When Instant Star wrapped after four seasons (2005-2008), Alexz endured her share of off-camera drama in her music career, when both Capitol and Epic, respectively, ended up shelving her records due to internal conflicts . "It’s been tough,” she says, “but something always keeps me going. Even with no money in my pocket, things land where they land and you keep moving.” Johnson had completed a full length record entitled Weight in 2008, and was set to release it in September the next year.
Alexz independently released her debut album, Voodoo in 2010 and remixed it in 2011 as Reloaded. She released a compilation of unheard demos in the form of The Basement Recordings (2011), while prepping to release her first EP, Skipping Stone in January 2012. She has also released one live album, Live from the Skipping Stone Tour in December 2012. Johnson later continued to release two more demo compilations, The Basement Recordings 2 and The Basement Recordings 3 in 2012 and 2013, respectively.
Finding success and a loyal fanbase through her independent releases, Johnson's 2014 EP, Heart and sophomore album Let 'Em Eat Cake were both funded through the crowdfunding service Pledgemusic. Heart and Let 'Em Eat Cake both showcase a different side of Johnson, tackling subjects such as heartbreak and loss. The two releases include tracks produced by David Kahne, who has worked with Lana Del Rey, Kelly Clarkson, Regina Spektor, and other artists.
Walking
Alexz Johnson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Soles on fire, I can't see through
All the smokey, smoking higher
And I don't know what to do
See the shadow, it stays beside me
In my dreams, it never likes me
Oh, it's a long road that I've created
So why am I walking?
And this I don't know
Why I keep walking in circles
When I've got nowhere to go
Sand pulls quicker, sinks me deeper
I like the feeling, I let it linger
Where's my education? What was I thinking
Been lying to myself all along
And I knew I was wrong
I could tell in your eyes the love is gone
And I know I can't fix what I have done
So I keep walking until I'm done
And why am I walking?
And this I don't know
Why I keep walking in circles
When I've got nowhere to go
But I'll do this alone, and every tear I know is mine
And I will feel it in my bones, I'll be okay, just let me hide
Patterns change, just like the tide
And why am I walking?
And this I don't know
And I keep walking in circles
When I've got nowhere, got nowhere, to go
And why am I talking? When I have nothing to say
My head is a mess, and I'm not finding my way
But I can't stay with you, but I'll miss you
Soles on fire, I can't see through
All the smokey, smoking higher
My feet won't bring me to you
The song "Walking" by Alexz Johnson is a moving reflection on the difficulties of moving on from a broken relationship. The song begins with an admission that the singer must leave, but will miss the person they are leaving behind. The first verse then describes a sort of mental haze that the singer is experiencing, with their "soles on fire" and the smoky haze making it difficult to see clearly. The second verse deepens the sense of despair, with the singer acknowledging that they are stuck on a "long road" that they have created themselves. Despite this, they claim to have everything under control, though this seems unconvincing.
The chorus repeats the question of why the singer keeps walking in circles when they have nowhere to go. This repetition emphasizes the sense of aimlessness and futility that the singer is experiencing. The bridge brings a slight shift in tone, with the singer acknowledging that they will have to face the pain of the breakup alone. However, the hopeful note of "I'll be okay, just let me hide" is tempered by the knowledge that patterns change like the tide, and the singer may be stuck in this cycle for a long time.
Overall, the song is a beautifully crafted exploration of the pain of heartbreak and the difficulty of moving on when the path forward is not clear.
Line by Line Meaning
Can't stay with you, but I'll miss you
Although I cannot stay with you, I will miss you dearly.
Soles on fire, I can't see through
My feet hurt from walking so much that I cannot even see straight.
All the smokey, smoking higher
The air around me is full of smoke, making it hard to breathe.
And I don't know what to do
I am unsure of what actions to take or what path to follow.
See the shadow, it stays beside me
A shadow lingers beside me wherever I go.
In my dreams, it never likes me
Even in my dreams, the shadow never seems to be friendly.
Oh, it's a long road that I've created
The path I have chosen for myself is quite lengthy and difficult.
I've got it under control
Despite the challenges, I am in charge and can handle it.
So why am I walking?
I can't seem to figure out why I am constantly walking.
