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Souvenirs
Lightspeed Champion Lyrics
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From an island of fire and stone
With fire to relight the life you lost
And stones to weigh out the heavy cost
And the damage
You put my hand to your heart
And ran right hrough your history
The shipwrecks and the mysteries
And with your warm chest against my back
Whispered words and this growing crack
My sweet companion, you knew my name
You lit a candle and a moth came through the window
I put your hand to my heart
And ran right through my history
The souvenirs and lost luggage
The shipwrecks and the mysteries
"Your lips speak a joy
But your eyes tell a sorrow"
How dare you say that to me?
You don't know and you will never know.
I keep these moments as souvenirs
You read my story
Cover to cover
Ear to ear
The song Souvenirs by Lightspeed Champion, in its essence, is about the exchange of history between two people in a romantic relationship. The song begins with the singer narrating how his significant other had been away in an island of fire and stone and had returned with "fire to relight the life [she] lost, and stones to weigh out the heavy cost and the damage." The singer is essentially saying that his partner had gone through a transformative experience that had caused change, the details of which are unknown.
The second verse continues with this same theme of sharing and acknowledging one's history. The singer states that as they are held, his partner begins to recount her history, the souvenirs, and the lost luggage that came out of it. The singer notes that there are shipwrecks and mysteries in his partner's life, in all an allusion to the complexities of the human experience. Both the singer and his partner share a moment together, and he notes that his partner whispers words that he cannot hear, but he can feel her warm chest against his back, and a candlelight flickers in the room.
The third verse features the singer doing the same, running right through his history and sharing his souvenirs and lost luggage with his partner. That's when things get tense with the interesting dynamic between the two when the partner says "Your lips speak a joy/but your eyes tell a sorrow" to the singer. In response, the singer reacts negatively by saying "How dare you say that to me? You don't know, and you will never know." This verse not only announces that there is an element of pain in the history being shared, but it also portrays the singer as someone who doesn't want to be understood. The song closes with the singer acknowledging their history and resonating that he keeps them as keepsakes, "souvenirs," and his partner read his story "Cover to cover/ Ear to ear."
Line by Line Meaning
Last winter you came home
You returned home during the previous winter season.
From an island of fire and stone
You came back from an island that had both volcanic rocks and fiery elements.
With fire to relight the life you lost
You brought back with you elements that could reignite the passion and purpose that you felt you had lost in life.
And stones to weigh out the heavy cost
You also brought back stones that represented the heavy price you had to pay in order to rediscover your lost purpose.
And the damage
Moreover, you were aware of the damage that had been caused in your life before you embarked on this self-discovery journey.
You put my hand to your heart
You placed my hand on your chest over your heart as a sign of emotional openness and vulnerability.
And ran right through your history
You quickly took me through your past, including your experiences, struggles, failures, and achievements.
The souvenirs and lost luggage
You shared with me the physical objects that you brought with you that represented the journey you took to rediscover yourself, along with the intangible items you left behind or lost while on that journey.
The shipwrecks and the mysteries
You also told me about the challenges, difficult moments, and unanswered questions that you faced during your journey.
And with your warm chest against my back
You continued to hold me close as you spoke, creating an intimate moment between us.
Whispered words and this growing crack
As you spoke, I began to notice a vulnerability in your voice, indicating a developing emotional state that was slowly breaking through your exterior facade.
My sweet companion, you knew my name
You address me with affection and intimacy, highlighting the strong bond and familiarity that we share.
You lit a candle and a moth came through the window
As a symbolic act, you lit a candle, attracting a moth to come through the window as a representation of your attraction to the light of positivity and hope.
I put your hand to my heart
As a response to your earlier act, I placed your hand on my chest over my heart, indicating the acceptance of the emotional vulnerability that you shared with me.
And ran right through my history
In return, I also shared with you my past experiences, struggles, and moments of growth.
The souvenirs and lost luggage
I shared with you the physical and intangible objects that I had collected over time that represented my personal journey.
The shipwrecks and the mysteries
I also included in my story the challenges, difficult moments, and unanswered questions that I faced.
"Your lips speak a joy
You made a comment regarding my expression of happiness and positivity.
But your eyes tell a sorrow"
You also noticed that my eyes and my true emotional state differed from my spoken expression.
How dare you say that to me?
I took offense to your observation due to the vulnerability and intimate space that we were in, feeling exposed by your comment.
You don't know and you will never know.
I respond defensively, indicating that you cannot fully understand the complexity of my emotions and experiences.
I keep these moments as souvenirs
Despite my defensive response, I still cherish the moments we shared.
You read my story
Through our conversation, you were able to gain insight into my personal journey and history.
Cover to cover
You were able to comprehend the entirety of my personal narrative, including both the positive and negative aspects.
Ear to ear
You were attentive and receptive to the entirety of my story, listening to my experiences with compassion and empathy.
Contributed by Gavin T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.