Waves
Metric Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Saw the water, not the waves
Caught your eye, forgot your name
Always leaving, either way
I want you to stop me

Episodes to fantasize
TV movie of our lives
The future is all mine

I'll find it on my way back

When I'm gone
I'll know what I've done
I'll go where I don't belong

It's all, not one
I love everything
No sleep; I lose everything
Oh don't tell me again
I won't see you again

Not one
I love everything
No sleep; I lose everything
Oh, don't tell me again
I won't see you again

Saw the waves, but not the tide
I couldn't stay, I don't know why
A sailor married to the sea
My luck is a lost key

The door is locked from the inside
Don't wait around, I won't arrive
Keep a room somewhere for me
I'll find it on my way back

When I'm gone
I'll know what I've done
I'll go where I don't belong

It's all, not one
I love everything
No sleep; I lose everything
Oh don't tell me again
I won't see you again

Not one
I love everything
No sleep; I lose everything

Oh, don't tell me again
I won't see you again

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Metric's song Waves appear to be about the singer's relationship with someone who they cannot seem to leave behind. The person is described as catching the singer's eye and making an impact, but they are always leaving. The singer wants the person to stop them from leaving, indicating that they have strong feelings for them. The singer is also depicted as having a vivid imagination, with episodes to fantasize and a TV movie of their lives. They are determined to find their future, even if it means going where they don't belong and losing everything, including sleep. However, the singer seems to accept that they won't see the other person again and acknowledges the impact they have had on their life.

The lyrics are poetic and somewhat enigmatic, leaving room for interpretation. The image of waves, which appears in the title and throughout the song, is a metaphor that could represent the ebb and flow of the singer's relationship or their own emotional turmoil. The line "my luck is a lost key" is also intriguing and could imply that the singer feels that they have lost control over their life.

Overall, Waves is a beautiful and haunting song that captures the complexity of human emotions and relationships.

Line by Line Meaning

Saw the water, not the waves
I was too focused on the surface level of things, not paying attention to what was really going on

Caught your eye, forgot your name
I was mesmerized by your presence, but didn't remember the details of who you were

Always leaving, either way
Whether physically or emotionally, I have a pattern of departing from people and situations

I want you to stop me
Despite my tendency to leave, I secretly wish someone could hold me accountable and make me stay

Episodes to fantasize
I regularly daydream about different experiences and scenarios

TV movie of our lives
My imagination creates elaborate, cinematic mental narratives of my life and relationships

The future is all mine
I feel confident about my ability to shape my own destiny

I'll find it on my way back
If I stray off course, I trust that I will eventually find my way back to where I need to be

When I'm gone I'll know what I've done I'll go where I don't belong
If I die or disappear, I will have a sense of closure about my actions and I won't be afraid to explore unfamiliar territory

It's all, not one I love everything No sleep; I lose everything Oh don't tell me again I won't see you again
I have an intense passion for all things, but my lack of sleep and focus can cause me to lose what I love. Please don't remind me of things I've lost, as I've already accepted that they're gone forever

Saw the waves, but not the tide I couldn't stay, I don't know why A sailor married to the sea My luck is a lost key
Although I was aware of some of the warning signs, I still had to leave. I feel bound to the ocean, even though it brings me uncertainties and setbacks

The door is locked from the inside Don't wait around, I won't arrive Keep a room somewhere for me I'll find it on my way back
I have to be the one to open the door and let you in, I can't be relied upon to be punctual or dependable. But if you leave a space for me, I will make sure to eventually return to you

Contributed by Victoria B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS