Her debut EP Lights was released in July 2008 and achieved commercial success which enabled the release of her first full-length album, The Listening, on September 22, 2009. Her second album, Siberia, was released on October 4, 2011. Both albums have been certified gold in Canada. Lights released her third studio album, Little Machines, on September 19, 2014, which debuted on the Canadian Albums Chart at number five. Her fourth album, Skin&Earth, which featured "Giants", was released in September 2017, accompanied by a graphic novel of the same name. Her albums won the Juno Award for Pop Album of the Year in 2015 and 2018.
Lights has collaborated with artists including Bring Me the Horizon, Silverstein, Deadmau5, Felix Cartal, i_o, Owl City and Sleepy Tom. Lights signed with Fueled by Ramen in 2019 and released Skin&Earth Acoustic, which included three new songs.
Muscle Memory
Lights Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Waiting for the next time I can get you close
I grew used to being back here
Like a chorus synth line soldier at his post
You call and I respond
The sparrow and the song
I miss you when you're gone
When I am alone, I
See you in the dark, I
Talk into the empty
Like you were with me
Started on a cold night
Felt you in the low light
Noticing the reflex
Taking over me
I see you when I reach
Muscle memory
Again, off into the next fall
I am on the back steps tryin' to let you in
See you standin' in the front hall
Maybe this is madness underneath my skin
Guess the misery spawns
Or the body it haunts
And we do what it wants
When I am alone, I
See you in the dark, I
Talk into the empty
Like you were with me
Started on a cold night
Felt you in the low light
Noticing the reflex
Taking over me
I see you when I reach
Muscle memory
I feel you when I sleep
Muscle memory
When you feel the chains
Of a thousand words
And I speak your name
Like I know you heard
I can feel you there
I can hear you move
And it moves me, too
When I'm playin' games
When I'm drinkin' wine
And I see your glass
Sittin' next to mine
I can feel you there
When you're not at home
Like I'm not alone
When I am alone, I
See you in the dark, I
Talk into the empty
Like you were with me
Started on a cold night
Felt you in the low light
Noticing the reflex
Taking over me
I see you when I reach
Muscle memory
I feel you when I sleep
Muscle memory
In "Muscle Memory," Lights sings about being separated from someone she loves but feeling their presence in everything she does. The song starts with her reflecting on how accustomed she's become to waiting for the next time she can be with her loved one. She likens herself to a "chorus synth line soldier at his post," suggesting that her love has become like muscle memory, something that is automatic and ingrained in her. When they're apart, Lights still feels a connection to this person, talking into the empty space as if they were there.
The chorus emphasizes the idea of muscle memory, with Lights repeating, "I see you when I reach, muscle memory. I feel you when I sleep, muscle memory." She's saying that no matter what she does, she can't escape this connection she feels to her loved one. The second verse touches on the idea of physical distance but emotional closeness. Lights sees her loved one standing in the front hall, and wonders how they're connected even though they're apart. The song ends on a hopeful note, with Lights feeling like her loved one is with her even when they're not together.
Overall, "Muscle Memory" is about the way our bodies and minds can be trained to love and connect, to the point where it's automatic and subconscious. The song is also about the power of memory, and how our memories can keep us connected to the people we love.
Line by Line Meaning
After having spent a fast year
After having spent a year that seemed to fly by
Waiting for the next time I can get you close
Anticipating the next time I can be near you
I grew used to being back here
I became accustomed to being in my current place
Like a chorus synth line soldier at his post
Constantly and consistently awaiting your arrival, like a soldier at his designated spot
You call and I respond
Whenever you call, I answer
The sparrow and the song
Referring to our dynamic, with me as the sparrow and you as the song
I miss you when you're gone
I feel your absence when you're not around
When I am alone, I
When I am by myself, I
See you in the dark, I
Visualize you in the darkness
Talk into the empty
I speak into the silence
Like you were with me
As if you were physically present with me
Started on a cold night
Began on a chilly evening
Felt you in the low light
Sensed your presence in dim light
Noticing the reflex
Realizing the automatic reaction
Taking over me
Consuming me entirely
I see you when I reach
I visualize you when I attain something
Muscle memory
Automatic physical response without conscious thought
Again, off into the next fall
Once again, moving forward into the next autumn
I am on the back steps tryin' to let you in
Standing on the back steps attempting to welcome you inside
See you standin' in the front hall
Visualize you standing in the front hallway
Maybe this is madness underneath my skin
Perhaps this is insanity brewing within me
Guess the misery spawns
I suppose the pain arises
Or the body it haunts
Or the pain possesses my body
And we do what it wants
And we act as the pain dictates
When you feel the chains
When you feel restrained
Of a thousand words
Of countless words
And I speak your name
And I mention your name
Like I know you heard
As if I am certain you heard me
I can feel you there
I can perceive your presence
I can hear you move
I can hear you stepping around
And it moves me, too
And it affects me significantly as well
When I'm playin' games
When I'm engaging in recreational activities
When I'm drinkin' wine
When I'm drinking wine
And I see your glass
And I notice your glass
Sittin' next to mine
Adjacent to mine
