'Joel Tan who goes by the moniker of ‘Gentle Bones’ for his solo acoustic project does not find it wise to derive his inspiration from a specific genre or artiste. He welcomes the fact that we are often in constant flux, and this includes even his inclination towards his favorite musicians - that too may change in the future. When asked about his moniker, he muses that it was simply an impulsive attempt at conjuring a cryptic name for his music project.'
by ObscuRed.Sg (Eliza Loh and Diana Rahim)
Settle Down
Gentle Bones Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'm reaching a point I can't even erase
All of the memories now
Please let me lose somehow
You're driving me crazy
But all I can do is just put on a smile
It's going to take me a while for now
'Cause it feels so old
But would you settle down
Settle down with me now and forever
Settle down
Settle down with me now and forever
I've been taken aback by the coldness I've got from you
Tell me is it true that I've been nothing at all
But I'd hold you tight and have a walk in the park we've loved
But the conversation is dry
Oh my god, I'm trying to keep you in love
But baby, come back come back
To me
The lyrics of Gentle Bones's song Settle Down evoke emotions of longing, frustration, and hurt. The singer seems to be stuck in a phase of their life where they are unable to forget memories of someone they have lost. They ask to be taken out of this phase and to be allowed to somehow find a way to lose these memories. The mention of the smile that they put on even though they are going crazy indicates that they are trying to mask their pain so as not to burden others with it. But the second verse shows that they have been hurt by someone they cared about. It speaks of being taken aback by the coldness they have received and them asking if they have meant nothing at all. They also try to suggest something they could do together, a walk in the park they both loved, but the conversation is dry.
The chorus, however, holds a request to let bygones be bygones and to move forward. The singer says "would you settle down with me now and forever," almost as if to suggest that they want to build a future together despite the hurt they have experienced. They are ready to heal their soul but need the other person to do the same, to settle down with them and work towards a mutual healing. The song ends with an almost desperate plea to the other person to come back to them, perhaps as a reflection of the pain and emotional turmoil that they have been through.
Overall, the song speaks of the complexities of relationships, the hurt that can arise, and the need for healing and forgiveness to move forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Take me out of this phase
I want to leave this time in my life behind me and move on.
I'm reaching a point I can't even erase
I'm at a place where I can't forget the things that have happened to me.
All of the memories now
All the memories of our relationship are still fresh in my mind.
Please let me lose somehow
Please let me forget about us and move on with my life.
You're driving me crazy
Your actions are having a profound effect on my mental health.
But all I can do is just put on a smile
Despite everything you've done, I'm putting on a brave face because I care about you.
It's going to take me a while for now
I need more time to heal and move past our relationship.
But how do I heal my soul
I'm struggling to find a way to get over the heartbreak you've caused me.
'Cause it feels so old
The pain I'm feeling is overwhelming and has been with me for a long time.
But would you settle down
Would you be with me and commit to our relationship?
Settle down with me now and forever
Be with me now and always, committed to our love for each other.
I've been taken aback by the coldness I've got from you
I'm surprised by your lack of emotions and affection towards me.
Tell me is it true that I've been nothing at all
Is it true that I mean nothing to you and our relationship was meaningless?
But I'd hold you tight and have a walk in the park we've loved
I still want to hold you and be close to you, to reminisce about the happy memories we had together.
But the conversation is dry
Our conversations have become boring and lack the love and emotion we used to share.
Oh my god, I'm trying to keep you in love
I'm trying my best to keep the love we shared alive, despite the distance between us.
But baby, come back come back
I want you to come back to me and put in the effort to make our love work.
Contributed by Riley R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@kanishk.saxena
Take me out of this phase
I'm reaching a point I can't even erase
All of the memories now
Please let me loose somehow
You're driving me crazy
But all I can do is just put up a smile
It's going to take me a while for now
But how do I heal my soul
'Cause it feels so old
But would you settle down
Settle down with me now and forever
Settle down
Settle down with me now and forever
I've been taken aback by the coldness I've got from you
Tell me is it true that I've been nothing at all
But I'd hold you tight and have a walk in the park we've loved
But the conversation is dry
Oh my god, I'm trying to keep you in love
But baby, come back come back
To me
Would you settle down
Settle down with me now and forever
Settle down
Settle down with me now and forever
Settle down
Settle down please
(Would you love me, would you)
Settle down
Settle down with me now and forever
Settle down
Settle down now forever
@randompersoncookie
your voice is gold, your songs are platinum, how am I just discovering you now? how are you not fucking famous already?? it's kind of ridiculous how upset I am by the fact that you're not a million copy selling artist already because you deserve it! the world needs to hear your beautiful voice!
@cristalgay9712
ikr!!!
@victoriawells4417
So true! Couldn't have said it better
@edenng1307
Alice Liu it's because his Singaporean, an Asian. the Americans are kinda selfish
@ridhwannabe
Wow. This is fucking good. The plot, the song, keep it up dude.
@babypink9142
OH HI RIDHWAN
@ashtxnf9336
prata man
@elgingersnap2444
OMG your voice gives me the chills. I just looked you up after being blown away by your cover of Bright. I am a new fan! :D
@Mizella1976
Went for the 11 June concert at Esplanade, and HANDS DOWN you are the best local artist I have ever listened to! Best concert ever! Thank you Joel and teams! <3
@bendnotbreak18
Was there too. My first time attending a big concert by a Singaporean English-language artist. Been waiting my whole life for this - there haven't been many such shows (and I'm 42!). It was amazing - listening to Singaporean songs by a Singaporean artist with Singaporean fans. And singing along with everyone. If Singaporeans are emotionless I didn't feel it that night. A very special experience. I second what Gentle Bones said. You guys were a great audience.