You Were a House On Fire
Listener Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
and I couldn't understand why
"Burn me all down to the ground," you said.
"The fire is on the inside."
Flames dancing like ghosts behind the windows
Pain jumping from the walls
You want to keep this private, I can see that
But you can't ask that of me, we've only just met
The answer was silence, I'll take it as a no
We all want to be normal anyways
We all want to be somewhere else than where we live
But that's not reality, it's just point of view
Let's not talk about the weather
And whether or not there's really rain in the clouds
Unless you just want to know if I feel the same as you
It's more measuring up than just wasting time
But time is not on our side, you're burning
Rain would only be a temporary fix
And there's just no place right now
for cute ironies like that anymore
You're a house on fire
We all write songs about life
We just sing them different
You sing the words but you don't know the song
And you expect us all to sing along? How selfish
The lengths that we go to to put so much distance between us is staggering
You're burning alive with stress and life
Both hands in flames trying to hold the fire inside
Drop and roll, repeat line for emphasis
I'll repeat it and repeat it until you believe it
You're gonna be okay! Say it to me
The answer is still silence, I'll take it as a maybe
I can't decide if I should knock down your door or on it
Say the word and I'll take a hatchet to your heart or a pin prick
Cut right through the dark, let's spill out the contents
On our knees sorting through the remnants
Pour out your hates in my hands
I'll let 'em slip right here through my fingers
And this is for all of us
This is for the times that we only listen long enough
to know that the other person we're talking to has the same opinions we do.
For when we're burning inside
For when we're trying to hide that fact
This is for the scalps that we went after, to be only the best dressed
Add another notch on our belts, put another feather to our headdress
I want to be the bigger man for you but I can't take this truth
I'm trying to kick the habit here but these track marks are a hundred proof
"Burn me all down to the ground," you said
Well, I'll kick through your ashes, hope they sober up my head
The lyrics of Listener's song "You Were a House on Fire" describe a person who is struggling to cope with an inner turmoil that is consuming them from the inside. The song makes use of vivid imagery to portray the chaos and pain that the character is going through. The singer of the song is trying to reach out to this person and help them, but they feel helpless in the face of such intense and all-consuming pain. The person is compared to a "house on fire," with flames dancing like ghosts behind the windows and pain jumping from the walls. It's a powerful metaphor for a person who is in flames, but the fire is on the inside.
The singer's attempts to help the person are met with silence, and they struggle to find a way to connect with this person who is so consumed by their pain. The song speaks to a universal human experience of trying to connect with someone who is in the midst of an intense emotional crisis. The singer feels helpless but refuses to give up, repeating the words "you're gonna be okay" in the hope that the person will eventually hear them and believe them.
There's a haunting quality to the lyrics of the song, and the repetition of certain lines creates a sense of urgency and desperation. The use of vivid imagery, coupled with the raw emotions and intensity of the lyrics, makes this a powerful and moving piece of music.
Line by Line Meaning
And you were a house on fire
You were consumed by stress and emotions, like a burning structure
and I couldn't understand why
I was confused by your behavior and the intensity of your emotions
"Burn me all down to the ground," you said.
You wanted to let go and release all your worries and fears
"The fire is on the inside."
Your pain and struggle was something internal and personal
Flames dancing like ghosts behind the windows
Your intense emotions were visible and felt even from the outside
Pain jumping from the walls
Your pain was affecting every aspect of your life and surroundings
But you can't ask that of me, we've only just met
You couldn't expect me to fully understand and support you since we barely know each other
We all want to be normal anyways
Everyone wants to fit in and be accepted by society
Let's not talk about the weather
We shouldn't waste time on small talk and instead focus on deeper, meaningful conversations
It's more measuring up than just wasting time
Our conversations should be meaningful and productive, not just idle chatter
Rain would only be a temporary fix
Superficial solutions are not enough to address your deeper issues
You sing the words but you don't know the song
You may be saying and doing what is expected of you, but you don't truly understand the meaning or purpose
How selfish
Expecting others to follow along with your superficial behavior is self-centered
Drop and roll, repeat line for emphasis
The importance of responding to a crisis is repeated for emphasis
I'll repeat it and repeat it until you believe it
I will continue to support and encourage you until you feel better
And this is for all of us
This message is relevant to everyone, not just a specific person
For when we're burning inside
For when we are struggling with our own intense emotions and stress
For when we're trying to hide that fact
When we try to cover up our emotions from others and pretend everything is okay
I want to be the bigger man for you but I can't take this truth
I want to support you and be there for you, but I am struggling to cope with your intense emotions
Well, I'll kick through your ashes, hope they sober up my head
I will help you move on and in the process gain clarity myself
Contributed by Isabella H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@CardinalSessions
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@davidholland3443
More of these guys. Please
@jugales1462
I love how the only time he looks at the crowd is when he says, "This is for all of us." The rest of the time he's in his own world.
@t00ch1
no one has put more tears in my eyes than listener
@famezo12FUHQ
No like Keaton Henson?
@casedinlight
It was the music that made me cry, now it's the fact that Listener is a crappy rock band. At least the beautiful poetry of Struggleville and Wooden Heart got made, before the rock/metal/thrashing-and-banging-noises took over. Drummer boy was the beginning of the end. Yellow shirt guy's departure was the nail in the coffin.
@SingMyHeartStrings
Yet it still doesn't come close to the amount of tears I've shed due to listener.
@byrde4329
I quit drugs and I remember so many nights where I felt like I wanted to crawl out of my skin and my pupils were dilated, my brain was on fire and waves of manic happiness along with soul crushing depression. I’d put Listener on and drive out to the lake at night and god was it like a reawakening and for that 30 minutes to an hour I felt happiness.
@susanringwall4509
"We all write songs about life, we just sing em different" I love that line, sums up his style pretty good! Personally I think Listener is brilliant
@John-lo1yr
I watch this video so much even years after I needed it, and it’s always here to help me feel better.