To build on the momentum, Benjamin began uploading new songs to his YouTube channel at a rapid clip and eventually earned a viral hit with “I Built a Friend” and a deal with Atlantic Records.
Benjamin connects to listeners by incorporating using his life struggles to tell stories and give meaning to his songs. You can see this in “Let Me Down Slowly,” “Paper Crown,” “I Built a Friend,” “Death of a Hero,” and “If We Have Each Other.”
Benjamin released his first studio album mixtape, Narrated for You on November 16, 2018, and released his first studio album, These Two Windows on May 29, 2020
Oh My God
Alec Benjamin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cause it's been so long since I've looked like myself
Burn another candle down
Burn another candle down
Running low on patience, running low on fumes
I'm never gonna make it halfway to the moon
But it's too late to turn around
But it's too late to turn around
I'm running out of oxygen
I'll never be the same again now
Same again now
Oh my god, I can't remember
Who I was just last December
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Oh my god, look in the mirror
I was young, nothing to fear once
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Maybe I was foolish, I guess I was naive
I didn't know what I had, and I thought I had to leave
I wish that I was homeward bound
I wish that I was homeward bound
I'm searching for a signal, holding out my phone
Have I gone too far, am I on my own?
No one here to hold me now
No one here to hold me now
I'm running out of oxygen
Can't help but wish I'd stayed
I'm lost just like Will Robinson
Or rocket man in space
Oh my god, I can't remember
Who I was just last December
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Oh my god, look in the mirror
I was young, nothing to fear once
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Mm, mm
Mm, mm
Mm, mm
Oh my god, I can't remember
Who I was just last December
Who I was just last December
Oh my god
Oh my god, look in the mirror
I was young, nothing to fear once
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Mm, mm
Mm, mm
The lyrics to "Oh My God" by Alec Benjamin paint a picture of the singer feeling lost and disconnected from himself. As he looks at pictures on his shelf, he realizes how much he's changed and how far he's come from who he used to be. The repeated line, "Burn another candle down," could symbolize the passage of time and the feeling of life slipping away. He's running low on patience and feels he's never going to achieve his dreams, but it's too late to turn back now. This feeling of being trapped in a certain path is echoed in the lines, "Have I gone too far, am I on my own? No one here to hold me now."
The chorus repeats the phrase "Oh my god," as the singer reflects on his transformation. He can't even remember who he was just last December because he's changed so much. He wonders what he's done to get here and how he's lost his sense of self. Looking in the mirror, he realizes he was once young and fearless, but now he's lost and scared. The final phrase of the chorus "Mm, mm" could imply a sense of resignation and acceptance of this new reality.
Overall, the song touches on themes of regret, nostalgia, and feeling lost. It speaks to anyone who's ever looked in the mirror and wondered how they got to where they are now.
Line by Line Meaning
Looking at the pictures I keep on my shelf
Reflecting on memories of an earlier version of myself
'Cause it's been so long since I've looked like myself
Not recognizing oneself in the present
Burn another candle down
Pushing oneself too hard with no rest
Running low on patience, running low on fumes
Close to a breaking point, mentally and physically exhausted
I'm never gonna make it halfway to the moon
Feeling overwhelmed and incapable of achieving goals
But it's too late to turn around
Feeling stuck in one's current situation and unable to reverse the damage
I'm running out of oxygen
Suffocating emotionally and mentally
I'll never be the same again now
Aware that life will never be the same again after this realization
Oh my god, I can't remember
In shock and disbelief about the distance between past and present self
Who I was just last December
Surprised at how much they have changed in such a short amount of time
What have I done, how did I get here?
Wondering about the choices that led to this point in life
Look in the mirror
Forcing oneself to confront their current identity and appearance
I was young, nothing to fear once
Reminiscing about a time when life was simpler and fears were fewer
Maybe I was foolish, I guess I was naive
Recognizing past mistakes and own ignorance
I didn't know what I had, and I thought I had to leave
Regretting decisions made in ignorance
I wish that I was homeward bound
Longing for a place of comfort and familiarity
I'm searching for a signal, holding out my phone
Desperately seeking guidance and direction from others
Have I gone too far, am I on my own?
