Orphans
Gaslight Anthem Lyrics


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Goodbye circus wheel
May you rest along the sea
I have given you the fire of my youth
And the triumph o're my enemies
Goodbye fair weather home, and your faithless factories
I have given you the blood and the truth
From the wounds they laid onto me
And whatever they left, well, I kept it for my own heart

And the lonesome all understand
With the choirs in my head
And we were orphans before
We were ever the sons of regret
My baby
And on and on and on
The alphabet boys carry on
We were orphans before
We were ever the sons of these songs

And now my lights, they never go down
They waltz the moon and stars for me now
So you can find some local libertine
To take your daughters out on the town
And I can feel it in my aging bones
How the sound of the rain mixes up
Into the fountains where I drank my hero's blood
So I left you to find my very own hat full of rain

And the lonesome all understand
With the choirs in my head
And we were orphans before
We were ever the sons of regret
My baby
And on and on and on
The alphabet boys carry on
We were orphans before
We were ever the sons of these songs

Now I'm trying to keep it straight
Learning all the streets and the alleyways
And learning where they lead
Now that I'm left alone here to drive
But it's so hard to stand on your own
Against mirror of glass, hard and cold
But the clothes I wore
Just don't fit my soul anymore
No the clothes I wore
Just don't fit my soul anymore

And the lonesome all understand
With the choirs in my head
And we were orphans before
We were ever the sons of regret
My baby
And on and on and on
The alphabet boys carry on
We were orphans before
We were ever the sons of these songs

When we were young
We were diamond Sinatras
Like something I saw in a dream
We kept our secrets in rooms




Locked up tight like a tomb
Where the ballerinas lay

Overall Meaning

The song "Orphans" by Gaslight Anthem is about growing up and leaving behind one's childhood and adolescent years. The singer bids farewell to different aspects of his past, such as a "circus wheel" and "fair weather home," which represent his naive and innocent younger self. He has given his all to these places, but he now realizes they were not faithful or deserving of his loyalty. He acknowledges that he has been wounded by others, but he has managed to keep what was important for himself. He also reflects on the idea that he and his peers were like orphans before they ever became "sons of regret."


The chorus emphasizes the sense of loneliness and shared experience among those who have gone through a similar journey. The singer has "choirs in [his] head" that echo his feelings and memories. He and his friends were like orphans in the sense that they were struggling to find their way in life and felt disconnected from others who did not understand their perspective. The alphabet boys symbolize the authorities who would try to control their lives, but ultimately they could not break their independent spirit.


In the final verses, the singer talks about moving forward and starting anew. He must learn the streets and alleyways by himself and find his own way. He acknowledges that it is difficult to face oneself in the mirror and confront the challenges of life alone. The clothes he wore in the past no longer fit him, suggesting that he has outgrown his younger self and is ready for a new chapter.


Line by Line Meaning

Goodbye circus wheel
Farewell to the cycle of life and work


May you rest along the sea
Let your journey end peacefully along the coast


I have given you the fire of my youth
I have devoted my youth to you with all my passion and motivation


And the triumph o're my enemies
And I have conquered my enemies with you


Goodbye fair weather home, and your faithless factories
Goodbye to the comfortable home I once had, and the untrustworthy businesses that supported it


I have given you the blood and the truth
I have given you my dedication and honesty, even if it came at my own expense


From the wounds they laid onto me
From the injuries and scars that were inflicted upon me


And whatever they left, well, I kept it for my own heart
And I have held onto whatever was left of me for my own benefit and well-being


And the lonesome all understand
Those who are lonely and isolated can comprehend my feelings


With the choirs in my head
The melodies in my mind sing in harmony, giving me comfort and encouragement


And we were orphans before
We were lost and unclaimed before we found solace in something greater than ourselves


We were ever the sons of regret
We have always carried the burden of our past mistakes and disappointments


My baby
My loved one, my partner, my friend


And on and on and on
And we will continue to move forward, no matter what obstacles lie ahead


The alphabet boys carry on
The law enforcement officers continue doing their job


Now I'm trying to keep it straight
Now I am striving to live honestly and stay on the right path


Learning all the streets and the alleyways
Familiarizing myself with all the paths and shortcuts in life


And learning where they lead
And discovering the destinations and outcomes that await me


Now that I'm left alone here to drive
Now that I have to navigate life's challenges by myself


But it's so hard to stand on your own
But it is difficult to be independent and self-reliant


Against mirror of glass, hard and cold
Against the harsh, cruel reality of life that is unforgiving like a mirror


But the clothes I wore
But my old identity and way of life


Just don't fit my soul anymore
No longer match my inner self and beliefs


When we were young
In our youth


We were diamond Sinatras
We were bright and prized, like the legendary Frank Sinatra


Like something I saw in a dream
Like a surreal, unattainable vision


We kept our secrets in rooms
We hid our deepest thoughts and vulnerabilities in private


Locked up tight like a tomb
Secured and guarded like a burial site


Where the ballerinas lay
Where the graceful dancers rest, symbolizing beauty and fragility at the same time




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BRIAN FALLON

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

Beater Bike Channel make Orwelll fiction again.

