Sober
Lydia Cole Lyrics


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I didn't know you'd be keen
And maybe it's just the drink
Tonight you're buzzing on me
Tomorrow what will you think?

And "Why are you single
When you're such a catch?"
But you flip it around
And now you're asking me that

Just want a sober exchange
At the end of the day

We went out to the bar
Knowing just about where we'd end up
Played a couple of fools
But then I guess that might be what we are

And while you're living two lies
Some of us are just trying to live one
But you'll do what you like
And, it seems, so will I

Just want a sober exchange
At the end of the day
And I'll have nothing to blame
In a sober exchange

And there on the lawn
All the stars, they just saw us as dust
We nervously laughed
All our words spilling out on the grass

My eyes found your eyes
And my lips found your lips, yeah, we kissed
In the morning you left
Disappearing into a cold mist

Just want a sober exchange
At the end of the day
And I'll have nothing to blame
For the way I behave
In a sober exchange

Riding around town on the cheap
We were nothing unique
Just a couple of sneaks

Feelings will go and then we will know
We were nothing unique
Just a couple of sneaks

All of the time you played on my mind




We were nothing unique
Just a couple of sneaks

Overall Meaning

Lydia Cole’s song Sober is a melancholic ballad about a night of drinking and hooking up with someone, knowing that it might lead to nothing. The song opens with the singer expressing surprise that the other person is interested in them, and wondering whether they will regret their attraction to each other in the morning. The chorus repeats the desire for a sober exchange, implying that the consumption of alcohol is interfering with their potential for real emotional intimacy.


The second verse takes a more introspective turn, with the singer acknowledging that they are living one lie by pretending to be happy when they are really not, while their partner is living two lies by drinking and pretending to be something they are not. The lines “you'll do what you like / And, it seems, so will I” indicate a mutual disinterest in forming genuine connections, or perhaps a sense of being jaded and disillusioned by past relationships. Yet, the final verse finds the two characters in a moment of real connection, with a kiss that feels both electric and fleeting. The final lines reiterate that the two are unremarkable in their sneaking around and playing with emotions, but there is a sense of longing for something more.


Overall, the lyrics of Sober are a poignant meditation on the difficulties of forming meaningful relationships in the modern world, especially when alcohol is involved. The repetition of the phrase “just want a sober exchange” indicates a desire for both honesty and clarity, but also a recognition that this is hard to come by. The song shows how fleeting moments of real intimacy can emerge even in the midst of superficial encounters, but also how easily they can be lost.


Line by Line Meaning

I didn't know you'd be keen
I didn't expect you to be interested in me


And maybe it's just the drink
Maybe it's just the alcohol talking


Tonight you're buzzing on me
Tonight, you're attracted to me


Tomorrow what will you think?
Tomorrow, you might feel differently


And "Why are you single When you're such a catch?"
You asked why I'm single when you think I'm great


But you flip it around And now you're asking me that
You turned the question back to me


Just want a sober exchange At the end of the day
I want a genuine interaction, without the effects of alcohol


We went out to the bar Knowing just about where we'd end up
We went to the bar expecting to hook up


Played a couple of fools But then I guess that might be what we are
We acted foolishly, but maybe that's just who we are


And while you're living two lies Some of us are just trying to live one
While you're pretending to be someone else, some of us are just being ourselves


But you'll do what you like And, it seems, so will I
You'll do what you want, and so will I


And there on the lawn All the stars, they just saw us as dust
Out on the lawn, we were small in comparison to the universe


We nervously laughed All our words spilling out on the grass
We laughed nervously, our words tumbling out


My eyes found your eyes And my lips found your lips, yeah, we kissed
We shared a kiss


In the morning you left Disappearing into a cold mist
You left without saying goodbye


And I'll have nothing to blame In a sober exchange
In an interaction without alcohol, I won't have any excuses for my behavior


Riding around town on the cheap We were nothing unique Just a couple of sneaks
We drove around town, without anything special about us, like sneaky teenagers


Feelings will go and then we will know We were nothing unique Just a couple of sneaks
Our feelings will fade, and we'll realize we're just like everyone else


All of the time you played on my mind We were nothing unique Just a couple of sneaks
You were on my mind, but we're not special, just two ordinary people




Contributed by Claire E. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@poet1972

There are a few songs out there with a magic sound. Like this one.

@LydiaCole

Thank you!

@dikless222

Gets me every single time. Extraordinary.

@doctor19741

mesmerising...love her music!

@MultiPowerpole

Such a tune. Really beautiful melody. Keep on this kind of sound

@VerenaHacker

You have such an amazing voice..I love ur guitar playing..ur lyrics..;) greetings from Austria

@AlissaJane11

This is SO BEAUTIFUL

@stefveedub123

Gave me shivers!! beautiful song cant wait for the album :)

@listentosnowfall5025

Nice tune!

@esoligh

VERY dope! :)

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