or was it real to me" brings the song full circle by questioning whether the situations and emotions the singer has experienced were real or just a dream.


Overall, "Again and Again" is a reflection on the cyclical nature of relationships, communication, and the difficulty of making promises and following through on them.


Line by Line Meaning

Was it all in real time
Were the events that took place actually happening as they were happening?


Or was it just in my mind
Was it actually happening or just a figment of my imagination?


Or was I just a ghost passing through you?
Did I really exist in your life or was I just a mere passerby?


Clinging to the wreckage
Desperately holding onto the remains of something broken


Until I got the message
Continuing to hold on until it was clear that it was over


Hanging at the edge of the room
Feeling isolated and on the outskirts of a group or relationship


Give me something to dream
Provide me with a vision, a goal to strive towards


Give me half of your bitterest pill
Share with me your hardships so that we can face them together


Something from under the surface
Something hidden beneath the exterior, deeper than what is seen


You actually feel
Something that is truly felt, not just surface level


We say these words again and again
Repeating the same message over and over


But they still sound the same
The repetition does not change the message or its meaning


It was in your eyes, in your eyes
The truth was visible in your eyes


They were just easy lies
The words were not genuine, but an easy way out


The lightest words are heavy
Even casual words can have a big impact


And promises are easy
Making a promise is simple, but keeping it can be difficult


And no one's ever happy or sad for very long
Emotions are temporary and fleeting


But just because I said it
Making a statement does not necessarily make it true


It doesn't mean I meant it
Words can be spoken insincerely


I guess that was the way all along
This was the reality from the start


I'm just shaping the sound
Manipulating the words and tone to fit a desired result


I'm just turning the syllables round
Playing with the rhythm and structure of the words


Dipping my toe in the water
Testing the situation before fully committing


And watching you drown
Letting you struggle and suffer despite having the power to help


And it's been a long time waiting
Waiting for something for an extended period


And it's been a lifetime in the making
This has been in the works for as long as I can remember


We said when you are alone and afraid
A promise made in a time of need


I will come to your aid
I will help you in your time of need


Was it just a dream, just a dream
Was it all in my head?


Or was it real to me
Did it feel like it was actually happening?


Say these words again and again
Continuing to repeat the same message


And again and again
Over and over




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RICHARD DAVID HUGHES, TIMOTHY JAMES RICE-OXLEY, TOM CHAPLIN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions