Castle on the Hill
Maygen Lacey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was running from my brother and his friends
Tasted the sweet perfume of the mountain grass I rolled down
I was younger then, take me back to when I
Found my heart and broke it here
Made friends and lost them through the years
And I′ve not seen the roaring fields in so longI know I've grown, but I can′t wait to go home
I'm on my way
Driving at 90 down those country lanes
Singing to Tiny Dancer
And I miss the way you make me feel, and it's real
We watched the sunset over the castle on the hill
Fifteen years old and smoking hand-rolled cigarettes
Running from the law through the backfields and
Getting drunk with my friends
Had my first kiss on a Friday night
I don′t reckon that I did it right, but
I was younger then, take me back to when
We found weekend jobs, when we got paid
We′d buy cheap spirits and drink them straight
Me and my friends have not thrown up in so long
Oh, how we've grown, but I can′t wait to go home
I'm on my way
Driving at 90 down those country lanes
Singing to Tiny Dancer
And I miss the way you make me feel, and it′s real
We watched the sunset over the castle on the hill
One works down by the coast
One had two kids, but lives alone
And one's brother overdosed
One′s already on his second wife
One's just barely getting by, but
These people raised me
And I can't wait to go home
Maygen Lacey's song "Castle on the Hill" is an emotional journey through the memories of a person who grew up in the countryside. The first verse begins with the recollection of a childhood memory, where the person explains how they broke their leg running from their brother and his friends. They remember the sweet smell of the mountain grass they were rolling down and express the desire to go back in time to that moment when they were younger and carefree. The second part of this verse talks about the nostalgia of old friends and times that have passed.
The second verse shifts to the person's teenage years, where they used to smoke cigarettes, drink with their friends, and run away from the law while watching the sunset over the castle in the distance. They reminisce about their first kiss on a Friday night and how they didn't do it right. The song then mentions how they and their friends used to work weekend jobs to pay for their drinks, and how they haven't thrown up in a while. The chorus discusses the person driving at 90 down those country lanes, singing Elton John's "Tiny Dancer" while missing the way someone made them feel.
The bridge talks about the people who raised them; one friend sells clothes, one works by the coast, one's brother overdosed, one has two kids but is living alone, and another is barely getting by in life. The song expresses how the memories of these people and their hometown instill a sense of longing in the person, and they can't wait to go back home to where everything began.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was six years old, I broke my leg
As a young child, I suffered a physical injury by breaking my leg.
I was running from my brother and his friends
My leg was broken while I was trying to escape from my brother and his friends in a playful manner.
Tasted the sweet perfume of the mountain grass I rolled down
While playing outside in nature, I experienced the sensory pleasures of smelling the fragrant grass on the mountain.
I was younger then, take me back to when I
I am reminiscing about my youthful experiences and wishing to relive them in the present.
Found my heart and broke it here
At some point in my past, I fell in love and experienced the pain of heartbreak.
Made friends and lost them through the years
Over the course of my life, I have formed bonds with other people, but some of those relationships have fizzled out and ended.
And I’ve not seen the roaring fields in so long
I have not visited the expansive fields in quite some time, and I miss the unique beauty that they hold.
I know I've grown, but I can't wait to go home
Although I have matured and evolved as a person, I still crave the comforting familiarity of my childhood home.
I'm on my way
I am currently in the process of traveling to my desired destination.
Driving at 90 down those country lanes
I am driving very fast on the back roads of the countryside.
Singing to Tiny Dancer
To pass the time and entertain myself, I am singing along to the popular song 'Tiny Dancer'.
And I miss the way you make me feel, and it’s real
I am longing for the euphoric feelings that someone has given me in the past, and these emotions are genuine and authentic.
We watched the sunset over the castle on the hill
Together with this person, I physically witnessed the beautiful moment of the sun setting on the hilltop castle.
Fifteen years old and smoking hand-rolled cigarettes
As an adolescent, I made the rebellious choice of smoking homemade rolled cigarettes.
Running from the law through the backfields and
I engaged in illegal activities and had to evade the authorities by moving quickly through remote countryside areas.
Getting drunk with my friends
A common teenage pastime, I drank alcohol in the company of my peers.
Had my first kiss on a Friday night
On a particular Friday evening, I shared my first romantic kiss with someone.
I don't reckon that I did it right, but
While reflecting on this moment, I do not believe that I executed the kiss perfectly, but I still cherish the memory.
We found weekend jobs, when we got paid
As teenagers, we sought part-time employment opportunities that provided financial compensation.
We'd buy cheap spirits and drink them straight
With our earnings, we purchased low-cost alcoholic beverages and consumed them directly without mixing or diluting them.
Me and my friends have not thrown up in so long
It has been a substantial amount of time since my friends and I have vomited from overdrinking.
Oh, how we've grown, but I can’t wait to go home
Although my friends and I have matured and progressed in significant ways, we still long for the familiar sensation of returning home.
One friend left to sell clothes
A person that I used to know now works in retail selling clothing items.
One works down by the coast
Another individual I knew now has employment that is situated near the ocean.
One had two kids, but lives alone
One of my former acquaintances has borne and raised two children by herself, but is currently living in solitude.
And one's brother overdosed
Tragically, someone I knew had a sibling who died from a drug overdose.
One’s already on his second wife
One person whom I knew has already divorced and remarried for a second time.
One's just barely getting by, but
Another acquaintance is currently facing financial struggles, but still persevering through their difficulties.
These people raised me
All of these individuals played a critical role in shaping my identity and personality as I was growing up.
And I can't wait to go home
Despite all of the changes and transformations that have occurred in my life, I still hold onto the desire to return to my childhood home.
Writer(s): Edward Sheeran, Benjamin Levin
Contributed by Xavier T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.