Even before reaching public attention by appearing on Norah Jones' breakthr… Read Full Bio ↴Even before reaching public attention by appearing on Norah Jones' breakthrough debut album, Jesse Harris was a well regarded singer-songwriter in his own right, particularly with well received regular appearances at New York's The Living Room (the acoustic night of choice for the uber-hip alt.country folk set). The release of The Secret Sun album cemented his reputation as an artist of note.

Looking Back
Jesse Harris Lyrics

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Lookin' back I don't remember
Anythin' from last September
But I see your eyes still glowin'
With a pain that kept on flowin'
But lookin' back I don't remember

There are times you seem to be here
In a dream you meet me somewhere

And you say you're fine, don't worry
But you move on in a hurry
And lookin' back I don't remember

When the sun set on the last year
I could see it fallin' like a tear
And it took you down into the sea

With a kind of strange finality
But lookin' back I don't remember

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Jesse Harris's song Looking Back depict the singer's struggle to recall the events of the past year, specifically the month of September. Although the singer cannot remember anything, they can still vividly remember the pain in the eyes of the person they care about. The pain is described as a flowing force, implying its severity and duration. The lyrics also suggest that the singer has lost touch with this person, possibly due to a sudden change in circumstances or location. While the singer acknowledges that they occasionally dream of meeting this person again and that they express a sense of wellbeing, the person always leaves quickly, leaving the singer feeling unsure and distant. The final part of the verse implies that the singer had lost this person, metaphorically as "it took you down into the sea." Despite the emotional impact of this event, the singer cannot remember the details of what happened.

Line by Line Meaning

Lookin' back I don't remember
The singer cannot recall anything from the past, specifically September, but remembers seeing the pain in someone's eyes.

Anythin' from last September
The singer cannot recall anything from September, which suggests a lack of importance or significance.

But I see your eyes still glowin'
The singer notices that someone's eyes still possess a certain shine, despite the passing time.

With a pain that kept on flowin'
The person with glowing eyes still carries deep emotional pain that hasn't ebbed away over time.

There are times you seem to be here
Despite being physically absent, the person with the glowing eyes seems to appear in the artist's dreams or memories.

In a dream you meet me somewhere
The singer dreams of encountering the person with the glowing eyes in a particular location.

And you say you're fine, don't worry
In the dream, the person with the glowing eyes assures the singer that they are okay and have no need for concern.

But you move on in a hurry
However, the person with the glowing eyes quickly moves on from the artist's presence, leading to a sense of unease.

When the sun set on the last year
The artist describes the passing of one year to another, signifying the passage of time and change.

I could see it fallin' like a tear
The artist perceives a sort of sadness associated with the passing of time, possibly due to the fleeting nature of life.

And it took you down into the sea
The passing of time led to the disappearance or departure of someone, symbolized by being taken down to the sea.

With a kind of strange finality
The departure or disappearance of someone carried an unexpected finality, leaving the artist with a sense of surprise or confusion.

But lookin' back I don't remember
Despite these events and emotions associated with a particular time or person, the singer ultimately feels as if they cannot recall any of it with clarity as they look back.

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JESSE HARRIS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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