And this I don't know
I am clueless as to why I continue to walk in circles.
Why I keep walking in circles
I cannot understand why I am walking aimlessly in the same direction.
When I've got nowhere to go
Even though I have nowhere to be, I just keep walking.
Sand pulls quicker, sinks me deeper
The sand is dragging me down and sinking me deeper into despair.
I let it linger
I am allowing myself to experience the negative emotions for longer than necessary.
Where's my education? What was I thinking
I question my own judgment and where my education went wrong.
Been lying to myself all along
I have been deceiving myself about what was truly best for me.
And I knew I was wrong
I was aware that I was making the wrong choices.
I could tell in your eyes the love is gone
I can sense that the love you once had for me is no longer present.
And I know I can't fix what I have done
I realize that it is too late to repair the damage that I have caused.
So I keep walking until I'm done
I will keep walking until I am emotionally drained and can go no further.
But I'll do this alone, and every tear I know is mine
I will navigate this journey solo, and shed tears that only I can feel.
And I will feel it in my bones, I'll be okay, just let me hide
The pain of this realization will hit me hard, but I know I will recover with time, I just need to be alone to sort my thoughts.
Patterns change, just like the tide
Life is constantly changing and evolving, much like the pattern of the tides.
And why am I talking? When I have nothing to say
Although I am speaking, I have no valuable contribution to make to the conversation.
My head is a mess, and I'm not finding my way
My thoughts are jumbled, and I am unable to find my way out of this situation.
My feet won't bring me to you
Despite my desire to be with you, I am physically unable to make it to your location.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: ALEXZ JOHNSON, JIMMY ROBBINS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
vicky martinez
Can't stay with but I'll miss you
Souls on fire, I can't see through
All this smokey, smoking higher
And I don't know what to do
See this shadow that stays beside me?
In my dreams, it never likes me
I know it's a long road that I've created
I've got it under control
So why am I walking?
This I don't know
Why I keep walking in circles
When I've got nowhere to go
Sand pulls quicker
It sinks me deeper
I like the feeling, I let it linger
Where's my education? What was I thinking?
Been lying to myself all along
And I knew I was wrong
I could tell in your eyes the love is gone
And I know I can't fix what I have done
So I'll keep walking till' I'm numb
And why am I walking?
This I don't know
Why I keep walking in circles
When I've got nowhere to go
But I'll do this alone
And every tear I'll know is mine
And I will feel it it my bones
I'll be ok just let me hide
Patterns change just like the tide
And why am I walking?
This I don't know
I keep walking in circles
When I've got nowhere to go
And why am I talking?
When I have nothing to say
And my head is a maze
I'm not finding my way
Can't stay with you but I'll miss you
My souls on fire, I can't see through
All this smokey, smoking higher
My feet won't bring me to you
Alaska Arriaga
Beautiful.. I love her voice. Been her fan for a long time. Not many know about her, but she should be known.
Milly v
Alaska Arriaga me too!
Daniel
A minha música favorita, não me canso de ouvir ♥️♥️♥️♥️
virginiatosee
Alexz, you're amazing, seriously. You should be worldwide known, your music, lyrics and your voice... Everything, you're big. Love you
Janelle Maldonado
Alexz, I love this song. Your talent is inspirational.
From your lyrics, to vocals, your career as a whole.
Quite an influence on my pursuit in my own musical abilities..
& that's going years back. Praying the best for you & your work.
Continue to doing what you do. I'll always be a support.
Fabiola García
No entiendo porqué no se da difusión a artistas como ella. Voz increíble, compositora, buena imagen. Tiene todo.
212,426 visualizaciones es casi un insulto.
Kat Gates
I miss Instant Star! God Alexz is so perfect. I fell in love with her as Jude but her as Alexz too. She's so talented. I feel tv could use a show like Instant Star. My heart feels empty without it.
Kyria Strange
You Ms. Johnson are a lyrical genius! ✌🏼️💜🎤
Hendra Hadi
this was my broken heart theme song back in the day.
Love you Alex.
Check her new album "still alive"
Dance Fan
Gorgeous song and I love where the video is set. Alexz Johnson has to be a favourite singer of mine. What an artist!