Nico
Bedouin Soundclash feat Coeur De Pirate / Brutal Hearts Lyrics
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From the train's back window
Late on last Thursday night
Underneath the streetlight
From the train it looked like
You'd been there the whole night
A whisper in the midnight
December's cold was calling
And the snow was calling
I thought as I rode back home
Why was she all alone
Nico, you know
I'm not your man, I know that
You can't take a stand
On a midnight night train
A couple weeks slipped us past
On the train near Dundas
She got on at that stop
And as she sat down I thought
A lot of friends were talking
About Nico's late night walking
Lately you've been acting funny
Where'd you get that money?
Nico, you know
I'm not your man, I know that
You can't take a stand
On a midnight night train
I moved a few seats over
And as I brushed her shoulder
She said, "don't I know you?"
Yeah, we had friends in high school
And as my stop got closer
I turned my back towards her
I don't know why I did that
I wish I had told her that
Nico, you know
I'm not your man, I know that
You can't take a stand
On a midnight night train
The song "Nico On The Night Train" by Bedouin Soundclash tells a story of a chance encounter with a woman named Nico, seen from the back window of a train on a late Thursday night. The singer observes Nico, whom they know but are not romantically involved with, standing alone under a streetlight for an entire night. As the train moves away, the singer wonders why Nico is alone and what has led her to this point. The second verse picks up a couple of weeks later, with the singer seeing Nico again on the same train line. The singer overhears friends discussing Nico's strange behavior and sudden access to money, but chooses not to ask Nico about it when they sit near each other on the train. Instead, the singer leaves the train and wishes they had spoken up and asked Nico what was going on.
The lyrics convey a sense of missed opportunities for connection and understanding, as well as a reflection on the choices we make in moments of uncertainty or hesitation. The singer is torn between the desire to reach out and the fear of overstepping boundaries or making things worse. The train is a symbol of movement and change, and the passing of time that brings new chances and challenges. Nico, the enigmatic figure, represents the mysteries of the human psyche and the ever-shifting moods and motivations that guide our actions.
Line by Line Meaning
Thought I saw you Nico
The singer believes to have seen Nico
From the train's back window
The sighting was from the moving train and through its back window
Late on last Thursday night
The sighting occurred last Thursday night, later than usual
Underneath the streetlight
Nico was under a streetlight at the time of the sighting
From the train it looked like
The details of the sighting were hazy as it was from the train
You'd been there the whole night
It appeared as if Nico had been there for the whole night
A whisper in the midnight
The sighting seemed like a whisper in the dead of the night
That vanishes with daylight
The sighting disappeared just as quickly as it had appeared
December's cold was calling
It was a cold night in December
And the snow was calling
The snow on the ground was calling out to the artist
I thought as I rode back home
The thought crossed the singer's mind as they rode back home
Why was she all alone
The artist wonders why Nico was alone that night
Nico, you know
The singer addresses Nico directly
I'm not your man, I know that
The singer clarifies that they are not in a romantic relationship with Nico
You can't take a stand
Nico cannot depend on the singer's support
On a midnight night train
The situation on a midnight train is unpredictable and unreliable
A couple weeks slipped us past
A couple of weeks went by since the last sighting
On the train near Dundas
The setting is the train station near Dundas
She got on at that stop
Nico boarded the train at that station
And as she sat down I thought
The artist had some thoughts as Nico sat down
A lot of friends were talking
The artist had heard from friends about Nico's recent behavior
About Nico's late night walking
There were rumors about Nico's late night walks
Lately you've been acting funny
Nico had exhibited some unusual behavior recently
Where'd you get that money?
The artist questions where Nico got her money from
I moved a few seats over
The singer distanced themselves from Nico on the train
And as I brushed her shoulder
The singer accidentally touched Nico's shoulder as they were moving seats
She said, "don't I know you?"
Nico recognized the singer from high school
Yeah, we had friends in high school
The artist confirms that they knew each other from high school
And as my stop got closer
The artist's stop was approaching
I turned my back towards her
The singer avoided facing Nico
I don't know why I did that
The singer had no explanation for their action
I wish I had told her that
The artist regrets not saying something to Nico before leaving
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Carl Pengelly, Eon Sinclair, Jay Malinowski
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind