Antarctica
FFS Lyrics
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I can barely feel my fingers anymore
Since the continental drift (uh huh)
How quickly things can shift in front of me
All this ice flow and drift (uh huh)
To know you was a gift (to know you was a gift)
How quickly things can shift (how quickly things can shift)
And now Antarctica
It was always t-shirt weather 'round you
Hot wind blowing through your hair
It was always top-down weather with you
So (?) somehow
And now Antarctica
Antarctica
I can sense the coldest shoulder in the world
Where's the thermostat controls your soul
(uh huh)
No amount of insulation will protect me
I've got frostbite from my head to my toes
I sensed that you were miffed (I sensed that you were miffed)
I bought a thousand gifts (I bought a thousand gifts)
I sometimes ask what if (what if)
In Antarctica
It was always Acapulco around you
Temps kept rising somehow
It was always tank top weather
Sunlight glaring somehow
And now Antarctica
It was always Acapulco around you
Temps kept rising somehow
It was always tank top weather
Sunlight glaring somehow
And now Antarctica
Antarctica
It was always t-shirt weather around you
(?) somehow
It was always top-down weather
Hot wind blowin' through your hair
And now Antarctica
It was always t-shirt weather around you
It was always top-down weather around you
And now Antarctica
The lyrics to FFS's Antarctica tell a story about the shifting nature of relationships and how two people can drift apart over time. The title itself serves as a metaphor for the coldness that can come between two people who were once close. The first verse speaks of feeling numbness in one's fingers as a result of the continental drift - a natural phenomenon that occurred millions of years ago that slowly caused the continents to move apart. The connection being made is that just as the continents slowly drifted apart, so can relationships that were once strong and connected.
The chorus repeats the refrain of "it was always t-shirt weather around you" which can be interpreted as referring to a time when things were easy and carefree. The mention of Acapulco serves as a metaphor for a place where everything is warm and inviting. The contrast is later made with Antarctica, the coldest place on earth, where the singer feels the coldest shoulder in the world. The second verse speaks to the futility of trying to protect oneself from the coldness that can come with a relationship ending. No amount of insulation can keep the chill from reaching your soul. The final mention of "t-shirt weather" and "top-down weather" serves as a lament for a time gone by and an acknowledgement that things will never be the same.
Line by Line Meaning
I can barely feel my fingers anymore
My extremities are completely numb
Since the continental drift (uh huh)
Since our relationship fell apart (uh huh)
How quickly things can shift in front of me
How unexpectedly situations can change in my life
All this ice flow and drift (uh huh)
All the emotional distance and detachment between us (uh huh)
To know you was a gift (to know you was a gift)
Having you in my life was a blessing (having you in my life was a blessing)
Before the continental drift (before the continental drift)
Before we grew emotionally distant from each other (before we grew emotionally distant from each other)
How quickly things can shift (how quickly things can shift)
How suddenly things can change for the worse (how suddenly things can change for the worse)
And now Antarctica
And now we are completely frozen out from each other
It was always t-shirt weather 'round you
You always gave off a warm and inviting vibe
Hot wind blowing through your hair
Your presence was always comfortingly familiar to me
It was always top-down weather with you
You always showed me your carefree side
So (?) somehow
So natural and involuntarily
And now Antarctica Antarctica
And now we are completely frozen out from each other
I can sense the coldest shoulder in the world
You are completely emotionally cold towards me
Where's the thermostat controls your soul
You have shut off all emotional responses towards me
No amount of insulation will protect me
I am completely exposed and rejected
I've got frostbite from my head to my toes
The emotional pain has completely ruined me
I sensed that you were miffed (I sensed that you were miffed)
I could feel that you were upset with me (I could feel that you were upset with me)
I bought a thousand gifts (I bought a thousand gifts)
I tried to make it up to you by giving lots of presents (I tried to make it up to you by giving lots of presents)
I sometimes ask what if (what if)
I sometimes wonder what could have been different (I sometimes wonder what could have been different)
In Antarctica
But now it's clear that there's no coming back from this emotional winter
It was always Acapulco around you
You used to make me feel like I was on a vacation in Acapulco
Temps kept rising somehow
It always felt like our love was getting stronger
It was always tank top weather
You always showed me your more intimate and affectionate side
Sunlight glaring somehow
I always felt like our future was so bright
And now Antarctica
But now we are completely frozen out from each other
It was always t-shirt weather around you
You always gave off a warm and inviting vibe
(?) somehow
(?) deliberately and intentionally despite this change in our relationship
It was always top-down weather
You always showed me your carefree side
Hot wind blowin' through your hair
Your presence was always comfortingly familiar to me
And now Antarctica
But now we are completely frozen out from each other
Contributed by Leah N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.