Real Friends
I've Given Up On You Lyrics
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like I could walk on water
Now most nights I'm
just sinking down and down
You're the reason why I can't
listen to the same songs I used to
I write songs about you all the time
through your mind
I've given up on you, but it
still hurts to know you're not alone
Don't worry, I'll keep out
of your life and stay awake at night
It's 4am and you're keeping me
from closing these sleepy eyes
Does the thought of me
keep you up at night?
Like the light on the
ceiling of your bedroom
Lately, my dog's the only
one around that listens to my problems
It's been a lonely year
It's been a lonely year
It's been a lonely year
It's been a lonely year
I write songs about you all the time
I bet I don't run through your mind
I've given up on you, but it
still hurts to know you're not alone
Don't worry, I'll keep out
of your life and stay awake at night
With just my skin and bones
It hurts to know you're not alone
I've given up on you,
and my skin, and my bones
In "Real Friends" by I've Given Up On You, the lyrics reflect the pain and loneliness of a person who has been betrayed by a friend. The song expresses the hurt the person feels, as they used to feel invincible when they were with this friend, but now they feel themselves sinking down into sadness. The lyrics are evocative, as they paint the picture of how things have changed: "You used to make me feel like I could walk on water/ Now most nights I'm just sinking down and down/ You're the reason why I can't listen to the same songs I used to." The person who once made them feel so alive and happy is now the source of their misery. The singer resolves to move on from the friendship, but it still hurts to know that their former friend is not alone, while they feel so lonely.
The song has a melancholic tone, underscored by the repetition of "It's been a lonely year" as the refrain. The lyrics mention the singer's attempts to reach out to their ex-friend, through writing songs about them and wondering if they ever think of the singer. However, the chorus resounds with a resigned bitterness: "I've given up on you, but it still hurts to know you're not alone/ Don't worry, I'll keep out of your life and stay awake at night/ With just my skin and bones, it hurts to know you're not alone/ I've given up on you, and my skin, and my bones." The singer has accepted the end of the friendship, but the pain remains.
Line by Line Meaning
You used to make me feel like I could walk on water
You made me feel invincible, as if I could conquer anything
Now most nights I'm just sinking down and down
Nowadays, I feel like I'm drowning and can't seem to stay afloat
You're the reason why I can't listen to the same songs I used to
I associate those songs with you and it's painful to be reminded of you
I write songs about you all the time
The hurt you caused me is so consuming that it inspires much of my music
I bet I don't run through your mind
I doubt you even think about me
I've given up on you, but it still hurts to know you're not alone
I've moved on from you, but the thought of you being lonely still pains me
Don't worry, I'll keep out of your life and stay awake at night
I'll make an effort to avoid you and suffer alone at night
It's 4am and you're keeping me from closing these sleepy eyes
You're on my mind and preventing me from getting a good night's sleep
Does the thought of me keep you up at night?
I wonder if you think about me and if it affects you like it does me
Like the light on the ceiling of your bedroom
I'm a constant presence in your life, like the light in your room
Lately, my dog's the only one around that listens to my problems
I feel lonely and have no one to turn to except my dog
It's been a lonely year
I've spent a year feeling isolated and alone
With just my skin and bones
All I have left is myself, stripped down to just my physical body
It hurts to know you're not alone
It's painful to think that you have someone else while I'm left feeling lonely
I've given up on you, and my skin, and my bones
I've given up on the idea of us, but it still hurts to be in my own skin without you
Contributed by Joseph H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@singkingkaraoke
Love this song so much. Whenever I start listening to it, I have to make sure I've queued it up to repeat a minimum of 10 times. At the very least! Amazing stuff
@seashore0015
wtf?
@themagictrash
being in love with someone who doesn't love you back is so exhausting.
@zennnlennn
I fucking feel you ugh!!
@PETERFLUFFIN
same here.
@themagictrash
tell me about it
@XengulfedinflamesX
Michaela Green Right?
@veronicafalkenrath4600
It honestly is. And heartbreaking and achey all over all the time
@stephanokidd4498
It's been 5 years for me. That one person you can't seem to replace.
@stephanokidd4498
Well I would but circumstances that have happened make it impossible, I'm not putting that issue out on here tho.