If They Cheered
Lilium Lyrics

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Didn't mean to cause such a scandal
You were the bull I tried to handle
And when the trumpets started to play
It was moving I must say

But if they cheered it wasn't for me

I learned to chase

And it wasn't my style
You'd outran me by many a mile
If you brought light
I blew out the candle

But if they cheered it wasn't for me
And all I feared you came to be

Here I stand full of vertigo
It was moving I must say
When the horns began to blow
The saddest song of all

But if they cheered it wasn't for me
Oh what did you come to be

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Lilium's song "If They Cheered" appear to be about a relationship where the singer feels outmatched by their partner. The line "You were the bull I tried to handle" suggests that the other person is strong and powerful, while the singer is struggling to keep up. The line "If you brought light, I blew out the candle" could indicate that the other person had a positive influence on the singer but that they were unable to sustain that positivity.

The chorus of the song ("But if they cheered it wasn't for me") suggests that there is a disconnect between the singer and the other person. They may be together physically, but emotionally they are not on the same wavelength. The line "And all I feared you came to be" suggests that the other person has become something that the singer is afraid of, possibly because they have gained too much power or control in the relationship.

The song has a melancholic feel, with the singer feeling both overwhelmed and insignificant. The lines "Here I stand full of vertigo" and "The saddest song of all" suggest that the singer is struggling with their emotions and the situation they find themselves in.

Line by Line Meaning

Didn't mean to cause such a scandal
I didn't intend for my actions to cause such an uproar

You were the bull I tried to handle
You were the challenge I attempted to tackle

And when the trumpets started to play
And when the excitement began

It was moving I must say
It was thrilling, I have to admit

But if they cheered it wasn't for me
But if there was applause, it wasn't directed towards me

I learned to chase
I learned to pursue, to play the game

And it wasn't my style
And it wasn't my natural way

You'd outran me by many a mile
You were always ahead of me, far beyond my reach

If you brought light
If you brought positivity, brightness

I blew out the candle
I extinguished it, brought negativity

And all I feared you came to be
And all my worries about you came true