Stars
Grace Potter The Nocturnals Lyrics
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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
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
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.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Grace Potter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@00Peregrine00
Lost my teen son when he succumbed to depression 18 mos ago .... I want the artist to know how much this song helps me let out the built-up emotions... I just cry every time I hear this song and think of him... his charisma, his beautiful spirit, his floppy awkward teen haircut... I miss him so much, every moment.
@user-xb1co1hd8v
I’m so terribly sorry to hear that. I wish you peace and healing.
@AnneMarieLewis
I'm so sorry for your loss... awwww..... my daughter died from brain cancer and covid 1.5 years ago ... so much loss in the world these days... sending hugs....
@brandonhunt9092
So very sorry for your loss. This song makes me think of my mother and identical twin sister. May you find peace. ❤
@joanieatherton5034
I am so sorry for the loss of your son. I can understand where you are. I lost my youngest son at 42 dealing with PTSD. He had suffered a head injury in a car accident a few months before.
There are no answers to the many questions we go through. We pray we cry we ask for messages and some days they come. Insignificant to others, but as their mother we know because our strength comes from within.
I agreed to take my son off of life support. It was not an easy decision. But all of his Drs said he is extremely critical, and I knew he would not live his life in a care facility.
The day his first born son was born, this song came on the radio and I felt it. So I try to have fun doing chair yoga or just my on thing when I hear it.
Gods Blessings to you and we Mothers will always Love our Son’s❤
@00Peregrine00
@@joanieatherton5034 Thank you for your comment... it's now been a bit over two years for me... I meet him in my dreams always, I talk to him as much as I can... On the 2nd anniversary of his passing, I promised him I would find a way to live with joy again. He would have wanted that.
@JaneDoe-2718
I discovered Grace at 18, and when I was walking the streets homeless alone and scared I remember looking up at the moon saying like I always do “hey moon” gazing up at the night sky full of stars in disbelief that this was my life. Started singing this song as I walked down the middle of the road feeling like it was just me and the man in the moon alone on the planet. I felt free, and for a moment not scared. Music like this saves us in moments of hardship. Thanks Grace. ❤
@user-rv6mq1cy4y
I hope you are doing OK. People care. Praying for you to have a great life.
@mulehead2229
I just lost my wife of 20 years to cancer two days ago. We loved hard, fought hard, and lived life to its fullest. I always knew what this song was about, and I haven't listened to it in awhile, but when I played it agian tonight, it made me cry and feel better at the same time. Thank you Grace for this song and all your other wonderful music.
@annathomas5878
I rediscovered this again. Same pain in my heart, losing the man I loved with all my heart.....to dreadful cancer. I liked that you said that you "loved hard and fought hard^