Feeling isolated and unsure about the reach of one's decisions
No one here to hold me now
Feeling lonely and abandoned
Can't help but wish I'd stayed
Ruminating on choices and wishing they had done things differently
I'm lost just like Will Robinson
Feeling directionless and adrift, like Will Robinson in Lost in Space
Or rocket man in space
Feeling isolated and alone, like the character in Elton John's song Rocket Man
Mm, mm
Instrumental
Oh my god, I can't remember
Repeating the disbelief at the distance between past and present self
Who I was just last December
Reiterating the surprise at the amount of change in a short period
Oh my god
Expressing shock and disbelief once again
Look in the mirror
Forcing oneself to confront their current identity and appearance
I was young, nothing to fear once
Reminiscing about a time when life was simpler and fears were fewer
What have I done, how did I get here?
Questioning the choices and decisions that led up to this point
Mm, mm
Instrumental
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Alec Shane Benjamin, Julie Frost, Nolan Lambroza
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Klaus2
Lyrics:
Looking at the pictures I keep on my shelf
'Cause it's been so long since I've looked like myself
Burn another candle down
Burn another candle down
Running low on patience, running low on fumes
I'm never gonna make it halfway to the moon
But it's too late to turn around
But it's too late to turn around
I'm running out of oxygen
I'll never be the same again now
Same again now
Oh my god, I can't remember
Who I was just last December
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Oh my god, look in the mirror
I was young, nothing to fear once
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Maybe I was foolish, I guess I was naive
I didn't know what I had, and I thought I had to leave
I wish that I was homeward bound
I wish that I was homeward bound
I'm searching for a signal, holding out my phone
Have I gone too far, am I on my own?
No one here to hold me now
No one here to hold me now
I'm running out of oxygen
Can't help but wish I'd stayed
I'm lost just like Will Robinson
Or rocket man in space
Oh my god, I can't remember
Who I was just last December
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Oh my god, look in the mirror
I was young, nothing to fear once
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Mm, mm
Mm, mm
Mm, mm
Oh my god, I can't remember
Who I was just last December
Who I was just last December
Oh my god
Oh my god, look in the mirror
I was young, nothing to fear once
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Mm, mm
Mm, mm
@graceysdaily1326
~
Looking at the pictures I keep on my shelf
'Cause it's been so long since I've looked like myself
Burn another candle down
Burn another candle down
Running low on patience, running low on fumes
I'm never gonna make it halfway to the moon
But it's too late to turn around
But it's too late to turn around
I'm running out of oxygen
I'll never be the same again now
Same again now
Oh my god, I can't remember
Who I was just last December
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Oh my god, look in the mirror
I was young, nothing to fear once
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Maybe I was foolish, I guess I was naive
I didn't know what I had, and I thought I had to leave
I wish that I was homeward bound
I wish that I was homeward bound
I'm searching for a signal, holding out my phone
Have I gone too far, am I on my own?
No one here to hold me now
No one here to hold me now
I'm running out of oxygen
Can't help but wish I'd stayed
I'm lost just like Will Robinson
Or rocket man in space
Oh my god, I can't remember
Who I was just last December
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Oh my god, look in the mirror
I was young, nothing to fear once
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Mm, mm
Mm, mm
Mm, mm
Oh my god, I can't remember
Who I was just last December
Who I was just last December
Oh my god
Oh my god, look in the mirror
I was young, nothing to fear once
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Mm, mm
Mm, mm
@ahmedrazavadiwala
Looking at the pictures I keep on my shelf
'Cause it's been so long since I've looked like myself
Burn another candle down
Burn another candle down
Running low on patience, running low on fumes
I'm never gonna make it halfway to the moon
But it's too late to turn around
But it's too late to turn around
I'm running out of oxygen
I'll never be the same again now
Same again now
Oh my god, I can't remember
Who I was just last December
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Oh my god, look in the mirror
I was young, nothing to fear once
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Maybe I was foolish, I guess I was naive
I didn't know what I had, and I thought I had to leave
I wish that I was homeward bound
I wish that I was homeward bound
I'm searching for a signal, holding out my phone
Have I gone too far, am I on my own?
No one here to hold me now
No one here to hold me now
I'm running out of oxygen
Can't help but wish I'd stayed
I'm lost just like Will Robinson
Or rocket man in space
Oh my god, I can't remember
Who I was just last December
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Oh my god, look in the mirror
I was young, nothing to fear once
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Mm, mm
Mm, mm
Mm, mm
Oh my god, I can't remember
Who I was just last December
Who I was just last December
Oh my god
Oh my god, look in the mirror
I was young, nothing to fear once
What have I done, how did I get here?
What have I done?
