The second verse depicts the speaker engaging in healthy, routine activities such as jogging, but even then, they still carry the emotional pain of the past. The line "And when I find that a knife's sticking out of my side / I'll pull it out without questioning why" suggests that even physical pain is better than the emotional pain they have been feeling.
The chorus refers to a warm summer night and the sound of fireworks outside, which triggers memories that bring back the pain and sadness. The memories ctying refer to the speaker's emotional pain, which overwhelms them and brings them back to a state of distress.
The third verse portrays the speaker as being married to silence, unable to communicate or express their pain. Yet, there is something brewing beneath the surface, a river of emotions that never find a way to be released.
Overall, "Fireworks" is a melancholic meditation on the reality of grief and the long process of healing. The fireworks serve as a triggering element that brings back the emotions that have been temporarily buried. Through the song, Mitski captures the reality of living with loss, and the ways in which it can continue to impact a person's present and future.
Fireworks
Mitski Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I will forget how to cry
I'll keep going to work and you won't see a change
Save perhaps a slight gray in my eye
I will go jogging routinely
Calmly and rhythmically run
And when I find that a knife's sticking out of my side
And then one warm summer night
I'll hear fireworks outside
And I'll listen to the memories as they cry, cry, cry
I will be married to silence
The gentleman won't say a word
But you know, oh you know in the quiet he holds
Runs a river that'll never find home
And then one warm summer night
I'll hear fireworks outside
And I'll listen to the memories as they cry, cry, cry
Oh, one warm summer night
I'll hear fireworks outside
And I'll listen to the memories as they cry, cry, cry
Cry, cry, cry
Cry, cry, cry
Mitski's "Fireworks" is a poignant reflection on the aftermath of a breakup. The first stanza communicates the idea that, eventually, the emotional pain caused by this event will subside and become like a fossil, something she can look back on with a sense of distance. The concept of gradual healing is further emphasized in the lines "And I will forget how to cry/I'll keep going to work and you won't see a change/Save perhaps a slight gray in my eye." Despite this sense of healing, Mitski seems to indicate that there will always be a degree of pain associated with memories of the relationship. This is conveyed in the lines "And then one warm summer night/I'll hear fireworks outside/And I'll listen to the memories as they cry, cry, cry."
Line by Line Meaning
One morning this sadness will fossilize
At some point in the future, my sadness will become a permanent part of me
And I will forget how to cry
I will no longer be able to express my emotions and feelings through tears
I'll keep going to work and you won't see a change
I will continue with my daily routine and responsibilities, despite feeling empty and broken inside
Save perhaps a slight gray in my eye
The only visible sign of my pain will be a dull look in my eyes, as if I am seeing the world in black and white
I will go jogging routinely
I will try to maintain a sense of normalcy by engaging in regular exercise and self-care
Calmly and rhythmically run
I will try to find a sense of peace and stability through the repetitive act of running
And when I find that a knife's sticking out of my side
If I were to encounter physical pain or injury, I would endure it without questioning or acknowledging the emotional pain that lies beneath the surface
I'll pull it out without questioning why
I will simply deal with the pain and move on, rather than trying to understand or process its root cause
And then one warm summer night
At a seemingly random moment, my past memories and emotions will resurface
I'll hear fireworks outside
The sound of fireworks will serve as a catalyst for these memories and emotions
And I'll listen to the memories as they cry, cry, cry
I will be forced to confront and feel the pain of these memories as they resurface and overwhelm me
I will be married to silence
In my personal relationships, I will struggle to communicate my true feelings and thoughts
The gentleman won't say a word
My partner or significant other will not ask questions or try to understand my pain
But you know, oh you know in the quiet he holds
Despite the lack of communication, there is an underlying emotional depth and intensity to our relationship
Runs a river that'll never find home
There is a sense of unfulfilled longing or searching that will always be present in our relationship
Cry, cry, cry
The sound of fireworks is like tears, representing the emotional pain that I can't help but feel
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Mitsuki Laycock
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
nana
I wish i was as beautiful as this song
@YahVh
⬇lyrics⬇
One morning this sadness will fossilize
and I will forget how to cry
I'll keep going to work and you won't see a change
Save perhaps a slight gray in my eye
I will go jogging routinely
Calmly and rhythmically run
And when I find that a knife's sticking out of my side
I'll pull it out without questioning why
And then one warm summer night
I'll hear fireworks outside
And I'll listen to the memories as they cry, cry, cry
I will be married to silence
The gentleman won't say a word
But you know, oh you know in the quiet he holds
Runs a river that'll never find home
And then one warm summer night
I'll hear fireworks outside
And I'll listen to the memories as they cry, cry, cry
Oh, one warm summer night
I'll hear fireworks outside
And I'll listen to the memories as they cry, cry, cry
Cry, cry, cry
Cry, cry, cry
@wiviansilva2385
cant't believe mitski created fireworks
@kiyokomiyazaki
Same
@rebelcloud7
and pearls and bugs like angels too
@archarhys0
And people named Eric
@feydasrat
@@archarhys0don’t forget people named abbey
@urinaldivider
@@feydasratand don’t forget dan
@ChickenHero143
I think this song is about ignoring the sad emotions that you have and tossing it aside, only to realize that the silence you keep about your sad feelings is not good for you, and you can’t maintain it forever
@Genesis_06178
sooo painfully relatable
@valennttinn
MOST UNDERRATED MITSKI SONG like why isn't this viral and her most played song HELLO?