Grace Potter is a member of The Nocturnals (Grace Potter & The Nocturnals) … Read Full Bio ↴Grace Potter is a member of The Nocturnals (Grace Potter & The Nocturnals) with Scott Tournet (guitar/slide guitar), Matthew Burr (drums/percussion), and Bryan Dondero (upright/electric bass). Potter's dynamic vocal ability has drawn comparisons to legends Bonnie Raitt, Aretha Franklin and Janis Joplin. Her unique style behind the Hammond B-3 and piano is also gaining widespread recognition.

Stars
Grace Potter Lyrics

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I lit a fire with the love you left behind
And it burned wild and crept up the mountainside
I followed your ashes into outer space
I can't look out the window, I can't look at this place

I can't look at the stars
They make me wonder where you are
Stars, up on Heaven's boulevard

And if I know you at all,
I know you've gone too far
So I, I can't look at the stars

All those times we looked up at the sky
Looking out so far, we felt like we could fly
And now I'm all alone in the dark of night
The moon is shining but I can't see the light

And I can't look at the stars
They make me wonder where you are
Stars, up on Heaven's boulevard
And if I know you at all,
I know you've gone too far
So I, I can't look at the stars

Stars
Stars, they make me wonder where you are
Stars up on Heaven's boulevard
And if I know you at all,

I know you've gone too far
So I can't look at the stars

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Grace Potter & The Nocturnals' song Stars evoke a sense of nostalgia and loss. The singer is grappling with the absence of someone they loved deeply, and the stars, which once filled them with wonder, now only serve as a reminder of their loved one's absence. The opening lines "I lit a fire with the love you left behind / And it burned wild and crept up the mountainside" speak to the strength of the love the singer once felt for their partner, and how that love has now turned into a destructive force. They then follow their partner's ashes into outer space, perhaps as a metaphor for following them into death or the afterlife. The singer is unable to appreciate the beauty of the world around them, represented by the stars, because of the overwhelming grief they are experiencing.

The second verse references the shared experiences the singer once had with their partner, looking up at the sky and feeling as though they could fly. But now, in the aftermath of their loss, the moon shines but the light is not enough to penetrate the darkness of their grief. The chorus repeats, intensifying the feelings of loss and longing. Even if the singer knows their partner has gone too far, the pain of their absence is still too great to bear.

In many ways, Stars is a song about how loss changes everything. The stars, which were once a symbol of wonder and possibility, are now a source of pain and heartache. The singer is looking for a way to reconcile their feelings of love and loss, but it seems that as long as they are unable to move beyond their grief, they will not be able to appreciate the beauty of the world around them.

Line by Line Meaning

I lit a fire with the love you left behind
I started a new passion with the remnants of our relationship's love and it blazed uncontrollably, even reaching the peaks of the mountains.

I followed your ashes into outer space
I pursued your remains until they went beyond this world though I know in reality it is impossible.

I can't look out the window, I can't look at this place
I cannot bear to glance at anything in this area as I am reminded of our past memories which now only bring me pain.

All those times we looked up at the sky
The many moments we spent gazing at the sky, full of dreams and imagination.

Looking out so far, we felt like we could fly
The horizon was so far away that we felt almost weightless and as if we could levitate ourselves.

And now I'm all alone in the dark of night
But now I am purely in solitude in the darkness, with no one to comfort me.

The moon is shining but I can't see the light
Although the moon is visible, its radiance does not bring me any light, nor does anything around me.

Stars, they make me wonder where you are
The stars make me contemplate where you might have journeyed in the afterlife.

Stars up on Heaven's boulevard
A reference to the concept of the Milky Way as a road to heaven, where the stars may guide us.

And if I know you at all, I know you've gone too far
If I truly understand you, I am assured that you have left us and gone further away.

So I can't look at the stars
I cannot handle the thought of looking up at the constellations, being buried beneath a weighty emptiness when I miss you so much.

Stars
Repeat of the song title.