Chris Staples is a singer and songwriter from Pensacola, Florida. He was th… Read Full Bio ↴Chris Staples is a singer and songwriter from Pensacola, Florida. He was the vocalist and guitarist of the indie rock band Twothirtyeight. He was one of the original members in 1995 and stayed with the band until April 2003, when it broke up because the members wanted to pursue individual ambitions. Staples independently recorded the acoustic albums Panama, and Burned and Blistered. In 2004, Staples released Blackest Hair, Bluest Eyes which was a compilation of both his earlier releases with two additional songs. In 2005, Staples went on to form the indie rock band Discover America and move to Seattle, Washington where he engineered, produced, and recorded Discover America's first album, Psychology.

Relatively Permanent
Chris Staples Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I wonder if we'll still be together,
Several years down the line.
Well how could I know,
You can't know either.
This could be an accident,
Or relatively permanent.
But either way, I'm gonna stay,
And love you for another day.

How lucky can two people get.
Hand in hand, side by side.
A coincidence we even met.
This could be an accident,
Or relatively permanent.

But either way, I'm gonna stay
And love you for another day.

Overall Meaning

The song "Relatively Permanent" by Chris Staples is a reflection on the uncertainty of relationships and how one cannot predict the future. The chorus highlights this as the singer questions whether they will still be together years from now. It is a sentiment that most people can relate to, as relationships are unpredictable and can end abruptly. Staples acknowledges this by admitting that he does not know whether their relationship is an accident or something more permanent. Despite this uncertainty, he is committed to staying in the relationship and loving his partner for another day.

Staples emphasizes the fortuitous nature of their meeting and how lucky they are. He describes their relationship in physical terms, with "hand in hand, side by side." This emphasizes the importance of physical connection in relationships and how being near each other brings comfort and security. However, Staples is also aware that this connection is fragile, much like the relationship itself. He acknowledges that they could just be a coincidence and that the relationship could end at any moment. Still, he chooses to remain committed and love his partner for as long as he can.

Line by Line Meaning

I wonder if we'll still be together,
I'm curious about the longevity of our relationship.

Several years down the line.
Will our bond remain strong over time?

Well how could I know,
I don't possess the ability to predict our future.

You can't know either.
Neither can you since our future's uncertain.

This could be an accident,
Meeting each other could have been an unexpected coincidence.

Or relatively permanent.
Our love could last long despite not being a definite thing.

But either way, I'm gonna stay,
Regardless of what happens, I'll stick around.

And love you for another day.
And I'll continue to cherish and love you every single day.

How lucky can two people get.
It's amazing that we found each other and we're together.

Hand in hand, side by side.
We're inseparable and always standing next to each other.

A coincidence we even met.
It's amusing how our paths crossed and we ended up together.