Fastbacks were a pioneering Seattle band. Formed in 1979 by songwriter/gui… Read Full Bio ↴Fastbacks were a pioneering Seattle band. Formed in 1979 by songwriter/guitarist Kurt Bloch (born August 28, 1960), and friends Lulu Gargiulo (guitar and vocals, born October 12, 1960) and Kim Warnick (bass and vocals, born April 7, 1959), they disbanded in 2001. Their sound mixed a generally punk approach to vocals and sound textures with poppy tunes and strong musicianship. Bloch is also a member of The Young Fresh Fellows as well as Thee Sgt. Major III. The Fastbacks reunited for a show in West Seattle in the summer of 2011.

Light's on You
Fastbacks Lyrics

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You've been as close to the edge as you can be
Voice comes on and says 'Why aren't you happy?'
'I've been on the earth for twenty-nine years
And haven't found what I should do with my life.'
Man comes on the screen and he asks boldly
'Does it make you sad to be so lonely?'
'I think I know what life's about
Yet never have I had a chance to find out what went wrong.'

The light's on you, tell us the story of your life
The light's on you, tell us even if you don't feel right about
The things you've done
Tell us why you're on the run
The light's on you, tell us the story of your life
Silence fills the room, the air turns sour
Think to yourself, it's been almost an hour
How can I say just how I feel
When I've been taught to hide the things that come from inside?'
Who can we steal today
Who can we use today
To put in front of us to cover up ourselves
And keep it all safe inside
You sense the fact that the ordeal is over
You feel the cross being lifted off your shoulder

'The end of the beginning
And I think that I'm about to see the start of something new.

Overall Meaning

The song "Light's on You" by Fastbacks is about the search for meaning and purpose in life, and the struggle to come to terms with one's own past mistakes and shortcomings. The lyrics describe a scene where the singer is confronted by a voice on the radio, questioning their happiness and prompting them to reflect on their life. The singer admits to feeling lost and uncertain about their future, but also acknowledges a sense of understanding about the world that has eluded them thus far.

The chorus, "The light's on you, tell us the story of your life," is a call to action, urging the singer to share their experiences with the world. The verses touch on themes of loneliness, isolation, and the pressure to conform to societal expectations, with lines like "Who can we steal today/Who can we use today/To put in front of us to cover up ourselves." The song ends on a hopeful note, with the singer feeling a sense of closure and readiness for new beginnings.

Overall, "Light's on You" is a deeply introspective and reflective song, exploring the complexities of human emotion and the search for self-discovery.

Line by Line Meaning

You've been as close to the edge as you can be
You've been in a precarious situation that doesn't allow for much margin of error.

Voice comes on and says 'Why aren't you happy?'
A voice speaks to you, questioning why you're not content.

'I've been on the earth for twenty-nine years And haven't found what I should do with my life.'
Despite being alive for almost three decades, you have not been able to discover the purpose of your existence.

Man comes on the screen and he asks boldly 'Does it make you sad to be so lonely?'
A man appears on screen and boldly asks if your solitude causes sadness.

'I think I know what life's about Yet never have I had a chance to find out what went wrong.'
You believe you understand the meaning of life, but you've never had the opportunity to figure out where things went awry for you.

The light's on you, tell us the story of your life The light's on you, tell us even if you don't feel right about The things you've done Tell us why you're on the run The light's on you, tell us the story of your life
The focus is now on you- reveal your life story to us, even if it's uncomfortable and tells us why you've been on the run.

Silence fills the room, the air turns sour Think to yourself, it's been almost an hour How can I say just how I feel When I've been taught to hide the things that come from inside?'
The room falls silent and the mood turns unpleasant. You're troubled that it's already been so long and that it's difficult to express your true emotions when you've learned to bury them deep down.

Who can we steal today Who can we use today To put in front of us to cover up ourselves And keep it all safe inside
We are looking for someone to exploit and manipulate to keep our own problems hidden.

You sense the fact that the ordeal is over You feel the cross being lifted off your shoulder 'The end of the beginning And I think that I'm about to see the start of something new.
The ordeal has concluded, and you feel a significant weight lifted from your shoulders. You realize that your life is about to take a new direction.

Writer(s): Kurt Bloch

Contributed by Xavier O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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