In this song, Charli is trapped in a relationship where she is unhappy, and looking back into the past before she became committed to her lover, she can clearly recall telling him to keep his distance from her, because she already saw the end before the beginning. Towards the end of the song, the tone begins to change, and instead of feeling remorse for having allowed her man’s cold love to enter her life, she licked up the blood for putting herself in the situation in the first place, placing the guilt upon herself.
Stay Away
Charli XCX Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
With words of wonder
You make it hard to breathe
Your love's so cold
Just like an arrow
Pierced through my skin I bleed
I knew you were no angel
Do you remember what I said
That first time we met?
Stay away, why couldn't you stay away?
I never needed anyone
But now that you are gone
Stay away, won't you just stay away
Taking all my light and blocking out my vision
Bad little girl you have trapped in the prison
On my hands on my knees pulled on the chains
Licking up the blood yeah I made this decision
You took my light
Trapped in the prison
You threw away the key
You are the curse
I am the captive
Walking on hands and knees
Never learn, never learn, never learn, never learn
I knew you were no angel
But God, you're just electric blue oh oh oh
Do you remember what I said
That first time we met?
Stay away, why couldn't you stay away?
I never needed anyone
But now that you are gone
Stay away, won't you just stay away
Stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away
Stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away
Stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away
Stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away
I climbed a wall
To touch your shadow
I hear you call for me
But you're not there
You're just an echo
Why did you fall for me?
Do you remember what I said
That first time we met?
Stay away, why couldn't you stay away?
I never needed anyone
But now that you are gone
Stay away, won't you just stay away
Taking all my light and blocking out my vision
Bad little girl you have trapped in the prison
Stay away, why couldn't you stay away?
Taking all my light and blocking out my vision
Bad little girl you have trapped in the prison
Stay away, won't you just stay away
The verses of "Stay Away" by Charli XCX expresses the pain and confinement she feels being in a toxic relationship that is slowly suffocating her. She describes how her partner's love is a burden that has left her gasping for air, and how that love is cold and stoic, just like an arrow. The pain is so intense, and the bleeding never seems to stop. She realizes that her partner isn't the angel she thought they were, and she questions her judgment. The chorus of the song echoes the title of the song, asking her partner to stay away, and not to interfere with her life anymore. She tells of how he has taken away her light, trapping her in a prison, and how she's licked up the blood, making a conscious decision to move away from him.
The bridge of the song is more plaintive, asking why she ever fell for him in the first place, as he was never there with her. She is left recounting her pain and confused emotions, wondering if she had imagined that he had ever loved her.
Overall, the song is about freeing oneself from a toxic or abusive relationship and the pain that comes with it. It speaks to the feelings of entrapment and suffocation that someone can feel in such a relationship, and the decision to move away from someone who has done so much harm.
Line by Line Meaning
You choke my throat
Your behavior is suffocating me
With words of wonder
Your words make me question and doubt myself
You make it hard to breathe
Your presence overwhelms me
Your love's so cold
Your affection is insincere and unfeeling
Just like an arrow
Your actions have hurt me deeply
Pierced through my skin I bleed
Your actions have caused me pain and suffering
I knew you were no angel
I knew you were flawed and imperfect
But God, what did I do? oh oh oh
Why did I let myself become involved with you?
Do you remember what I said
Do you recall the warning I gave you
That first time we met?
When we first crossed paths
Stay away, why couldn't you stay away?
I wish you had kept your distance from me
I never needed anyone
I was content being alone
But now that you are gone
Now that you've left
Taking all my light and blocking out my vision
You've taken away my happiness and hope
Bad little girl you have trapped in the prison
Your manipulative behavior has made me feel trapped
On my hands on my knees pulled on the chains
I'm subservient and powerless to your control
Licking up the blood yeah I made this decision
I made a choice to stay with you despite the harm you cause
You took my light
You took away my joy and hope
Trapped in the prison
You've confined me with your manipulative behavior
You threw away the key
You made it impossible for me to escape your grasp
You are the curse
You are the source of my suffering
I am the captive
I am powerless and under your control
Walking on hands and knees
I'm subservient and powerless
Never learn, never learn, never learn, never learn
I keep making the same mistakes and never learn from them
But God, you're just electric blue oh oh oh
You may seem alluring and enchanting, but you're actually cold and unfeeling
I climbed a wall
I went to great lengths to pursue you
To touch your shadow
To feel your presence and attention
I hear you call for me
I thought you wanted and needed me
But you're not there
You never truly cared for me
You're just an echo
You're just a faint remnant of what I thought you were
Why did you fall for me?
Why did you pretend to love me and deceive me?
Stay away, won't you just stay away
I want you to stay out of my life
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ariel Rechtshaid, Justin Raisen, Charlotte Emma Aitchison
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sadkaique
[Verse 1]
You choke my throat with words of wonder
You make it hard to breathe
Your love's so cold, just like an arrow
Pierced through my skin, I bleed
[Pre-Chorus 1]
I knew you were no angel
But God, what did I do?
[Chorus]
Do you remember what I said that first time we met?
Stay away, why couldn't you stay away?
I never needed anyone, but now that you are gone
Stay away, won't you just stay away?
[Post-Chorus]
Taking all my light and blocking out my vision
Bad little girl you have trapped in the prison
On my hands, on my knees, pulled on the chains
Licking up the blood, yeah, I made this decision
[Verse 2]
You took my light
Trapped in the prison
You threw away the key
You are the curse, I am the captive
Walking on hands and knees
[Interlude]
Never learn, never learn
Never learn, never learn
[Pre-Chorus 2]
You were no angel
But God, you're just electric blue
[Chorus]
Do you remember what I said that first time we met?
Stay away, why couldn't you stay away?
I never needed anyone, but now that you are gone
Stay away, won't you just stay away?
[Breakdown]
Stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away
Stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away
Stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away
Stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away, stay away
[Bridge]
I climbed a wall to touch your shadow
I hear you call for me
But you're not there, you're just an echo
Why did you fall for me?
[Chorus]
Do you remember what I said that first time we met?
Stay away, why couldn't you stay away?
I never needed anyone, but now that you are gone
Stay away, won't you just stay away?
[Outro]
Taking all my light and blocking out my vision
Bad little girl you have trapped in the prison
Won't you just stay away?
@MapsDou
Her sound on true romance was so good....
@maxidise
I miss true romance 💔
@nadienparticular
listen to number 1 angel! and pop 2
@xshadowscreamx
theloveclub there are about 2 songs on Angel that are reminiscent of the old charli, that's about it.
@gaellprasad9870
@@xshadowscreamx gas v
@azerty5278
@@maxidise nooo
@Sophz235
Best Charli XCX song imo
@donutellaparan643
I agree with that , I just discovered this song just now and i really love it .
@thebigfatmanny
+Sophie TOTALLY AGREED.
@lilamuller4017
YES