Lauv said in an interview with NYULocal “I was working with Michael Matosic, and there was one night when I was feeling emotional about my break up. Most of the lyrics just fell out for that. I wrote it on the acoustic guitar originally, back before I even had thought of the idea of Lauv. It was actually originally going to be a song I was just going to pitch to someone, but then I was singing it, and it felt great. It was really working with my voice, and Michael really pushed me to turn the song into more of an artist thing.”
The Other
Lauv Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Ran it extra cold to shake the words from my mouth
Though I know that no one's listening
I nervously rehearse for when you're around
And I keep waiting like
You might change my mind
Who wrote the book on goodbye?
When there's nothing quite wrong but it don't feel right
Either your head or your heart, you set the other on fire
Back and forth now I'm feeling guilty
'Cause I just can't stop this pendulum in my head
Though I know that our time is ending
Oh, I'd rather lay forever right in this bed
And I'll keep waiting like
You might change my mind
Give me one more night
Who wrote the book on goodbye?
There's never been a way to make this easy
When there's nothing quite wrong but it don't feel right
Either your head or your heart, you set the other on fire
No one knows
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh
No one knows
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh
We fell from the peak
And the stars, they broke their code
I'm trying to forget
How I landed on this road
I'm caught in between
What I wish and what I know
When they say that you just know
Who wrote the book on goodbye?
There's never been a way to make this easy
When there's nothing quite wrong but it don't feel right
Either your head or your heart, you set the other on fire
No one knows
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh
No one knows
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh
No one knows
Oh oh, oh oh, oh oh
You set the other on fire
You set the other on fire
You set the other on fire
You set the other on fire
In Lauv's song "The Other," the lyrics describe the feeling of being caught in between conflicting emotions in a relationship. The first verse sets the scene of the singer rehearsing what they want to say for a conversation with their partner. They hope that their partner will change their mind about ending the relationship. The chorus asks the question of who wrote the book on saying goodbye and how there is no easy way to end a relationship when it doesn't feel quite right.
The second verse explains the guilt and confusion that the singer feels as they can't stop their pendulum of emotions from swinging back and forth. Despite knowing that their time is coming to an end, the singer would rather spend forever lying in bed with their partner. The bridge and repeated chorus emphasize the uncertainty and confusion surrounding the relationship, highlighting the idea that sometimes neither one's head nor heart knows what the right decision is.
Overall, "The Other" is a bittersweet yet relatable song about the conflicting emotions that can arise in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Like a spotlight the water hits me
The water hitting me is bright and spotlit like a metaphor for how my emotions come to the forefront and make me vulnerable.
Ran it extra cold to shake the words from my mouth
I wanted to shake out my negative feelings by using cold water to alert my senses and making me more alert to my state of mind.
Though I know that no one's listening
I am trying to express my feelings, but I understand that no one might be able to empathize with me or understand them completely.
I nervously rehearse for when you're around
I am scared of showing my true feelings and hence rehearse my expressions so that I do not make myself more vulnerable when you are around.
And I keep waiting like
You might change my mind
I am waiting for you to change my mind about something hurtful, but haven't gained the courage to ask you for emotional support.
Who wrote the book on goodbye?
Goodbye is difficult for me; I am unaware of how to deal with it and how to reach a closure of sorts with it.
There's never been a way to make this easy
Saying goodbye and parting ways is such a difficult process that there is no easy way to go about it without feeling the pain that it entails.
When there's nothing quite wrong but it don't feel right
Although nothing has gone wrong, the situation still feels not quite right to me, and it is making me uncomfortable.
Either your head or your heart, you set the other on fire
One's decisions - whether they are based on rational or emotional beliefs - interplay with each other and affect the whole situation; making it vulnerable like it is on fire.
Back and forth now I'm feeling guilty
I am feeling torn between multiple choices which have their own positive and negative consequences, leaving me feeling guilty and responsible for them all.
