Tracie
Level 42 Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Steppin` out from underneath my shadow
Walking home from fridays nine to five
Rememberin` the long way round the meadow
The one we used to take from time to time

I thought about you
How you must have changed now baby
Far away from me
How I used to savour all your kisses
Where no one else could see

Exchanging knowing glances across the schoolroom
Dreamin` of a love down by the sea
Changing plans to cover up for one another
Working on our secret fantasy

But now as I walk down the road to your house baby
There`s no one there but me
How I wish that I could steal your kisses
Just as they used to be
And I want to know

Tracie, where are you now girl
I don`t know why this feeling`s so strong
Tracie, where have you been
You know there`s no one now to tell us we`re wrong

Countin` by the street lights to the phone box
Where we used to meet before the dawn
Smoking on the top floor of the school bus
Promising the moon as we rode along

But now if I saw you across a crowded dance floor
Or somewhere in the town
Would you show me what I have been missing
And spin me round and round

Tracie, where are you now girl
I don`t know why this feeling`s so strong
Tracie, where have you been
You know there`s no one now to tell us we`re wrong

`Cause deep inside from some other place
I turn to find we`re there face to face
We laugh, we cry, we work and we play
As love filled night gives way to the day





[Chorus]

Overall Meaning

The song "Tracie" by Level 42 is a nostalgic ode to a lost love. The singer is walking home from work and reminiscing about his past relationship with Tracie, whom he used to sneak around with and dream of a future together. However, the reality is that they have both moved on and gone separate ways. Despite this, the singer can't help but wonder where Tracie is now and if she still thinks of him. The chorus repeats the question of "Tracie, where are you now girl?" as a plea to reconnect with his past.


The lyrics paint a vivid picture of youthful excitement and longing for a connection, but also the sadness of growing apart. The singer counts the streetlights and recalls smoking cigarettes on the school bus - simple pleasures that meant so much to him at the time. The chorus is a heartfelt expression of yearning for a lost love, and wondering if there's still a chance to reconnect. The song ends with a hopeful note, suggesting that even though they may have moved on with their lives, they can still find each other and "work and play" together as they once did.


Overall, "Tracie" is a bittersweet song that captures the emotions of young love and the longing to recapture a lost connection. It's a relatable theme that many listeners can understand, making it a timeless classic.


Line by Line Meaning

Steppin` out from underneath my shadow
Leaving behind my fears and insecurities to take a step forward


Walking home from fridays nine to five
Returning home after a long day at work on a Friday


Rememberin` the long way round the meadow
Recalling the times when we used to take the scenic route that went through the meadow


The one we used to take from time to time
The route that we didn't take every day but occasionally


I thought about you
Thinking about someone who is not present at the moment


How you must have changed now baby
Wondering how much the person I am thinking about has changed over time


Far away from me
Feeling that the person I am thinking about is now distant from me


How I used to savour all your kisses
Remembering how much I enjoyed the kisses of the person I am thinking about


Where no one else could see
Remembering how we used to kiss in private, away from others' eyes


Exchanging knowing glances across the schoolroom
Sharing meaningful glances with each other in the classroom


Dreamin` of a love down by the sea
Fantasizing about a romantic future together by the sea


Changing plans to cover up for one another
Adjusting plans to keep each other's secrets safe


Working on our secret fantasy
Collaborating on a shared dream that nobody else knew about


But now as I walk down the road to your house baby
Walking towards the person I am thinking about


There`s no one there but me
Realizing that the person I am thinking about is not at home


How I wish that I could steal your kisses
Longing to kiss the person I am thinking about


Just as they used to be
The same way they were in the past


Tracie, where are you now girl
Addressing the person I am thinking about by her name


I don`t know why this feeling`s so strong
Wondering why I still feel strongly about someone from the past


Tracie, where have you been
Asking where the person I am thinking about has been all this while


You know there`s no one now to tell us we`re wrong
Realizing that there is no one to stop us from being together if we want to


Countin` by the street lights to the phone box
Counting the number of streetlights to reach the phone box where we used to meet


Where we used to meet before the dawn
The phone box where we would meet early in the morning


Smoking on the top floor of the school bus
Smoking together on the top floor of the bus that we used to take to school


Promising the moon as we rode along
Making grand promises to each other during our bus rides


But now if I saw you across a crowded dance floor
Imagining a scenario where I spot the person I am thinking about in a crowded place


Or somewhere in the town
Or anywhere else in the town


Would you show me what I have been missing
Asking if the person I am thinking about would remind me of what I have missed being away from her


And spin me round and round
Dancing together and feeling dizzy with happiness


`Cause deep inside from some other place
Having a strong feeling coming from a place within myself


I turn to find we`re there face to face
Finding myself standing in front of the person I am thinking about


We laugh, we cry, we work and we play
Jumping between different emotions and activities together


As love filled night gives way to the day
Spending the night together and waiting for a new day to begin


Chorus
Repeating the chorus of the song




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GARY HUSBAND, MARK KING

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@karianderson111

Another great song from a fabulous band

@patmcgrion5128

I saw Level 42 live in Canada in the 80s, they were spot on.

@danielpalmersofficial

I heard this song in an episode of “Only Fools & Horses”, in the Nag’s Head of course. ✌️☺️

@laurahunt9513

Love this, who hasn't at times yearned to revisit the past for the feelings of your first, carefree romance. I wonder if they caught up again. Paul Simon did with Cathy.

@eurochrissy2

I've always liked the keyboard riff on the fifth verse at 1:15, just something about that sound that reminds me of being in secondary school at the end of the 80's., maybe that's just me?

@lakebastreetrental

@@eurochrissy2 All that and it reminds me of the Bangles' Walk like an Egyptian, too.

@christopherhowe5180

God bless Alan Murphy

@ricksuegreen1753

Love the vocal of Mark on this.

@fernandobritodemoura8995

❤❤❤❤❤❤

@itzhim2533

You can say that again

More Versions