When I Look Up
Jack Johnson(잭 존슨) Lyrics
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As I walk in the night
Down the street by my house
It feels good
When I look up at the stars
As I walk in the night
Down the street by my house
The light from the moon
Is afraid of the ground
So it falls behind spaces
And hides behind clouds
When I look up at the clouds
As they move through the night
With the wind
As I walk down the street
The light from the moon
Is afraid of the ground
So I step on the shadows
Of my own feet
In "When I Look Up," Jack Johnson takes his listeners on a journey through his neighborhood as he contemplates the beauty of the world around him. He begins by gazing up at the stars, noting the sense of peace and contentment that washes over him as he walks down his street at night. The stars loom large overhead, seeming to offer a sense of perspective and reassurance in the midst of everyday life.
Johnson's musings then shift to the moon, which he notes seems to be in hiding. He paints a picture of the moon's light as skittish, afraid of the ground and eternally seeking out places to hide. This sense of the fragile, fleeting nature of beauty in the world is a recurring motif for Johnson throughout the song.
Indeed, as Johnson focuses his attention on the clouds, it seems as though he's struck by the ephemeral nature of everything. The clouds, which he describes as moving through the night with the wind, are never still or permanent. Life, too, is fleeting and ever-changing - a fact that Johnson seems to grapple with over the course of this dreamy and introspective track.
The closing image of Johnson stepping on the shadows of his own feet hints at the way that even the most basic elements of the world around us are constantly shifting and moving. "When I Look Up" ultimately offers a meditation on the transience of life, and the beauty that can be found in moments of quiet contemplation.
Line by Line Meaning
When I look up at the stars
Observing the stars above while walking through the darkness
As I walk in the night
Traveling through the dark hours of the night
Down the street by my house
Walking along the road with one's residence nearby
It feels good
Provides a positive sensation to the individual
The light from the moon
Brightness emanating from the celestial body in the sky
Is afraid of the ground
The moon's light refrains from shining onto the earth
So it falls behind spaces
The moonlight chooses to fall behind obstacles that prevent earthly illumination
And hides behind clouds
Conceals its brightness under a layer of cotton-like formation in the sky
When I look up at the clouds
Observing the sky's cloudy formations
As they move through the night
Witnessing the clouds flowing with the wind as the night progresses
With the wind
Blowing through the atmosphere
As I walk down the street
Strolling along the sidewalk
So the light from the moon
Moonlight's brightness
Is afraid of the ground
The moon's light fears radiating onto the earth
So I step on the shadows
Planting my footsteps on the dark outlines created by the light's absence
Of my own feet
My feet cast the shadow that the artist is stepping on
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
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