'Cause I just can't stop this pendulum in my head
My thoughts are going back and forth like a pendulum, and I am unable to pause my thought process or control it, leading me to feel helpless.
Though I know that our time is ending
Although I know that everything is coming to an end, the finale feels difficult to accept, hence leading to uncertainty.
Oh, I'd rather lay forever right in this bed
I feel like keeping things the same from here on out, and remain in the current state forever, with no change.
Give me one more night
As I am not ready for it to end, I need more time to come to terms with it.
We fell from the peak
And the stars, they broke their code
I'm trying to forget
How I landed on this road
I experienced euphoria before, but it subsided and left me feeling incomplete, struggling to forget and still remember it vividly.
I'm caught in between
What I wish and what I know
When they say that you just know
I am feeling stuck between what I feel and what I know will happen, leading to confusion and a sense of insecurity, despite what others say.
You set the other on fire
The emotional turmoil intertwines and escalates on its own, leading to increased vulnerability and difficulty in finding a resolution.
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Michael Matosic, Ari Staprans Leff
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kloe9441
my deciphering of the lyrics:
so it starts out with him taking a cold shower and him rehearsing lines to say to someone. that person is obviously important to him, like a close friend or lover, because he says the words nervously even when no one is here to hear. the words are words he thought he would ever need to tell this person and that's why he's stalling the moment he says them, trying to let them change his mind of them.
it shows he is saying goodbye to someone and that this kind of goodbye isn't easy and something you can't find in a book because it wouldn't be good enough. then he says that it's not really wrong but it's not as good as it should feel, hence why he is going to say goodbye. his head says there's nothing wrong with what's happening but to his heart its not 100% right. if he goes with his head or his heart, he sets the other on fire.
then he says there's a pendulum of guilt in his head. whenever he things he should end whatever he has with this person he believes its the right thing. but when that person unknowingly gives him another reason to stay, he feels guilty about all the time he thought of leaving. he knows its gotta end soon but he doesn't want to deal with that and would rather just lay in bed. so he keeps delaying his goodbye.
(repeat paragraph 2)
then he believes that no one can possibly know what his situation feels like because no one really talks about that kind of thing
@vitoriamoraes8701
Lyrics
Like a spotlight the water hits me
Ran it extra cold to shake the words from my mouth
Though I know that no one's listening
I nervously rehearsed for when you're around
And I keep waiting like you might change my mind
Who wrote the book on goodbye?
There's never been a way to make this easy
When there's nothing quite wrong but it don't feel right
Either your head or your heart, you set the other on fire
Back and forth now I'm feelin' guilty
Cause I just can't stop this pendulum in my head
Though I know that our time is ending
I'd rather lay forever right in this bed
And I keep waiting like, you might change my mind
Give me one more night
Who wrote the book on goodbye?
There's never been a way to make this easy
When there's nothing quite wrong but it don't feel right
Either your head or your heart, you set the other on fire
No one knows, knows, knows
No one knows, knows, knows
We fell from the peak
And the stars, they broke their code
I'm trying to forget
How I landed on this road
I'm caught in between
What I wish and what I know
When they say that you just know
Who wrote the book on goodbye?
There's never been a way to make this easy
When there's nothing quite wrong but it don't feel right
Either your head or your heart, you set the other on fire
No one knows ,knows, knows
No one knows, knows, knows
You set the other on fire
You set the other on fire
@AirwaveMusicTV
My favorite from LAUV 💙
@harshit6431
Wait , mine too😀
@rhiagasic2076
SAME ❤️❤️❤️
@erikaventer3592
"when there's nothing quite wrong, but it don't feel right"
I feel that...
@avyaajain9143
me too
@saintzfan504ify
I feel that..
@Loraszno
Am I the only one who feels like this should have been his breakthrough hit? I like 'I Like Me Better' too, but I honestly think this is better.
@whytihp1386
iLovemusic i agree
@Vap82
This song better than 'i like me better'
@thatsjustchrisc
Agreeedd