Rust
Echo & the Bunnymen Lyrics

I wish that you were here
The singer wishes that a particular person was present with them.

Down amongst the dust
Perhaps a reference to feeling emotionally or mentally low and in a difficult place in life.

I need someone to help me
The singer needs help, support, or guidance from someone else.

You need someone to trust
This could be interpreted as an acknowledgment that the other person is also in a difficult place and needs a support system.

There's something with these tears
The artist's tears are having a unique effect on them.

Turning me to rust
The tears are causing the singer to corrode, to become something less than they once were.

I need someone to help me
Repeating the need for help, support, or guidance from someone else.

Yeah I need someone to touch
The artist requires physical contact and comfort from someone else.

Give me one more try
The artist is asking for another chance.

And I'll come flaking back to you
The artist will return to the other person and woo them once again.

I wish that you were here
Repeating the desire for the other person to be present.

I wish that it was true
Perhaps the artist is imagining a scenario in which things were different, or wishes that a situation they are in was not the case.

I can feel the stars shooting through my heart like rain
The singer is experiencing powerful emotions that feel like physical sensations, like shooting stars.

Leaving on the scars where the pleasure turns to pain
The intense emotions are causing harm and making things more difficult for the singer.

Point me in a light
The singer is asking for guidance or direction.

Bright and shiny in right direction
The artist is looking for guidance that will lead them to a better place.

And then take me home again
Perhaps a reference to finding a sense of belonging or safety.

Just when you thing it's over
Implying that there were obstacles or difficulties that the singer thought had been overcome.

Just when you think it's done
Reiterating the idea that things can be unexpectedly difficult or challenging.

Out of every nowhere
Unexpectedly, without warning.

You never see it come
Further expanding on the idea of something coming as a surprise.

I know the lines are showing
Perhaps a reference to physical or emotional scars that are difficult to hide.

I can't keep them in
The scars or emotions are too intense to keep hidden.

Like everybody's story
The idea that everyone has their own difficult past or struggles.

It's written on the skin
The scars, both physical and emotional, are an indelible part of who the singer is.

Give me one last try
Repeating the request for another chance.

And I'll make it up to you
The singer is promising to make amends or fix what went wrong.

I wish that you were here
The repeated desire for the other person to be present.

Wish that I was true
Perhaps an acknowledgement that the artist has been less than honest or genuine in their interactions with the other person.

Everything's gonna be all right
Despite the difficulties described earlier in the song, the singer is now optimistic that things will work out in the end.