The City
Having played piano since she was four, and written her own songs since age… Read Full Bio ↴Having played piano since she was four, and written her own songs since age eleven, Ella Jane never wasted any time vaulting toward it. “I was obsessed with the mechanics of songwriting,” she remembers. “The second I started realizing that I could write about everything I was thinking and feeling, that’s when I really got into it.” It’s a sentiment that comes full circle upon the arrival of her debut EP "THIS IS NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!", via FADER Label. Comprised entirely of material ella wrote in high school prior to her viral success (including singles such as “nothing else i could do,” “bored&blind,” and “The City”) the EP traces a period of self-discovery with incisive wisdom and whimsy. “Each of these songs come from a different phase of my life,” ella explains. “Yes, high school is such a short period of time, but so much changes throughout those few years. This project is a record of those changes.” A harmonious amalgamation of folk, soul and indie-pop, "THIS IS NOT WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE!" not only demonstrates ella’s impressive sonic range, it also asserts that it’s just the beginning of what she’s capable of.

The City
Ella Jane Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Just give me a second
Before I pack up my boxes and shut you out of my life
Just give me a minute
So I can drink up the feeling we had just one last time
Your shadow stained the carpet
So I got hardwood floors
The noise punched through the window -
I don't sleep anymore

Mmm
We moved to the rhythm of the traffic on the street
The street, mmm
Mmm
I try to dance now but I can't feel no beat
No beat

[Refrain]
(Ah-ey-ey-ey, ah-ey-ey-ey)
(Ah-ey-ey-ey, ah-ey-ey-ey)

[Verse 2]
And under the sidewalks, (mm)
I ride the subway 'cause I look for you in every face
Don't wanna find you, though
'Cause 8 million strangers lose their distance once you take their place
Mmm
8 million bodies and they're yours and now I'm out of space

[Refrain]
(Ah-ey-ey-ey, ah-ey-ey-ey)
(Ah-ey-ey-ey, ah-ey-ey-ey)

[Bridge]
There's nothing left for me
In this city anymore, mm
But
Maybe I'll finally get some sleep at night
Maybe I'll finally get some sleep at night...

[Outro]
And without
Your light to blind
I can see the stars at night
Windows open
Shut my eyes
Sync my resting heartbeat to the night...

Without
Your light to blind
I can see the stars at night
Windows open
Shut my eyes
Sync my resting heartbeat to the quiet night
...When the silence gets too loud
I'll feel you calling me home





When the silence gets too loud
I'll feel you calling me home

Overall Meaning

Ella Jane's "The City" is a song about moving on from a past love, but struggling to let go and leaving behind the memories of the time spent in the city where the relationship took place. The opening lyric, "Just give me a second, before I pack up my boxes and shut you out of my life," reveals the tension between moving forward and holding onto the past. The singer of the song wants to savor the last moments of their time in the city's apartment, including the feelings that they shared with their former partner.


The image of the shadow-stained carpet represents the painful memories of a relationship that has ended, while the hardwood floors represent a fresh start. The singer struggles to sleep without their former partner's presence, and the noise of the city reminds them of their past. The hook, "We moved to the rhythm of the traffic on the street," suggests that the city helped to shape the relationship but now has consumed it. The chorus, "I try to dance now but I can't feel no beat," represents the singer's inability to find their footing in a world where their past love no longer exists.


In the bridge, Jane sings, "There's nothing left for me, in this city anymore," suggesting that the singer has grown tired of the city's constant reminders of a failed relationship. But, the closing lyric, "When the silence gets too loud, I'll feel you calling me home," reveals that the city still holds a special place in the singer's heart. The city may no longer be their home, but the memories it holds will always draw them back.


Overall, Ella Jane's "The City" is a poignant recollection of a lost love and the lingering memories that come with moving on.


Line by Line Meaning

Just give me a second
Wait a moment before I leave you behind.


Before I pack up my boxes and shut you out of my life
Before I erase your memory and leave forever.


Just give me a minute
A moment to cherish the love we had one last time.


So I can drink up the feeling we had just one last time
To savour the emotions we shared for the final time.


Your shadow stained the carpet
Your memory still haunts me.


So I got hardwood floors
I changed everything about the house to forget you.


The noise punched through the window -
The city is always bustling, and I can't find peace.


I don't sleep anymore
I can't rest since you left me alone.


We moved to the rhythm of the traffic on the street
Our relationship ran on the city's hustle and bustle, not love.


I try to dance now but I can't feel no beat
I can't feel the rhythm of love anymore.


And under the sidewalks, I ride the subway 'cause I look for you in every face
I still search for you in everyone I see, even underground.


Don't wanna find you, though
I don't want to get hurt again.


8 million strangers lose their distance once you take their place
No one can replace you in this city of strangers.


8 million bodies and they're yours, and now I'm out of space
The city swallows me whole, and I have nowhere left to go.


There's nothing left for me in this city anymore
I must leave this place to move on from you.


Maybe I'll finally get some sleep at night...
Maybe with distance, I can finally rest.


...When the silence gets too loud, I'll feel you calling me home
I still feel your presence in every quiet corner of this city.




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: ELLA ROTH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@kasiak7736

[Verse 1]
Just give me a second
Before I pack up my boxes and shut you out of my life
Just give me a minute
So I can drink up the feeling we had just one last time
Your shadow stained the carpet
So I got hardwood floors
The noise punched through the window -
I don't sleep anymore

Mmm
We moved to the rhythm of the traffic on the street
The street, mmm
Mmm
I try to dance now but I can't feel no beat
No beat

[Refrain]
(Ah-ey-ey-ey, ah-ey-ey-ey)
(Ah-ey-ey-ey, ah-ey-ey-ey)

[Verse 2]
And under the sidewalks, (mm)
I ride the subway 'cause I look for you in every face
Don't wanna find you, though
'Cause 8 million strangers lose their distance once you take their place
Mmm
8 million bodies and they're yours and now I'm out of space

[Refrain]
(Ah-ey-ey-ey, ah-ey-ey-ey)
(Ah-ey-ey-ey, ah-ey-ey-ey)

[Bridge]
There's nothing left for me
In this city anymore, mm
But
Maybe I'll finally get some sleep at night
Maybe I'll finally get some sleep at night...

[Outro]
And without
Your light to blind
I can see the stars at night
Windows open
Shut my eyes
Sync my resting heartbeat to the night...

Without
Your light to blind
I can see the stars at night
Windows open
Shut my eyes
Sync my resting heartbeat to the quiet night

...When the silence gets too loud
I'll feel you calling me home

When the silence gets too loud
I'll feel you calling me home



All comments from YouTube:

@goinghost8206

Just saw your tiktok & came here to listen. Honestly not what I usually listen too but it’s very beautiful

@mimzy5112

Same , I'm in love with this song!!

@lela9294

Exactly

@lucia-uf6zc

same!!

@halimasadia5406

In some parts her voice almost sounds similar to Billie Eilish!

But girl you're so amazing in yourself! Loved this song

@ecedemircubuk1381

I am here before you get famous ❤❤

@alexisdaylynn

To be honest, this song is way better than many of the others I’ve heard from young artists. Most young artists’ lyrics are not as deep or meaningful as these and there’s usually not as many metaphorical lyrics. I LOVE METAPHORICAL lyrics. you made a beautiful song. keep rockin’, girl!

@lisasarver8702

Exactly!

@meganaspinall5629

i can't stress how beautiful this song is, 'your shadow stained the carpet, so i got hardwood floors' breaks me every. single. time. in such an unexplainable way

@himynameisriya

Aaaah you're amazing!! If you're not the next big thing, something's wrong with the universe

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