Walk Away
Joseph Arthur Lyrics


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So long
You went alone
Holding on
To what you'll never know

Who were you
Pretending you should be
Never enough
Of who you thought you'd be

You walk away
You want to walk away
You want to walk away
From who you are

You look away
From some eyes always see
Far beyond
Your reality

Look within
Into the universe
Ask yourself
If you belong to this

You walk away
You want to walk away




You want to walk away
From who you are

Overall Meaning

Joseph Arthur's Walk Away is a song with a rather simple structure - two verses and a chorus, with each verse focusing on two contrasting images. The song appears to be about a person who is unhappy with themselves, or rather, with the person they have become. It seems that this person is lost, and is struggling to determine who they are and what they stand for. They are holding on to something, but they don't know what it is. They are pretending to be someone they are not, trying to be as perfect as they think they should be. They think they are not good enough, and that they will never become the person they want to be.


The chorus - "You walk away, you want to walk away, you want to walk away, from who you are" - repeats the message of the song, emphasizing the idea that the person is trying to escape from themselves. It seems that they are looking for answers outside themselves, but no matter how far they walk, they cannot escape who they are.


The lyrics are delivered with a sense of resignation, as if the person has given up on themselves. At the same time, there is a sense of hope - as if the person still believes that they can find themselves, if only they keep looking. The song is a meditation on identity, and the idea that sometimes we have to walk away from the things we thought we wanted in order to find what we really need.


Line by Line Meaning

So long
Farewell


You went alone
You left by yourself


Holding on
Grasping tightly


To what you'll never know
To something that will forever remain a mystery


Who were you
Who did you ever really reveal yourself to be


Pretending you should be
Acting as someone you thought you should be


Never enough
Continually feeling inadequate


Of who you thought you'd be
Of the person you imagined you would become


You walk away
You choose to leave


You want to walk away
You have an urge to depart


You want to walk away
You want to go away


From who you are
From your true self


You look away
You avert your gaze


From some eyes always see
From the scrutiny of those who can perceive what you hide


Far beyond
Well above


Your reality
The world you've created for yourself


Look within
Search inside yourself


Into the universe
Into the vastness of existence


Ask yourself
Query your own conscience


If you belong to this
If you are meant to be here


You walk away
You go away


You want to walk away
You have a desire to leave


You want to walk away
You wish to depart


From who you are
From your authentic self




Contributed by Hudson G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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