You & I
Delerium feat. Zoë Johnston Lyrics

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Up from my back door, I can see a hand span of eternity
And up through the buildings, an indifferent sky
Is heavy with silence like you & I

Why do you & I make each other cry?
(When we both know)
We both know
(Yes we both know)

We love each other so

Up from my back door, the stars look so at home
Meanwhile I feel alone, whenever we fight
Baby, we both lose sight of you, you & I
(You and I)

Why do you & I make each other cry?
(You and I)
(When we both know)
We both know
(Yes we both know)
We love each other so

Oh baby, oh, you have to hear me
I don't wanna fight with you
Want to make things right for you
Because I care about you, I care about you

Why do you & I make each other cry?

(You and I)
Oh baby, why do we fight?

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of the song, "Up from my back door, I can see a hand span of eternity" sets a contemplative tone for the listener. The vastness of the universe is contrasted with the smallness of everyday life. The line "An indifferent sky is heavy with silence like you & I" introduces a sense of melancholy as the singer reflects on their relationship. This indifference is felt by both parties, making communication difficult.

The chorus of the song, "Why do you & I make each other cry? (When we both know) We both know (Yes we both know) We love each other so" juxtaposes the intense feelings of love with the pain and sadness that comes with arguments and misunderstandings. The repetition of "we both know" highlights the fact that the issues in the relationship are known to both parties, but they continue to hurt each other regardless.

In the second verse, the perspective shifts to focus on the stars, which are presented as something to envy, as they seem so at home in the universe. Meanwhile, the singer feels alone and lost, as the arguments with their partner turn into moments of emptiness. The use of "Baby, we both lose sight of you, you & I" brings attention to the need to bring back the focus onto the relationship and its importance. The pleading "Oh baby, oh, you have to hear me" in the bridge highlights the need for open communication and for both parties to address the issues if they want to move forward together.

Line by Line Meaning

Up from my back door, I can see a hand span of eternity
From where I stand, I can see an endless expanse that reminds me of eternity

And up through the buildings, an indifferent sky
The sky above the buildings seems indifferent to our existence

Is heavy with silence like you & I
There is a thick silence between us which is weighing us down

Why do you & I make each other cry?
I wonder why we end up hurting each other so much

(When we both know)
(Even though we both know)

We both know
We are both aware and certain

(Yes we both know)
(Indeed we both know)

We love each other so
We have deep feelings of affection for each other

Up from my back door, the stars look so at home
From where I stand, the stars look comfortable, like they belong here

Meanwhile I feel alone, whenever we fight
At the same time, I feel isolated and lonely whenever we have an argument

Baby, we both lose sight of you, you & I
We both lose sight of what really matters, which is our relationship