Since 1999, Longwave has been one of the New York City’s leading exports. A… Read Full Bio ↴Since 1999, Longwave has been one of the New York City’s leading exports. After the success of Endsongs , their 2000 independent release, the band signed with RCA Records and began work with producer Dave Fridmann, known for his efforts with the Flaming Lips and Mercury Rev. The resulting album, The Strangest Things, led to critical raves and tours across all parts of this earth with the likes of The Strokes and The Vines.

Longwave followed up on the success of The Strangest Things by entering the studio in 2004 with famed producer John Leckie, whose work with Radiohead and Pink Floyd endeared him to the critical taste of the band, and There’s a Fire was released in 2005.

With a return to the studio planned for late 2007, Longwave found itself on the list of indispensable listening for the first part of this millennium. Expect them to stay there. Longwave's latest album, Secrets are Sinister, was released in November 2008 on Original Signal Recordings.

Ending
Longwave Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

An ending that's pretty
A beautiful city
To open the vein and take a hit
I don't care if I break down
Tonight if I get out
I don't care I'll take what I can get
But if I get out it pulls me back again
It comes on like a dream but now it's closing in

I know what you want from me
I know what you want from me
I know what you want from me
When I'm standing at the end
So quiet and happy
So tired and laughing
You know I don't see you every day
And I've got wrinkles and black lines
A colorful new life
It really don't mean much anyway
But if I get out it pulls me back again
Exploding in a dream but now it's closing in
I know what you want from me
I know what you want from me
I know what you want from me
When I'm standing at the end
So give me the white light
Give me the quiet life
To bury my face and take it in
If I get out it pulls me back again
Exploding in a dream but now it's closing
I know what you want from me
I know what you want from me

I know what you want from me
When I'm standing

Overall Meaning

at the end

The lyrics to Longwave's song "Ending" paint a picture of someone at a turning point in their life. The opening lines set the scene for an ending that is beautiful but also ominous. The idea of "opening the vein and taking a hit" suggests a desire to escape or numb oneself, possibly from the fear or uncertainty of what's to come next. The singer acknowledges that they don't care if they break down, they just want to get out of their current situation.

However, the chorus reveals a conflict within the singer. They know that if they do escape, they will be pulled back again, the dream will become a nightmare. The repetition of "I know what you want from me" could be interpreted as the various external pressures and expectations that are weighing on the singer. They feel like they can't escape the demands of others or the pressures of their own inner demons.

The second verse delves deeper into the singer's psyche. They are "quiet and happy, tired and laughing," indicating a bittersweet acceptance of their circumstances. They acknowledge that they are aging, with "wrinkles and black lines," but also embracing a "colorful new life." And yet, despite these contradictions, the singer realizes that none of it really means much anyway. The final lines repeat the chorus, emphasizing the sense of being trapped and the impossible task of meeting everyone's expectations.

Overall, the lyrics of "Ending" suggest a tension between a desire for freedom and the pull of the past and the expectations of others. The beautiful ending may not be as beautiful as it seems, and the singer is caught in a cycle of escaping and returning.

Line by Line Meaning

An ending that's pretty
The conclusion is aesthetically pleasing

A beautiful city
A metaphorical representation of the end

To open the vein and take a hit
To indulge in a self-destructive behavior

I don't care if I break down
The artist is willing to risk negative consequences

Tonight if I get out
The current moment is the chance to escape something negative

I don't care I'll take what I can get
Any benefit from the present moment is an improvement in the singer's eyes

But if I get out it pulls me back again
The temptation or pressure to continue negative behavior is strong

It comes on like a dream but now it's closing in
The realization of the situation's negative influence

I know what you want from me
The artist recognizes external expectations or pressures

When I'm standing at the end
The final moment, end of the line

So quiet and happy
Peaceful and content with the ending