All Time Low is an American pop punk band formed in Baltimore, Maryland, Un… Read Full Bio ↴All Time Low is an American pop punk band formed in Baltimore, Maryland, United States in 2003. When Alex Gaskarth (lead vocals, rhythm guitar, keyboards) was in middle school, he was moved from private school to public school, where he met Jack Barakat (lead guitar, backing vocals), and put the band together; later recruiting Rian Dawson (drums, percussion), and Zack Merrick (bass guitar, backing vocals). The band's name came from a line in the New Found Glory song Head On Collision. Early on, All Time Low mostly performed covers of songs by bands like Green Day, blink-182, and New Found Glory. Since their debut, they have released 9 studio albums: The Party Scene (2005), So Wrong, It's Right (2007), Nothing Personal (2009), Dirty Work (2011), Don't Panic (2012), Future Hearts (2015), Last Young Renegade (2017), Wake Up, Sunshine (2020), and Tell Me I'm Alive (2023) as well as two live albums, Straight to DVD (2010), and Straight to DVD II: Past, Present and Future Hearts (2016). They have also released some EPs, most notably, Put Up or Shut Up (2006), and MTV Unplugged (2010).

Safe
All Time Low Lyrics

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Safe, better keep that thought to yourself (self)
When you find that place and it only lasts for a minute
Yeah, it only lasts for a minute
These days (days), gotta take your time, find your space (space)
You can say it louder, but only you're gonna hear it
And it's gone in less than a minute

Take a little time to dry your salty ocean tears

If you need it, then you don't have to explain

So put the courage on
And don't stop runnin' 'til you're long gone (oh-oh, oh, oh, oh)
You're gonna be all right if you just stop thinkin' it over
Just put the courage on
And don't stop runnin' 'til you're long gone (oh-oh, oh, oh, oh)
They'll never slow you down if you never look over your shoulder (oh)

Safe (safe), you can keep that thought for yourself (safe)
Yeah, you found your place, and you're all for this new beginning
You can make it last if you're into it

Stop wasting all your time away waiting up for better things
If you feel it, then that's all you have to say

So put the courage on
And don't stop runnin' 'til you're long gone (oh-oh, oh, oh, oh)
You're gonna be all right if you just stop thinkin' it over (oh, oh, oh)
Just put the courage on
And don't stop runnin' 'til you're long gone (oh-oh, oh, oh, oh)
They'll never slow you down if you never look over your shoulder (oh)

(Oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh)

Just put the car in drive
And chase the county lines
You'll never know how far you'll go
And where the coastal highs
For every long goodbye
There'll be a future down the road
Why don't you take a little time to get away?

So put the courage on
And don't stop runnin' 'til you're long gone (oh 'til you're long gone)
You're gonna be all right if you just stop thinkin' it over (oh, oh, oh)
Just put the courage on
And don't stop runnin' 'til you're long gone (oh 'til you're long gone)
They'll never slow you down if you don't look over your shoulder (oh)

They say you'll be all right
If you just stop thinkin' it over (oh-oh-oh)

(Oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh)

Overall Meaning

The song "Safe" by All Time Low is anthem of encouragement to those feeling lost, stuck or unsure. The lyrics carry an essence of hope and assurance that if one can dig deep and gather the courage to move forward despite their fears, they can attain what it is they want most. The repeated phrase "safe, better keep that thought to yourself" implies that the things we want most, we ought to keep to ourselves, soaking it in and not sharing our hopes, dreams or desires with just anyone. The line could also mean that when we're feeling lost, we tend to hang on to familiar thoughts in our minds, which keeps us safe and secure, but never allows us to grow or make progress.

The song moves on with encouraging words that no matter how little time or how long it takes, one should be patient and take their time, find their space doing the things they love. The song speaks to the fact that people should not worry about others' opinions or what they think, because at the end of the day, it’s only you who knows what you want in life. The line "put the courage on and don't stop running till you’re long gone" serves as a nudge to give it all you’ve got and leave behind past mistakes, disappointments, and heartbreaks, and move towards a brighter future. The song conveys the message that to achieve your dreams, you must take action, and avoid looking back as it slows progress.

Overall, "Safe" is a song reminding us of the importance of going after what we want in life, taking time to discover ourselves, knowing what we want and chasing it with all the courage we can gather. Don't wait for chances to come knocking; make them yourself.

Line by Line Meaning

Safe, better keep that thought to yourself (self)
It’s safer to keep your feelings to yourself, because others may not understand.

When you find that place and it only lasts for a minute Yeah, it only lasts for a minute
When you find a happy place in life, enjoy it while it lasts because it may not last forever.

These days (days), gotta take your time, find your space (space) You can say it louder, but only you're gonna hear it And it's gone in less than a minute
In today’s fast-paced world, you need to take your time and find your own space. You can express yourself louder, but ultimately you are the only one who will hear it and even that moment may be fleeting.

Take a little time to dry your salty ocean tears If you need it, then you don't have to explain
It's okay to take some time to process your emotions and cry. You don't have to explain or justify how you feel.

So put the courage on And don't stop runnin' 'til you're long gone (oh-oh, oh, oh, oh) You're gonna be all right if you just stop thinkin' it over Just put the courage on And don't stop runnin' 'til you're long gone (oh-oh, oh, oh, oh) They'll never slow you down if you never look over your shoulder (oh)
Be courageous and don't stop running towards your goals until you have succeeded. Overthinking can hold you back, so just keep moving forward and don't look back at your past mistakes or challenges.

Safe (safe), you can keep that thought for yourself (safe) Yeah, you found your place, and you're all for this new beginning You can make it last if you're into it
You can keep your happiness to yourself and enjoy your new beginning. If you really want it, you can make it last.

Stop wasting all your time away waiting up for better things If you feel it, then that's all you have to say
Stop waiting for something better to come along and take action towards what you want. Your feelings are valid and you don't have to explain them to anyone.

Just put the car in drive And chase the county lines You'll never know how far you'll go And where the coastal highs For every long goodbye There'll be a future down the road Why don't you take a little time to get away?
Don't be afraid to take a road trip and explore. You never know how far you'll go or what you'll find. There will always be a future waiting for you, so take a little time to get away and enjoy life.

They say you'll be all right If you just stop thinkin' it over (oh-oh-oh) (Oh-oh-oh) (Oh-oh-oh)
If you stop overthinking and just go for it, you’ll be alright.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kassner Associated Publishers Ltd
Written by: Alexander Gaskarth, Phil Gornell, Zakk Cervini

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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