… Read Full Bio ↴"The Writer" is the fifth track on Ellie Goulding's debut album Lights.
Goulding told Sky Songs: "The Writer is the most personal and emotional song I've written yet. It's about how you'd do anything and change absolutely EVERYTHING about yourself if necessary, just to be noticed by this one person."
The Writer
Ellie Goulding Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wait for a word
Lie next to your frame
Girl unobserved
You change your position
And you are changing me
Casting these shadows
Where they shouldn't be
We're interrupted by the heat of the sun
Trying to prevent what's already begun
You're just a body
I can smell your skin
And when I feel it, you're wearing thin
But I've got a plan
Why don't you be the artist
And make me out of clay?
Why don't you be the writer
And decide the words I say?
'Cause I'd rather pretend
I'll still be there at the end
Only it's too hard to ask
Won't you try to help me
Sat on your sofa, it's all broken springs
This isn't the place for those violin strings
I try out a smile and I aim it at you
You must have missed it
You always do
But I've got a plan
Why don't you be the artist
And make me out of clay?
Why don't you be the writer
And decide the words I say?
'Cause I'd rather pretend
I'll still be there at the end
Only it's too hard to ask
Won't you try to help me
You wait, I wait, casting shadows, interrupted
You wait, I wait, casting shadows, interrupted
You wait, I wait, casting shadows, interrupted
You wait, I wait, casting shadows
Why don't you be the artist
And make me out of clay?
Why don't you be the writer
And decide the words I say?
'Cause I'd rather pretend
I'll still be there at the end
Only it's too hard to ask
Won't you try to help me
Why don't you be the artist
And make me out of clay?
Why don't you be the writer
And decide the words I say?
'Cause I'd rather pretend
I'll still be there at the end
Only it's too hard to ask
Won't you try to help me
Ellie Goulding's "The Writer" is a melancholic ballad that speaks about the connections we make, the relationships we shape, and the power dynamics within them. The song starts with "You wait for silence, I wait for a word", a clear indication of the lack of communication and understanding between two individuals. The singer finds herself lying beside a girl's unobserved frame, although the girl's actions and movements still change her. She feels it's casting shadows where they shouldn't be; the shadows could signify a sense of doubt, fear and unexplained factors in their relationship. They're interrupted by the heat of the sun - which could mean the truth, reality, or harsh light shining on their relationship that they may be avoiding. The singer or the singer then realizes that the girl, although they're together, is merely a body she can smell. But she's wearing thin when the singer feels her skin, the relationship is possibly not what it used to be.
Then the singer has a plan - to ask the girl to be the artist and her to be the clay that could be shaped into whatever she likes, and to be the writer who decides what the singer says. The singer prefers to pretend because it's too hard to ask for help. They both sit on a sofa that has broken springs and violin strings that don't seem to belong there. The singer tries to smile, but the girl always misses it.
The lyrics are open to interpretation; They can symbolize how we surrender ourselves to the artists, the writers, our lovers, or the people we meet, and we let them shape us. Therefore, we disguise our true selves and pretend to be whatever they want us to be. Conversely, the lyrics could represent someone who's lost themselves in a relationship, asking their partner to craft their identity to reassure themselves of their place in that particular relationship because They'd rather pretend.
Line by Line Meaning
You wait for a silence
You are silent and expect me to initiate conversation
I wait for a word
I am waiting for you to say something
Lie next to your frame
I am lying close to you
Girl unobserved
I am unnoticed by you
You change your position
You move and it affects me
And you are changing me
Your actions are influencing me
Casting these shadows
Creating difficulties or problems
Where they shouldn't be
In unnecessary areas
We're interrupted by the heat of the sun
Our conversation is interrupted by the daylight
Trying to prevent what's already begun
Trying to stop something that has already started
You're just a body
You are only a physical presence
I can smell your skin
I am aware of your physical presence
And when I feel it, you're wearing thin
When I touch you, you seem fragile
But I've got a plan
I have a solution
Why don't you be the artist, and make me out of clay?
Why don't you create me in your own image?
Why don't you be the writer and decide the words I say?
Why don't you control me and what I say?
'Cause I'd rather pretend
Because I prefer to imagine
I'll still be there at the end
I will still be there in the end
Only it's too hard to ask, won't you try to help me
It's difficult to ask for help, so will you try to assist me?
Sat on your sofa, it's all broken springs
Sitting on a broken sofa
This isn't the place for those violin strings
This is not the appropriate moment for a romantic gesture
I try out a smile and I aim it at you
I attempt to smile and direct it towards you
You must have missed it
You didn't notice my smile
You always do
It's not the first time
You wait, I wait, casting shadows, interrupted
We both wait and project negativity onto our situation
Why don't you be the artist, and make me out of clay?
Why don't you shape me into what you want?
Why don't you be the writer and decide the words I say?
Why don't you decide how I express myself?
'Cause I'd rather pretend
It's easier to fake it
I'll still be there at the end
I will not leave
Only it's too hard to ask, won't you try to help me
Asking for help is difficult, please try to assist me
Lyrics © Global Talent Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ellie Goulding, John Latimer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Ridha P Wulandari
You wait for a silence
I wait for a word
Lie next to your frame
Girl unobserved
You change your position
And you are changing me
Casting these shadows
Where they shouldn't be
We're interrupted by the heat of the sun
Trying to prevent what's already begun
You're just a body
I can smell your skin
And when I feel it, you're wearing thin
But I've got a plan
Why don't you be the artist, and make me out of clay?
Why don't you be the writer and decide the words I say?
'Cause I'd rather pretend
I'll still be there at the end
Only it's too hard to ask, won't you try to help me
Sat on your sofa, it's all broken springs
This isn't the place for those violin strings
I try out a smile and I aim it at you
You must have missed it
You always do
But I've got a plan
Why don't you be the artist, and make me out of clay?
Why don't you be the writer and decide the words I say?
'Cause I'd rather pretend
I'll still be there at the end
Only it's too hard to ask, won't you try to help me
You wait, I wait, casting shadows, interrupted
You wait, I wait, casting shadows, interrupted
You wait, I wait, casting shadows, interrupted
You wait, I wait, casting shadows
Why don't you be the artist, and make me out of clay?
Why don't you be the writer and decide the words I say?
'Cause I'd rather pretend
I'll still be there at the end
Only it's too hard to ask, won't you try to help me
Why don't you be the artist, and make me out of clay?
Why don't you be the writer and decide the words I say?
'Cause I'd rather pretend
I'll still be there at the end
Only it's too hard to ask, won't you try to help me
Songwriters: Ellie Goulding / John Latimer
Arctic
It’s 2020 and I still can’t believe how underrated this song is. Such a masterpiece.
Reverse Construction
it's 2023. still on my playlist
Lewis Davies
So sad it's underrated, such a beautiful person and her voice,✌️x
Mark C
Try listening to this for 11 years, I've been forced to listen to this for the past 11 years at work. The damn playlist never changes. Listen to this for a quarter of your time on your earth and then get back to me that its not slightly hacking you off ... cheers 👍
Josef Malinowicz
I agree and I love this song
Josef Malinowicz
I agree and I love this song
Néamh
Her old music is so special to me, each song from lights has a memory for me I’m glad she’s made it big and I do like her new music but her old music will always have a firm place in my heart 💖
MatthewCoupeOfficial
Personally Lights and Halcyon are her only albums to dates, the other three are unrecognisable as Ellie’s work.
No Name
I remember going to her concert at red rocks and so many people were complaining that "she's playing slow boring songs" compared to her edm catalog
Christopher Sammy
@Casie Silverman Hello there. how are you doing?🖐