LAX
Brazzaville Lyrics


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LAX in a runway motel
We just got off the phone
You didn't seem very well
At 5 years old I had no place to go
But you took me in
And you gave me a home

The planes fly
Overhead
While I smoke
Too many cigarettes in bed

It rained last night 'bout a quarter to 2
I was lyin' awake
Just thinkin' 'bout you
A summer wind blowin' in off the sea
Full of childhood smells
And aquamarine





The planes fly...

Overall Meaning

The song 'LAX' by Brazzaville is a beautiful and nostalgic piece that tells a story of someone who seems to be looking back on their childhood and reflecting on the kindness and hospitality of a loved one. The title of the song 'LAX' stands for Los Angeles International Airport, and the lyrics refer to a 'runway motel', which could mean a cheap motel located somewhere near the airport. The persona in the song apparently just got off the phone with someone who didn't sound okay. This could be the loved one who took them in as a child, and whom they seem to be missing dearly.


The song is a poignant reflection on the past, as the persona reminisces about their childhood and how they were taken in by someone who gave them a home they had nowhere else to go. The planes flying overhead serve as a reminder of how far the persona has come, but also how they can't escape their past. The image of someone smoking too many cigarettes in bed hints at a sense of restlessness and perhaps a yearning for comfort, which they might only find in their memories of the past. The reference to the summer wind blowing in off the sea, which is full of childhood smells and aquamarine is a vivid image that conveys a sense of nostalgia.


Line by Line Meaning

LAX in a runway motel
We are staying in a motel near LAX airport


We just got off the phone
We just finished a phone call with someone


You didn't seem very well
The person we talked to didn't seem healthy


At 5 years old I had no place to go
When I was 5 years old, I was homeless


But you took me in
But you provided shelter for me


And you gave me a home
You gave me a permanent place to live


The planes fly
There are planes flying overhead


Overhead
In the sky above us


While I smoke
At the same time, I am smoking


Too many cigarettes in bed
I am smoking too many cigarettes while lying in bed


It rained last night 'bout a quarter to 2
Last night, it started raining at around 1:45 am


I was lyin' awake
I couldn't sleep and was still awake


Just thinkin' 'bout you
I was thinking about a certain person


A summer wind blowin' in off the sea
A summer breeze coming from the ocean is blowing in


Full of childhood smells
It carries scents that remind me of my childhood


And aquamarine
Possibly describing the color of the ocean, which is a blue-green color




Contributed by Jordyn P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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