The first way of spell… Read Full Bio ↴Ilse de Lange is the same person as Ilse DeLange.
The first way of spelling is the original Dutch way of writing her name as she is Dutch.
The second spelling is the American way, which she adopted as her stage name.
The Other Side
Ilse de Lange Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Are you loosing your mind, loosing track of time
Hide yourself in a masquerade, falling into this escapade
Watch yourself dancing with the clowns
Did you think you would be up with the kings and the queens
Building castles of sand, it gets out of hand
You know there's no guarantee surviving anomalies
No one is running the show, no one is letting you know
That you will end up alone, keep running and running and running and running
Are there places that you hide, that echo your innocence
Run away from the fire, you are burning up inside
Lost control of the truth and the lies, it is lonely where you go
I have been there, so I know the way
Back to the other side
Counteract and get physical, deaf to anything critical
I don't mean to be cynical but you're fading away
Everybody has disappeared, will the walls listen to your fears
There's no reflection here, ironically
No one is running the show, no one is letting you know
That you will end up alone, keep running and running and running and running
Are there places that you hide, that echo your innocence
Run away from the fire, you are burning up inside
Lost control of the truth and the lies, it is lonely where you go
I have been there, so I know the way
Back to the other side
No one is running the show, no one is letting you know
That you will end up alone, keep running and running and running and running
Are there places that you hide, that echo your innocence
Run away from the fire, you are burning up inside
Lost control of the truth and the lies, it is lonely where you go
I have been there, so I know the way
It is lonely where you go
I have been there, so I know the way
Back to the other side
The lyrics of the song "The Other Side" by Ilse DeLange speaks about the struggles and uncertainties that one faces in life. The song addresses the issue of self-doubt and the pressure to conform to societal norms. It questions whether one is giving their all or pretending to cope. The singer, in a compassionate tone, reminds the listener that she has been there and understands how lonely it can be. It portrays a sense of existential angst, a feeling of being lost and searching for one's true self.
The song begins with the rhetorical question about whether the listener is giving all they have or pretending to cope. The singer suggests that they may be losing their mind, time, or losing sight of their purpose. She then goes on to describe the metaphorical masquerade in which they hide, apparently, dressing up for others' sake. The listener may be falling into a trap and dancing with clowns who are pretending to be what they are not. The second verse refers to the listener's subconscious, where they hide their innocence, running away from the fire that is consuming them from inside. The singer understands that the listener has lost control and is struggling with the truth and lies that make their path lonely. In the chorus, the singer repeats that no one is running the show and that the listener will end up alone. She urges the listener to keep running, but she empathizes with them because she has been there too.
Overall, the song embodies the feeling of mental chaos, searching for peace or a sense of grounding, and how, in the end, we can overcome such tribulation. The singer encourages the listener to counteract their negative thoughts, turn their attention to physical exercise, and disregarding the criticism they perceive from others.
Line by Line Meaning
Will you give all you got to give, are you making it up a bit
Are you willing to put your all into this, or just pretending?
Are you loosing your mind, loosing track of time
Do you feel like you're going crazy and can't keep up with everything?
Hide yourself in a masquerade, falling into this escapade
Are you pretending to be someone you're not, getting lost in this adventure?
Watch yourself dancing with the clowns
Be careful not to get caught up with the wrong crowd.
Did you think you would be up with the kings and the queens
Did you expect to be on top with the best of them?
Building castles of sand, it gets out of hand
It's easy to lose control of the situation when you're building something fragile and temporary.
You know there's no guarantee surviving anomalies
You'll never know what could go wrong, so be prepared for anything.
No one can breathe in the sea, ironically
Even though we're surrounded by water, it's impossible for us to survive in it.
No one is running the show, no one is letting you know
There's no one in charge and no one keeping you informed.
That you will end up alone, keep running and running and running and running
If you keep going in circles like this, you'll end up by yourself.
Are there places that you hide, that echo your innocence
Do you have safe spaces where you can be yourself and feel pure?
Run away from the fire, you are burning up inside
If you stay in this situation, it will consume you and harm you from the inside.
Lost control of the truth and the lies, it is lonely where you go
When you can't differentiate between reality and falsehood, it can be a lonely and dark place.
I have been there, so I know the way
I have experienced this before, so I understand how to help.
Counteract and get physical, deaf to anything critical
Take action and combat the negativity, ignoring any harmful criticism.
I don't mean to be cynical but you're fading away
I don't want to be negative, but I can see you slipping away.
Everybody has disappeared, will the walls listen to your fears
When everyone is gone, will you have anyone or anything to confide in?
There's no reflection here, ironically
Even though there's no mirror, you need to reflect on yourself and your actions.
It is lonely where you go
When you isolate yourself like this, it can be a lonely and dark place.
Back to the other side
Let's go back to a better place where we can be ourselves and find happiness.
Contributed by Nathaniel K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.