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.
Romance Is
Lights Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let it all run down, let it all run down,
There's no explanation or forewarning underneath, all the crimson linings
We approach the streets with a clear conscience we'll survive,
Let it all run down, let it all run down,
It's one way to afford a horizon and not to mention,
And romance just is
Slow it all down, the damage is done,
Play the music loud, don't make a sound,
Lets raise a toast to the sad story, in a dirty cup, in a dirty cup,
You made it, you made it hurt so bad,
You made it hurt, so bad.
The lyrics of Lights's song, 'Romance Is' paint a vivid picture of a person who is broken and bruised emotionally. The line, "Broken window dreams color her eyes in with black lines" suggests that the person's dreams, aspirations, and hopes have been shattered, causing her immense pain and sorrow. She has tried to express the intensity of her feelings through the use of dark makeup that smears down her face like tears, visually symbolizing her emotional state.
Furthermore, the lines "It's one way to afford a horizon and not to mention, it's one way to say we're abandoned, and we don't belong here at all," suggest that the person doesn't feel like they fit into the world that they are living in. They feel isolated, abandoned, and like they don't belong in the world that surrounds them. The only way they can afford to escape their current reality is to create their own reality, one where they belong and one where they can survive.
In the chorus of the song, the lyrics suggest that for this person, "romance just is." They seem to have given up on finding love or happiness and have accepted that romance is not something that will come their way. This is supported by the lines, "Lets raise a toast to the sad story, in a dirty cup, in a dirty cup, You made it hurt so bad." The person has been hurt so badly in the past that they have given up on ever finding true happiness, and now they are toasting to their own pain, accepting it as a part of their life.
Line by Line Meaning
Broken window dreams color her eyes in with black lines
Her dreams have been shattered and it's reflected in her eyes
Let it all run down, let it all run down
Accept the pain and let it drain out
There's no explanation or forewarning underneath, all the crimson linings
There was no indication of the pain that was to follow
We approach the streets with a clear conscience we'll survive
Even in the face of hardship, we approach life with optimism
It's one way to afford a horizon and not to mention
Looking towards the future is one way to keep going
It's one way to say we're abandoned, and we don't belong here at all
Feeling lost and like we don't fit in anywhere
And romance just is
Love exists without explanation or reason
Slow it all down, the damage is done
Take a moment to breathe and accept the consequences of our actions
Play the music loud, don't make a sound
Drown out the pain with music, but don't let anyone else hear
Lets raise a toast to the sad story, in a dirty cup, in a dirty cup
Celebrate the sorrow by raising a glass, even if it's not in a glamorous setting
You made it, you made it hurt so bad
Blaming oneself for the pain experienced
You made it hurt, so bad
Reiterating that the pain was self-caused
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: VALERIE POXLEITNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
HeyMish
this has to be one of the most beautiful songs ever written
JJ C
11 years later and her music remains timeless. Lights is an incredible talent. Love her forever.
Leah Hembree
This song unlocks so many memories for me 🖤
Chris
I'll see ya here in 2032
Emily Walker
Hello to whomever is reading this. (: I just wanted to say that I am Emily Walker. I Live In Ontario Canada, I actually go to the same school as Lights. Her real name is Valerie Poxleitner. & I was really excited to go to school because Lights went there. She is a real inspiration because it just goes to show that a girl from a very small town in Canada can live her dreams and become a singer/song writer. And maybe my dreams will come true too. Thank you for reading. Love Always, - Emily Walker
Itsyo Mama
They will, keep intentions up
Francia
@Jonathan Forrester hope so
Jonathan Forrester
Did your dreams come true yet?
Jonathan Miles
Saw her in concert twice. At the acoustic one she sand and played piano/guitar so well I had chills half the time. Unbelievably good.
Terrien N. Storme
The thing I love about LIGHTS is she is so original, she doesn't change herself for anything, she's so pure in her works. And she requires no vocal editing whatsoever, she sounds exactly the same live as she does on disc if not better. Long live Lights<3