Orphans

The Gaslight Anthem

LYRICS

Goodbye circus wheel
May you rest along the sea 
I have given you the fire of my youth 
And the triumph o're my enemies
Goodbye fair weather home, and your faithless factories
I have given you the blood and the truth
From the wounds they laid onto me
And whatever they left, well, I kept it for my own heart

And the lonesome all understand
With the choirs in my head
And we were orphans before
We were ever the sons of regret
My baby
And on and on and on
The alphabet boys carry on
We were orphans before
We were ever the sons of these songs

And now my lights, they never go down
They waltz the moon and stars for me now
So you can find some local libertine
To take your daughters out on the town
And I can feel it in my aging bones
How the sound of the rain mixes up
Into the fountains where I drank my hero's blood
So I left you to find my very own hat full of rain

And the lonesome all understand
With the choirs in my head
And we were orphans before
We were ever the sons of regret
My baby
And on and on and on
The alphabet boys carry on
We were orphans before
We were ever the sons of these songs

Now I'm trying to keep it straight
Learning all the streets and the alleyways
And learning where they lead
Now that I'm left alone here to drive
But it's so hard to stand on your own
Against mirror of glass, hard and cold
But the clothes I wore
Just don't fit my soul anymore
No the clothes I wore
Just don't fit my soul anymore

And the lonesome all understand
With the choirs in my head
And we were orphans before
We were ever the sons of regret
My baby
And on and on and on
The alphabet boys carry on
We were orphans before
We were ever the sons of these songs

When we were young
We were diamond Sinatras
Like something I saw in a dream
We kept our secrets in rooms
Locked up tight like a tomb
Where the ballerinas lay



All comments from YouTube:

Beater Bike Channel make Orwelll fiction again.

Orphans

The Gaslight Anthem

LYRICS

Goodbye circus wheel
May you rest along the sea 
I have given you the fire of my youth 
And the triumph o're my enemies
Goodbye fair weather home, and your faithless factories
I have given you the blood and the truth
From the wounds they laid onto me
And whatever they left, well, I kept it for my own heart

And the lonesome all understand
With the choirs in my head
And we were orphans before
We were ever the sons of regret
My baby
And on and on and on
The alphabet boys carry on
We were orphans before
We were ever the sons of these songs

And now my lights, they never go down
They waltz the moon and stars for me now
So you can find some local libertine
To take your daughters out on the town
And I can feel it in my aging bones
How the sound of the rain mixes up
Into the fountains where I drank my hero's blood
So I left you to find my very own hat full of rain

And the lonesome all understand
With the choirs in my head
And we were orphans before
We were ever the sons of regret
My baby
And on and on and on
The alphabet boys carry on
We were orphans before
We were ever the sons of these songs

Now I'm trying to keep it straight
Learning all the streets and the alleyways
And learning where they lead
Now that I'm left alone here to drive
But it's so hard to stand on your own
Against mirror of glass, hard and cold
But the clothes I wore
Just don't fit my soul anymore
No the clothes I wore
Just don't fit my soul anymore

And the lonesome all understand
With the choirs in my head
And we were orphans before
We were ever the sons of regret
My baby
And on and on and on
The alphabet boys carry on
We were orphans before
We were ever the sons of these songs

When we were young
We were diamond Sinatras
Like something I saw in a dream
We kept our secrets in rooms
Locked up tight like a tomb
Where the ballerinas lay

Victor Ortiz

Meu coração bate mais forte quando eu ouço essa música.<3

Jimmy T

The more I hear from these guys, the more I think...."Damn,there is some really bad music out there..Thank God for bands like this"

Luke West

Same

Yoshi181313

FUCKING AMAZING SONG!!!! Love the Gaslight ANthem!

Jeff Tupper

Goddamn I feel this. Thank you

demondays7

"ah maria, if you woulda known me when..." but she just smiles by the light on the navesink banks saying "listen baby i know you now"

outlaws9295

This was made 4 years ago and still no lyrics..

jreeg dss

+outlaws9295 Be patient, they're coming soon.

gsp1175

@jreeg dss they're still in the works I'm sure

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