When you're not at home
When you are not present at home
Like I'm not alone
As if I am not the only one there
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, CYPMP
Written by: ANDREW PEARSON, DREW PEARSON, LIGHTS VALERIE POXLEITNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
steph l
[Verse 1]
After having spent a fast year
Waiting for the next time I can get you close
I grew used to being back here
Like a chorus synth line soldier at his post
You call and I respond, the sparrow and the song
I miss you when you're gone
[Chorus 1]
When I am alone, I see you in the dark
I talk into the empty like you were with me
Started on a cold night, felt you in the low light
Noticing a reflex taking over me
I see you and I reach, muscle memory
[Verse 2]
Again, off into the next fall
I am on the back steps trying to let you in
See you standing in the front hall
Maybe this is madness underneath my skin
Guess love is a response of the body it haunts
And we do what it wants
[Chorus 2]
When I am alone, I see you in the dark
I talk into the empty like you were with me
Started on a cold night, felt you in the low light
Noticing a reflex taking over me
I see you and I reach, muscle memory
I feel you endlessly, muscle memory
[Bridge]
When I feel the chains of a thousand words
And I speak your name like I know you heard
I can feel you there, I can hear you move
And it moves me too
When I'm playing games and I'm drinking wine
And I see your glass sitting next to mine
I can feel you there when you're not at home
Like I'm not alone
[Chorus 2]
When I am alone, I see you in the dark
I talk into the empty like you were with me
Started on a cold night, felt you in the low light
Noticing a reflex taking over me
I see you and I reach, muscle memory
I feel you endlessly, muscle memory
Karen
Muscle Memory by Lights
[Verse 1]
After having spent a fast year
Waiting for the next time I can get you close
I grew used to being back here
Like a chorus synth line soldier at his post
You call and I respond, the sparrow and the song
I miss you when you're gone
[Chorus 1]
When I am alone, I see you in the dark
I talk into the empty like you were with me
Started on a cold night, felt you in the low light
Noticing a reflex taking over me
I see you and I reach, muscle memory
[Verse 2]
Again, off into the next fall
I am on the back steps trying to let you in
See you standing in the front hall
Maybe this is madness underneath my skin
Guess love is a response of the body it haunts
And we do what it wants
[Chorus 2]
When I am alone, I see you in the dark
I talk into the empty like you were with me
Started on a cold night, felt you in the low light
Noticing a reflex taking over me
I see you and I reach, muscle memory
I feel you endlessly, muscle memory
[Bridge]
When I feel the chains of a thousand words
And I speak your name like I know you heard
I can feel you there, I can hear you move
And it moves me too
When I'm playing games and I'm drinking wine
And I see your glass sitting next to mine
I can feel you there when you're not at home
Like I'm not alone
[Chorus 2]
When I am alone, I see you in the dark
I talk into the empty like you were with me
Started on a cold night, felt you in the low light
Noticing a reflex taking over me
I see you and I reach, muscle memory
I feel you endlessly, muscle memory
s*
After having spent a fast year
Waiting for the next time I can get you close
I grew used to being back here
Like a chorus and rhyme, soldier at his post
You call and I respond
The sparrow and the song
I miss you when you're gone
When I am alone, I
See you in the dark, I
Talk into the empty
Like you were with me
Started on a cold night
Felt you in the low light
Noticing the reflex
Taking over me
I see you when I reach
Muscle memory
Again, off into the next fall
I am on the back steps tryin' to let you in
See you standin' in the front hall
Maybe this is madness underneath my skin
Guess the misery spawns
Or the body it haunts
And we do what it wants
When I am alone, I
See you in the dark, I
Talk into the empty
Like you were with me
Started on a cold night
Felt you in the low light
Noticing the reflex
Taking over me
I see you when I reach
Muscle memory
I feel you when I sleep
Muscle memory
When you feel the chains
Of a thousand words
And I speak your name
Like I know you heard
I can feel you there
I can hear you move
And it moves me, too
When I'm playin' games
When I'm drinkin' wine
And I see your glass
Sittin' next to mine
I can feel you there
When you're not at home
Like I'm not alone
When I am alone, I
See you in the dark, I
Talk into the empty
Like you were with me
Started on a cold night
Felt you in the low light
Noticing the reflex
Taking over me
I see you when I reach
Muscle memory
I feel you when I sleep
Muscle memory
Wilson Claire
I love how she can have a really good electropop song and then when she does an acoustic, its like the song is stripped to its raw essence. The acoustic really touches your soul more
Wilson Claire
@Kevin WilsonJust curious, do you have a preference?
Kevin Wilson
Just watched the 'Joshua Tree' electro and am now watching this.
She really excels when stripped down.
B. Neron
That was such a beautiful moment of vulnerability at the end where you see her FEEL the song and what it really means to her. So wonderful!
Haly Fox
Favorite part
Taylor Center
She’s such a beautiful human
Brittany Schulz
For the people saying she uses too much autotune, what do you expect? Her genre is ELECTROPOP. It kinda comes with the genre. She's an extremely talented composer as well as has a magnificent voice.
Angel Demore
she has no auto tune. only in some songs does she have male back up singers its called HARMONY its in all music
BenjiBear24
If you listen to her speak that magical way she sounds is actually just her voice
sara c
+stolenbaby2008 i went to OneRepublic and she sang before there performance, she sounded just the same, i don't know about you but she is awesome.