Showdown
Electric Light Orchestra Part 2 / ELO Lyrics
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About a love that was sure to end
Every dream in her heart was gone
Heading for a showdown
Bad dreamer, what's your name?
Looks like we're riding on the same train
Looks as though there'll be more pain
And it's raining, all over the world
it's raining, all over the world
Tonight, the longest night
She came to me like a friend
She blew in on the Southern wind
Now my heart is turned to stone again
There's gonna be a showdown
Save me, oh save me
It's unreal, the suffering
There's gonna be a showdown
And it's raining, all over the world
Raining, all over the world
Tonight, the longest night
Raining, raining
raining, raining
Raining, all over the world
Raining, all over the world
The longest night
And it's raining, all over the world
Raining, all over the world
Tonight, the longest night
You gotta save me, girl
Well, I'm ready for saving
I'm a fool for you
Ya know I'm ready, yeah
come on and save me
Can't you feel what you're doing to me, now?
I'm on the run again
Gotta save me
The lyrics to Electric Light Orchestra Part 2 / ELO's song Showdown speak of a couple whose love is destined to end. The female protagonist of the song cries about her lost dreams as she knows that the relationship has no future. Meanwhile, the male protagonist is trying to deal with his heartbreak but is failing. The two characters are traveling on the same train and it seems that the more time they spend together, the more pain they will experience. The chorus of the song speaks about how it is raining all over the world, which could be interpreted as a metaphor for the shared pain that the two characters are experiencing. The line "tonight, the longest night" adds to the intensity and the feeling of despair that the song conveys.
There are several interpretations of the lyrics, but one way to understand them is through the lens of failed relationships. The singer seems to have been hurt before, and even though the new relationship seems to be doomed from the beginning, they both hold on to it out of a sense of hope or loyalty. However, as the rain falls and the night becomes longer, the realization dawns on them that they cannot save the relationship and that there will be a showdown.
Line by Line Meaning
She cried to the Southern wind
She expressed her pain and sadness to the natural force of the wind from the South
About a love that was sure to end
She spoke about a love that she knew was not meant to last forever
Every dream in her heart was gone
All the hopes and aspirations she had were shattered and no longer existent
Heading for a showdown
She was destined to face a confrontation or conflict, with possibly negative outcomes
Bad dreamer, what's your name?
Someone who has unrealistic or pessimistic thoughts, what shall I call you?
Looks like we're riding on the same train
It seems as if we are both facing similar challenges and hardships
Looks as though there'll be more pain
It appears that there will be further suffering to endure
There's gonna be a showdown.
There will definitely be a direct and possibly violent confrontation
And it's raining, all over the world
Rain is falling in many places on Earth, perhaps symbolizing sadness and misery
Tonight, the longest night
This evening is the longest period of darkness, possibly representing despair and gloom
She came to me like a friend
She approached me gently and familiarly, as if she were a companion
She blew in on the Southern wind
She arrived and swept into my life, carried by the breeze from the South
Now my heart is turned to stone again
My emotions have become cold and unfeeling once more
Save me, oh save me
Please help me, rescue me from my difficulties
It's unreal, the suffering
The pain and distress are difficult to believe or comprehend
And it's raining, all over the world
Rain is still falling in many places on Earth, with no end in sight
Raining, raining
The rain continues to pour down
You gotta save me, girl
You must rescue me, my dear
Well, I'm ready for saving
I am prepared to be rescued, I desire to be saved
I'm a fool for you
I am foolishly in love with you and willing to risk everything for you
Ya know I'm ready, yeah
You are aware that I am prepared to act, yes
come on and save me
Please rescue me, take me away from here
Can't you feel what you're doing to me, now?
Do you not sense the effects that your actions are having on me at this moment?
I'm on the run again
I am fleeing from danger or trouble once more
Gotta save me
Someone needs to rescue me, I am still in peril
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JEFF LYNNE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind