Castle On The Hill
Dan Sky Lyrics
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I was running from my brother and his friends
And tasted the sweet perfume of the mountain grass I rolled down
I was younger then
Take me back to when
I found my heart and broke it hereMade friends and lost them through the years
And I′ve not seen the roaring fields in so long
I know I've grown
But I can′t wait to go home
I'm on my way
Driving at 90 down those country lanes
Singing to "Tiny Dancer"
And I miss the way
You make me feel
And it's real
When we watched the sunset over the castle on the hill
Fifteen years old and smoking hand-rolled cigarettes
Running from the law through the
Backfields and getting drunk with my friends
Had my first kiss on a Friday night
I don′t reckon that I did it right
I was younger then,
Take me back to when
We found weekend jobs, when we got paid
We′d buy cheap spirits and drink them straight
Me and my friends have not thrown up in so long
Oh, how we've grown
I'm on my way
Driving at 90 down those country lanes
Singing to "Tiny Dancer"
And I miss the way
You make me feel
And it′s real
When we watched the sunset over the castle on the hill
Over the castle on the hill
Over the castle on the hill
One friend left to sell clothes
One works down by the coast
One had two kids but lives alone
One's brother overdosed
One′s already on his second wife
One's just barely getting by
But these people raised me
And I can't wait to go home
And I′m on my way
I still remember these old country lanes
When we did not know the answers
And I miss the way
You make me feel
And it′s real
When we watched the sunset over the castle on the hill
Over the castle on the hill
Over the castle on the hill
In "Castle on the Hill," Dan Sky reflects on his youth, taking the listener on a nostalgic journey through his teenage years. He starts the song by recalling the time when he was six and broke his leg. He describes how he was running from his brother and his friends and how he later felt the sweet fragrance of mountain grass as he rolled down a hill. He then remembers the times when he found his heart and lost it there, made friends and lost them through the years, and critically how he hasn't seen the roaring fields in so long.
At fifteen, Dan and his friends were rebels, smoking hand-rolled cigarettes, drinking cheap spirits, and running from the law through the backfields. He remembers the Friday nights when he had his first kiss, and he sings about how he misses the way he felt about his youthful friends and their wild times.
Later in the song, Dan reminds his listeners of his friends, who raised him and who shared in his life experiences. Some of them sold clothes, worked down by the coast, or have had difficult lives. Dan acknowledges how it's been a while since they've all been together in their small-town and the roads haven't changed, but they have all grown up. He also acknowledges how he missed watching the sunsets over the castle on the hill.
Overall, "Castle on the Hill" is a coming-of-age song that evokes memories of youth and a longing for home.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was six years old I broke my leg
A memory of a childhood injury that serves as an anchor to reflect on the past
I was running from my brother and his friends
The cause of the injury, which is a combination of fear and playfulness that is common in siblings
And tasted the sweet perfume of the mountain grass I rolled down
A sensory detail that highlights the beauty of the surroundings that makes the reminiscence bitter-sweet
I was younger then
A realization that one has grown older and time has passed
Take me back to when
A desire to revisit one's past and relive certain memories
I found my heart and broke it here
A place that represents both happy and sad moments in one's personal life
Made friends and lost them through the years
A reflection on the friendships that were formed and how they changed or ended over time
And I've not seen the roaring fields in so long
A longing to see familiar places again after being away for an extended period and missing the natural beauty of the land
I know I've grown
A realization that one has matured and experienced personal growth
But I can't wait to go home
An eagerness to return to one's hometown and be surrounded by familiar people and places
I'm on my way
A declaration of someone's path, both figuratively and literally
Driving at 90 down those country lanes
A specific detail of someone's travel that adds a sense of speed and urgency to their journey
Singing to "Tiny Dancer"
A personal detail that talks about how someone gets through their journey with the help of music
And I miss the way
A sentiment expressed in relation to someone who is not present and a longing to see them again
You make me feel
A declaration of the positive effect that someone has on one's emotions
And it's real
A recognition that the emotions experienced are not just imagined, but genuinely felt
When we watched the sunset over the castle on the hill
A shared experience between two people, where they watched the sun set over a specific location and created a lasting memory
Fifteen years old and smoking hand-rolled cigarettes
A recollection of a youthful rebellion and experimentation
Running from the law through the backfields and getting drunk with my friends
A description of the hedonistic activity that one indulged in as a teenager
Had my first kiss on a Friday night
A personal milestone involving the first romantic experience
I don’t reckon that I did it right
A sense of regret or lack of satisfaction with the romantic experience
We found weekend jobs, when we got paid
A transition to a more responsible phase of life, where one starts earning income
We’d buy cheap spirits and drink them straight
A continuing trend of indulging in hedonistic activity, but now with a sense of financial independence
Me and my friends have not thrown up in so long
A humorous reflection on a negative side effect of excessive drinking, which is now a more rare occurrence
Oh, how we've grown
A recognition that one has aged and matured since their teenage years
One friend left to sell clothes
A reflection on how the group of childhood friends has scattered and taken on different career paths
One works down by the coast
Another example of how people have spread out into different regions
One had two kids but lives alone
A contrast between someone's family life and living situation
One's brother overdosed
A tragic event that someone close to the artist experienced
One’s already on his second wife
An example of how people's personal lives can change dramatically over the years
One's just barely getting by
A depiction of the struggle that some people face to make ends meet
But these people raised me
An acknowledgment and gratitude for the role that one's hometown and community played in shaping their life
And I can't wait to go home
A reiteration of the longing to return home
I still remember these old country lanes
A specific detail that the artist still remembers about their hometown, despite being away for so long
When we did not know the answers
A reflection on the feeling of not knowing what the future holds and being uncertain about one's path in life
Over the castle on the hill
A final reference to the shared memory of watching the sunset over the castle that symbolizes the home that the artist longs to return to
Writer(s): Benjamin Levin, Ed Sheeran
Contributed by Julian B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.