Strangest Thing
KITCHEN 1 - The War On Drugs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Howl at the day
I've been hiding out so long
I gotta find another way
Late at night I wanna see you
Well my eyes, they begin to fade
Am I just living in the space between
And the real thing
Now the sky is painted
In a wash of indigo
I've been holding on too long
In the howling of this cold
I recognize every face
But I ain't got everything I need
If I'm just living in the space between
The beauty and the pain
It's the strangest thing
Yeah, she runs surrounding me
Surrounded by the whole
Surrounded by no other
I wanna run home
Yeah, I can run slowly
Don't run away again
Yeah, I can run in the storm
Don't you run again
I wanna run, I wanna run
Yeah, I can run slowly
Yeah, I can run slowly
The lyrics to "Strangest Thing" by The War On Drugs depict the struggles of the singer as he tries to navigate the complexities of life. The opening line, "Summer ride on the beach, howl at the day" sets the scene of a carefree moment, but then the singer reveals that he has been "hiding out" for too long and needs to find another way. The chorus, "Am I just living in the space between the beauty and the pain?" echoes the sentiment of this inner turmoil, and one gets the sense that the singer is searching for something more substantial in life.
The second verse describes a moment of clarity at night when the singer sees things more clearly but is still caught in the "space between" the beauty and the pain of life. The imagery of the sky being "painted in a wash of indigo" adds to the sense of longing and searching. The last verse suggests that the singer is surrounded by people and things but still feels incomplete. He wants to "run home" or find a place where he belongs. The repeated line "I can run slowly" shows that the singer is willing to take the time to find his way and not rush into anything.
Overall, "Strangest Thing" is a poignant reflection on the struggles of finding meaning and belonging in a tumultuous world.
Line by Line Meaning
Summer ride on the beach
Enjoying a ride on the beach on a warm summer day
Howl at the day
Expressing a deep emotion loudly
I've been hiding out so long
Avoiding social interaction and being alone for an extended period
I gotta find another way
Needing to find a new approach to life
Late at night I wanna see you
Desiring to be in the company of a particular person during nighttime
Well my eyes, they begin to fade
Becoming tired and losing visual acuity
Am I just living in the space between
Questioning existence in the transitional space
The beauty and the pain?
Questioning the coexistence of good and bad experiences
And the real thing
Contemplating what is authentic and genuine
Now the sky is painted
The appearance of the sky has changed
In a wash of indigo
With a strong blue hue
I've been holding on too long
Continuing with something for too long
In the howling of this cold
In the midst of a chilly and unpleasant situation
I recognize every face
Familiar with everyone's appearance
But I ain't got everything I need
Feeling incomplete or lacking necessities
If I'm just living in the space between
Wondering if existence is just intermediate
The beauty and the pain
Struggling with the simultaneous presence of happiness and sorrow
It's the strangest thing
Acknowledging the peculiar nature of the situation
Yeah, she runs surrounding me
A female runs around the singer
Surrounded by the whole
No individual stands out in a group of people around the artist and the female
Surrounded by no other
Only the artist and the female are present
I wanna run home
Yearning to return to a place of safety and comfort
Yeah, I can run slowly
Capable of running at a leisurely pace
Don't run away again
Asking another person not to leave again
Yeah, I can run in the storm
Able to endure difficult situations
Don't you run again
Encouraging someone else not to flee once more
I wanna run, I wanna run
Expressing the desire to escape or move quickly
Yeah, I can run slowly
Once again expressing the ability to jog at an unhurried pace
Lyrics © SC PUBLISHING DBA SECRETLY CANADIAN PUB., Songtrust Ave
Written by: Adam Granofsky
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind