Dawes is an American rock band from Malibu, California. Two members, Taylor… Read Full Bio ↴Dawes is an American rock band from Malibu, California. Two members, Taylor Goldsmith and Wylie Gelber, were originally from the band Simon Dawes. They branched off in 2009, now playing with Griffin Goldsmith and Tay Strathairn, to compile Americana/Soul music in the band Dawes.

Their debut album, "North Hills", was released in 2009. The album, "Nothing Is Wrong", follows in 2011.

More info: www.dawestheband.com

Coming Back To A Man
Dawes Lyrics

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You still wear your hair to your shoulder
You still look like a Friday night
You're still caught somewhere between the plans and the dreams
So that neither end up turning out right

And I myself look a few moments older
When I learned that love is not as simple as I thought
It starts to feel more real and the wounds all start to heal

Whether I want them to or not

So tell me why you think I should forgive what you did
And ill tell you if I understand
Cause you broke the quick-giving heart of a kid
But you're now coming back to a man

It means a lot that you came here to speak to me
And I will listen in ways I never did before
I'll hear the pause between each word and when your presentations heard
Then I'll need to show you to the door

Cause some people were just meant to be a memory.
To be called upon to remind us how we've changed
The way the scattered ever-busy bright lights of a city
Might look off to a distant mountain range

And the guy you know is someone I work hard at keeping hid
And he is very good at sticking to the plan
Cause you broke the quick-giving heart of a kid
But you're now coming back to a man

I might think of you more often then I'm willing to admit
But I cant show every card I'm holding in my hand

Cause you broke the quick-giving heart of a kid
But you're now coming back to a man

Overall Meaning

The song “Coming Back to a Man” by Dawes talks about the complexities of love and the scars it leaves behind. The first stanza compares the singer and his lover’s physical appearance to their younger days, highlighting how time has passed and how they have changed. It then goes on to talk about how their plans and dreams have not come to fruition. The singer acknowledges how he has grown older and has come to understand that love is not as simple as he once thought. He hints that he has been hurt in love before by the phrase “the wounds all start to heal, whether I want them to or not.”

The chorus is a direct confrontation from the singer to his lover, asking her to explain why she did what she did and why he should forgive her. He is aware that she broke his heart when he was still young and naive, but he is now a man and has grown stronger because of it. The second verse expresses the singer’s willingness to listen and be more present in their conversation. He acknowledges that some people are just meant to be memories, but he is trying hard to keep the person he has become hidden.

Overall, the song is about the beauty and the pain of growing up and becoming wiser through experience. It is a reflection on love and the scars it leaves behind, and how we can learn from them and become better people.

Line by Line Meaning

You still wear your hair to your shoulder
You haven't changed much since the last time we met.

You still look like a Friday night
You still have that same exciting and fun energy you always had.

You're still caught somewhere between the plans and the dreams So that neither end up turning out right
You're struggling to find the balance between what you want and what's practical, and it's causing you problems.

And I myself look a few moments older When I learned that love is not as simple as I thought It starts to feel more real and the wounds all start to heal Whether I want them to or not
I've aged a bit since we last talked, and I've come to realize that love is complicated and difficult. It hurts, but over time, the pain lessens.

So tell me why you think I should forgive what you did And ill tell you if I understand Cause you broke the quick-giving heart of a kid But you're now coming back to a man
I need you to explain why I should forgive you for hurting me. I've grown up a lot since then and become more mature.

It means a lot that you came here to speak to me And I will listen in ways I never did before I'll hear the pause between each word and when your presentations heard Then I'll need to show you to the door
I appreciate that you made the effort to come and talk to me. I'll listen more carefully this time, but I know that I can't trust you like I used to.

Cause some people were just meant to be a memory. To be called upon to remind us how we've changed The way the scattered ever-busy bright lights of a city Might look off to a distant mountain range
Some people are meant to be remembered, not reconciled with. They serve as a reminder of how we've grown and changed over time, like the view of a city from a faraway mountain range.

And the guy you know is someone I work hard at keeping hid And he is very good at sticking to the plan Cause you broke the quick-giving heart of a kid But you're now coming back to a man
I don't want you to think that I'm the same person I was before. I've worked hard to change and become a better version of myself.

I might think of you more often then I'm willing to admit But I cant show every card I'm holding in my hand Cause you broke the quick-giving heart of a kid But you're now coming back to a man
I still think about you sometimes, but I can't be completely honest with you because you hurt me so badly. However, I'm more mature now and can handle this situation better.

Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS

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