Mm, mm
Mm, mm
@amyclinton9887
Ok. we all know that this song is really relatable in a lot of ways. And a few lines hit harder than you can imagine.
I'm just here to say that this is a really good song and try and dissect a few lyrics (in other words the entire song, sorry if this seems like an English assessment). ps. if you have to analyse poetry and song for an English assignment (I had to last year) feel free to take this!
Verse 1-
"It's been so long since I've looked like myself" could be interpreted as falling into depression and not being the same or not feeling the same emotions as before. This could also be about growing up.
The rest of the first verse seems like a mystery to me though. "Burn another candle down" could be some metaphor for something, but idk. As well as the "running low on patience, running low on fumes" Is a little hard to interpret for me. :P
The pre-chorus -
"I'm running out of oxygen" A metaphor! For something! Given how there is a constant space theme i think this word choice was pretty clever. It also connects the verse and chorus nicely continuing the previous line and leading into the chorus.
"I'll never be the same again now" In the video the "i'll never be the" get's crossed out, leaving only "same again now", which makes this line a lot more hard hitting for me. And makes things seem like he's forcing a smile on his face. You know , fake smiles when you r sad. or the "I'm fine" s that are obviously not fine. That sort of thing. before-hand i never thought much about how he sings "same again now" but it makes more sense for me now.
Chorus-
"oh my god" - an expression of surprise? Look. it's there to be the title. "I can't remember who I was just last December" could be seen as a sense that Alec's morals/ethics/way of thinking has changed. Or maybe his life changed over the period of time from December and when the song was written.
"what have I done? how did I get here? what have I done?" You know. We've all felt a little lost at times, wondering 'What did I do to get here?' or etc. But for the purpose of this entire comment, the whole 'what have i done' seems a little strange if what I said before is true. So this may mean that Alec regret's a past decision he made and might feel guilt for something he said? It might be something more related to the whole theme of the song though.
"look in the mirror, I was young nothing to fear once". This line is what first made me feel like this song was about growing up and reaching the struggles of adulthood (keep in mind, I'm not an adult so this might be wrong). Or maybe it might refer to anxiety? You know, before and after it?
Verse 2-
I'm not bothered writing the every line out because this part is more or less about the entire verse.
So basically, my interpretation of this verse is about leaving home and becoming independent or maybe trying to go alone through the world (which isn't a good thing, like, keep a friend close!) or something like that.
Pre-chorus (The other new words)-
"can't help but wish I stayed" which to me seems like a continuation of Verse 2.
"Lost just like Will Robinson, a rocketman in space". Ok, to tell the truth i had to search this one up. Will Robinson is a main character in a tv series called "Lost in Space". Google says that he is the youngest child and forms a connection to a robot? I think it's a reference to that but I can't tell you the details because I haven't watched it.
Meanwhile, "rocketman" may allude to Elton John's song "Rocketman (I think it's going to be a long long time)" I also haven't heard this song but feel free to give me further information on this if you wish!
My Overall thoughts-
From what I can tell, there is a prominent space theme throughout the whole song, which suits the topics being discussed. (Don't ask what they are, because I'm no expert).
Musically this song is great ( I think). I like this song a lot lyrically and melodically.
The little details in font are cool for the lyric video. Like in the last "look in the mirror" there are little pupils in the "oo" of "look" which is cute. These little details make the video more interesting for the viewers.
I could sit here for ages coming up with different meanings for every line, but in the end this is a comment, not a documentary. But feel free to reply to me with different interpretations for a line if you want! :)
(Woah. I wrote a lot!)
@AlecBenjaminMusic
THE ALBUM IS COMING MAY 29TH !!! pre order here : https://alecbenjamin.lnk.to/TheseTwoWindowsID
@emilier.6780
Please know that we support you no matter what, Alec. We support you as an artist, but also as a person. Have a great day <3
@xemmatje._
oh my god, i love you
IM SO EXCITED
@alecbenjaminfan4645
I love all you songs so much I love u so much!!!:) I’m so excited can’t wait!
@augustmiller5202
Is there a CD?
if you actually read this, I LOVE YOUR MUSIC
@darkslayer6636
I support you with my heart and soul so do my friends
@omarmossabfs4002
Alec is literally the most underrated ARTIST in the world, after let me down slowly, I feel people are forgetting about him, he's pure talent
@raipakai
Why those quotation marks at artist ?
@beagarcia844
I feel the same
@slowedandspedupsongs.
exactly