Looking Back
Keane Lyrics


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You're living in a place you left behind
Going round in circles all the time
Can see the way your head it's like you're blind
So open your eyes and
Time realign just what you got
With what you nearly had and what you want
You fall asleep and then the moment's gone
So open your eyes and

Yeah, its hard to undo time
Hard to separate my past from my rhyme
Cause how could you separate milk from lime
Waste my time

Looking back
You always seem to be looking back (looking back)
Feels like your mind's always somewhere else
You're always looking over your shoulder

Think about the places you could never be
Beauty in the faces that you never see
As you lie this sleepy
How the moment flies
So open your eyes and:

Yeah, they say life makes sense backwards
But you've got to live it forward

Don't waste your time, no
Don't waste your time just looking back
You always seem to be looking back
Feels like your mind's always somewhere else
You're always looking over your shoulder (over your shoulder)
Looking back
You always seem to be looking back (looking back)
Feels like your mind's always somewhere else (somewhere else)
You're always looking over your shoulder

Am I the only one trying to fight off an army
Of memories dressed up all trying to harm me
I feel cocky, running up the steps like Rocky
Until the past comes flashing like paparazzi
Nothing's new so why open my folder
My favorite view is over my shoulder
Everything backwards, is my plight
Its landing first when in my flight
Even my tears run up my cheeks
Back in my eye
Link I die

Don't waste your time just looking back
You always seem to be looking back (looking back)
Feels like your mind's always somewhere else (somewhere else)
You're always looking over your shoulder (over your shoulder)
You always seem to be looking back (looking back)
Feels like your mind's always somewhere else (somewhere else)
You're always looking over your shoulder (over your shoulder)

You're always looking back




Over, and over, and over
You're always looking back

Overall Meaning

In Keane's (feat K'Naan) song "Looking Back," the lyrics speak to the idea of living in the past and constantly looking back at what could have been. The verses emphasize the importance of being present and not getting lost in the regret and nostalgia of the past. The chorus repeats the phrase "Looking back," highlighting the theme of the song and the way that the singer is always stuck in their own head and consumed by the past.


The song touches on the idea that life only makes sense when we look back on it, but that doesn't mean we should waste our time dwelling on what's already happened. The lyrics in the bridge are particularly poignant - K'Naan describes the overwhelming feeling of being burdened by memories and regrets that seem to haunt us and hold us back from moving forward. Despite the struggles, the song ultimately urges listeners not to waste their time constantly looking back, but instead to focus on living in the present and looking forward towards the future.


Overall, "Looking Back" is a powerful reminder to live in the moment and let go of the past. The lyrics are beautifully written and eloquently convey the emotions of someone who is struggling to find their place in the world while grappling with the weight of their own history.


Line by Line Meaning

You're living in a place you left behind
You still mentally reside in a place you physically left


Going round in circles all the time
You're stuck in a repetitive cycle


Can see the way your head it's like you're blind
You're oblivious to your own situation


So open your eyes and
It's time to wake up and


Time realign just what you got
Reevaluate what you have and


With what you nearly had and what you want
Compare it to what you almost had and what you aspire to


You fall asleep and then the moment's gone
Life passes by quickly


So open your eyes and
It's time to wake up and


Yeah, its hard to undo time
It's difficult to change the past


Hard to separate my past from my rhyme
It's a challenge to distinguish between his past experiences and his music


Cause how could you separate milk from lime
It's like trying to separate two things that are completely different


Waste my time
He doesn't want to waste any more time


Looking back
Reflecting on the past


You always seem to be looking back (looking back)
It's a recurring habit for you to ponder the past


Feels like your mind's always somewhere else
Your mind is preoccupied with other things


You're always looking over your shoulder
You're constantly paranoid


Think about the places you could never be
Contemplate on places you might have missed out on


Beauty in the faces that you never see
Realize the countless things you never had the opportunity to experience


As you lie this sleepy
Even when you're relaxed


How the moment flies
Time goes by quickly


Yeah, they say life makes sense backwards
Hindsight is 20/20


But you've got to live it forward
But you still need to move forward


Don't waste your time, no
Don't waste any more time


Am I the only one trying to fight off an army
He's fighting to suppress memories


Of memories dressed up all trying to harm me
Negative memories cause pain and suffering


I feel cocky, running up the steps like Rocky
He feels confident despite adversity


Until the past comes flashing like paparazzi
Until past memories resurface abruptly


Nothing's new so why open my folder
He doesn't want to dwell on the past because it won't reveal anything new


My favorite view is over my shoulder
He prefers reflecting on the past than dwelling on the future


Everything backwards, is my plight
He's always looking backwards and it's causing problems in his life


Its landing first when in my flight
He seems to be going backwards instead of forwards


Even my tears run up my cheeks
He's expressing his pain and it's only making things worse


Back in my eye
He can't forget about his past


Don't waste your time just looking back
Don't spend too much time reflecting on the past


Over, and over, and over
It's a recurring issue




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: TIMOTHY JAMES RICE-OXLEY, TOM CHAPLIN, RICHARD DAVID HUGHES, BILL CONTI, CAROL CONNORS, AYN E. ROBBINS, KEINAN ABDI WARSAME

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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