Symphony No. 2 in D Major
Ludwig van Beethoven Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I saw you standing on the corner
You looked so big and fine
I really wanted to go out with you
So when you smiled
I laid my heart on the line

You read me my rights
And then you said: "Let's go"
And nothing more
I thought of my nights
And how they were
They were filled with -

I know you wouldn't go
You'd watch my heart burst
Then you'd step in
I had to know
So I asked
You just had to laugh

We sat in the night
With my hands cuffed
At my side
I looked at your life
And your style
Wanted nothing more

I know you wouldn't go
You'd watch my heart burst
Then you'd step in
I had to know
So I asked
You just had to laugh

Walking the line
You were a marksman
Told me that law
Like wine is ageless
Public - defender
You had to admit
You wanted the love
Of a sex offender

I know you wouldn't go
You'd watch my heart burst
Then you'd step in
I had to know
So I asked
You just had to laugh

My vision in blue
I call you from
Inside my cell
And in the trial
You are there
With your badge
And rubber boots

I think all the time
How I'm going to
Perpetrate love with you
And when I get out
There's no doubt
I'll be sex-offensive to you





Ooh-whoo...
Ooh-whoo...

Overall Meaning

This is not actually the lyrics to Beethoven's Symphony No. 2 in D Major. The lyrics you provided are a song called "Walking the Line" performed by Depeche Mode. The Symphony No. 2 in D Major is purely instrumental and contains no lyrics. It was composed by Beethoven in the early 19th century and is one of his most famous and critically acclaimed works. It is known for its energetic and joyful nature, as well as its innovative use of musical structures and motifs. The symphony consists of four movements, each with their own distinctive character and style.


Line by Line Meaning

I saw you standing on the corner
The singer saw the person they desired from afar


You looked so big and fine
The person they saw appeared attractive and impressive


I really wanted to go out with you
The singer desired a romantic relationship with the person


So when you smiled
The person showed a positive gesture


I laid my heart on the line
The artist expressed their feelings openly and honestly


You read me my rights
The person addressed the singer's legal rights


And then you said: "Let's go"
The person invited the singer to go somewhere


And nothing more
The invitation was simple and straightforward


I thought of my nights
The artist reflected on their past experiences


And how they were
The artist remembered how those experiences felt


They were filled with -
The singer left this thought unfinished


I know you wouldn't go
The artist is uncertain of the person's intentions


You'd watch my heart burst
The singer believes the person would enjoy seeing them suffer


Then you'd step in
The person would intervene in some way


I had to know
The singer needed clarity about the person's intentions


So I asked
The artist sought answers to their questions


You just had to laugh
The person found the artist's inquiry amusing


We sat in the night
The singer and the person were together in the dark


With my hands cuffed
The singer was restrained physically


At my side
The person was beside the artist


I looked at your life
The artist observed the person's lifestyle


And your style
The way the person presented themselves was noted by the artist


Wanted nothing more
The singer feels content with what they have


Walking the line
The person works within boundaries


You were a marksman
The person is skilled and precise


Told me that law
The person reminded the singer of legal rules


Like wine is ageless
The person used a metaphor to explain the nature of the law


Public - defender
The person represents the law


You had to admit
The person conceded a point


You wanted the love
The person desired affection


Of a sex offender
This phrase implies that the singer is a criminal


My vision in blue
The artist is seeing everything through a filter of sadness or depression


I call you from
The artist communicates with the person from their location


Inside my cell
The artist is confined


And in the trial
The singer is currently in court proceeding


You are there
The person is also present in court


With your badge
The person is wearing their uniform


And rubber boots
The uniform includes these types of boots


I think all the time
The singer is consumed by thoughts about the person


How I'm going to
The artist is planning for the future


Perpetrate love with you
The artist intends to express affection to the person through some action


And when I get out
The singer plans for their eventual release from confinement


There's no doubt
The singer has complete certainty about something


I'll be sex-offensive to you
The artist plans to engage in sexual activity with the person


Ooh-whoo...
This is likely an emotional interjection rather than a coherent thought.


Ooh-whoo...
This is likely an emotional interjection rather than a coherent thought.




Contributed by Cole K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

oughts sought

no expert (tho' I love these youtube offerings that let me try to follow the score as a piece is being played)
but I've loved Beethoven's work for 50years in large part becuz he tastes, at least to me, so humorously
cheeky!

with all his other accolades
I think of him as the first jazz master
and a much more coy kindred predecessor to Victor Borge

and amen to what you said about his underrated symphonies



JS Beethoven

3:45
5:13-6:10
9:00-10:15 (basically the entire dang coda) (also, 9:00 uses diminution, and 9:22 is badass)

12:59-13:40
18:54-19:33 (same thing but in dominant key)

20:37-20:51
22:11 (jokes lmao)

24:18-24:35
24:40- 25:08 (especially 24:54)
25:45 Clever use of material. 25:51 too. Both motifs are from 23:56
27:11- 27:37
29:01-30:08 (basically the entire coda again lol)



All comments from YouTube:

Geoff Stemen

taken separately from his later music, this is in its own right the purest expression of Beethoven at the time. a key to the later works, not merely a stepping stone.

José Lopes

This is music that touches us deeply due to its sensitivity and strength. The glorious and admiring way in which Beethoven composes cannot leave anyone indifferent, as it has the particularity of, through his music, bringing the human feeling to the surface, how intimate it may be. The orchestra is remarkable with an amazing direction. It is a recording, considered by me, one of the best I have heard so far. Bravissimo!!!

CentOldMustard -Memes n' more!

tfw when wordcount

Freddy Fast-bear 🇺🇸

​@CentOldMustard -Memes n' more! Bruh

Takashi Toba

One of the most beautiful and brilliant symphony with vivid tempo and bright light in his music. I like this piece so deeply.

AManCalled Da-da

What is it about Beethoven cranking on every third movement in every symphony? Each one is a stand-out.

Phillip Shovk

A great masterpiece played fabulously.....thank you !

Dell Anderson

Thank you so much for displaying the score to this piece. I have heard the 2nd symphony many times, but seeing the score makes it come alive. I'm subscribing and hoping there will be many more like this. Incredible.

Miro Pribanić

I love Beethoven's underrated symphonies...I am listening closely, more aware than with the 5th and 9th...So , today while driving to work, something baffled me: The Scherzo starts with this 16bar motive, repeated once. Formally, the score then indicates a new section. However, in the first four bars of that new section (20:37), Beethoven does not present a new motive, but reiterates the melodic rhythm of the first one. Then, in bar 5, where it says fortepiano (fp) the new motive is introduced....on the second beat of the bar!! I call that very very cheeky. Maybe somebody with a a more profound knowledge in music can confirm or contradict to what I found out.

Džin

I don't call myself an expert but you are absolutely right.

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