Footsteps
Motels Lyrics


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In search of the time when laughter was music
Even the tears were sweet company
I search of the years of life we had together
Now all I hear is footsteps as you leave me

Footsteps, as you walk out the door
I hear footsteps as you walk down the hall
I hear footsteps and it hurts me so bad
I hear footsteps as I watch you go

In search of the shelter from solitude
In search of that someone I can talk to (talk to)
I search my mind for a reason
Still all I hear is footsteps as you leave me

Footsteps, as you walk out the door
I hear footsteps as you walk down the hall
I hear footsteps and it hurts me so bad
I hear footsteps as I watch you go

I lie awake, waiting and wanting
Praying I hear your footsteps call me
Up the stairs down the hall to my door
Back in my arms were I can love you once more

(Instrumental break)

I hear footsteps as you walk out the door
I hear footsteps as I watch you go

I hear footsteps, as you walk out the door
I hear footsteps as you walk down the hall




I hear footsteps and it hurts me so bad
I hear footsteps as I watch you go (fade)

Overall Meaning

The Motels' song Footsteps is a sorrowful ballad about the sadness and emptiness that comes with losing a loved one. The singer is searching for the happy days they once shared with their partner - when laughter was music and even tears were sweet company. They also long for a companion to talk to and the comfort of solitude. However, all they hear now are footsteps, as their partner leaves them behind.


The repetition of the phrase "footsteps" creates a powerful and poignant effect, as it emphasizes the finality of their partner's departure. The singer is left alone with their memories, haunted by the sound of their loved one's feet walking away from them. The song's lyrics contain desperation and a deep sense of yearning, as the singer, even in their sadness, longs for their partner's return.


The Motels' performance of Footsteps is an emotive, melancholic ballad, with Martha Davis's captivating voice expressing the sorrow and desolation that the lyrics portray. The song's simple melody and instrumentation, consisting mainly of guitar and drums, enhance the poignant lyrics, allowing them to take center stage.


Line by Line Meaning

In search of the time when laughter was music
The singer longs to return to a time when joy was abundant and filled the air with sound


Even the tears were sweet company
The singer cherished each and every moment with their loved one, whether it was happy or sad


I search of the years of life we had together
The singer strives to recapture the collective experiences they had with their partner over the course of their life


Now all I hear is footsteps as you leave me
The artist laments how their once-full life has been reduced to just echoing footsteps, as their partner walks away for good


In search of the shelter from solitude
The artist seeks someone to be with as a comfort against the isolation of being alone


In search of that someone I can talk to (talk to)
The singer craves a person to confide in, to be there for them in their times of need


I search my mind for a reason
The singer tries to understand what led to their current situation, to make sense of what went wrong


Still all I hear is footsteps as you leave me
Despite their mental efforts, the artist is constantly reminded of their partner's departure, hearing nothing but their retreating footsteps


I hear footsteps and it hurts me so bad
The sound of footsteps alone causes immense pain for the artist, a physical manifestation of their heartbreak


I lie awake, waiting and wanting
The artist cannot sleep, eagerly anticipating their lover's return and yearning for their presence


Praying I hear your footsteps call me
The singer pleads that the sound of footsteps means their partner has come back to them, a beacon of hope in their despair


Up the stairs down the hall to my door
The artist envisions their lover's path back to them, believing that they will re-enter their life


Back in my arms were I can love you once more
The singer longs to hold their partner again, to express their love and affection in a way that has been denied to them since their departure


I hear footsteps as you walk out the door
Once again, the singer hears the footsteps of their lover as they leave once more, revisiting the pain they've already experienced


I hear footsteps, as you walk out the door
The repetition of the line emphasizes once more the departure of the singer's partner and the heartache that goes along with it.


I hear footsteps as I watch you go
The artist is forced to watch their partner leave, hearing the sound of their steps as they disappear from view


I hear footsteps and it hurts me so bad
The sound of those footsteps is a visceral reminder to the artist of what they've lost, causing immense pain


I hear footsteps as I watch you go (fade)
The song ends with one last repetition of that mournful sound, emphasizing the singer's loss and desire to reconcile with their partner.




Contributed by Kylie P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

@antonismpeizanis1181

Είμαι 50 χρονών,μεγάλωσα με heavy metal μουσική,αλλά μου είναι αδύνατον να μην συγκινηθώ ακούγοντας αυτό το κομμάτι.Σε 4 λεπτά,όλα τα παιδικά μου χρόνια.Αυτά ήταν τα "80's".Τα συναισθήματα φτιάχνουν μουσική και η μουσική συναισθήματα.

@Aris-wz4kq

Φίλε, νόμισα ότι το είχα γράψει εγώ το σχόλιο. Τόσο πολύ συμφωνώ

@elgriego74

Και οι μεταλαδες ποσες φορες βρεθηκαμε σε disco(ειδκα καλοκαιρι) και ακουγαμε αυτα τα κομματια που ηταν πολυ ωραια για χορο. Δεν το παραδεχομασταν τοτε αλλα μεγαλωσαμε πια! 😂

@user-wk2ew9wq9q

Και εγώ το ίδιο παιδες

@minakatsama2014

Και εμένα με γύρισε στα εφηβικά μου χρόνια!!! ❤

@gevo5201

Ήξερα μεταλα βαρέων βαρών,που ήταν και φαν των Kraftwerk

3 More Replies...

@athens-xm4yd

είναι σαν να είστε φιλαράκια μου όλοι εσείς που γράφετε σχόλια από μια άλλη εποχη ...αξεπεραστη μοναδική ονειρική για ολους εμας που ζήσαμε τέτοιες αγνές και ανεμελες εποχες

@elizabethveron5900

Por Dios por fin la encontré ahora ...martes 18 de octubre de 2022...por fin la encontré después de tantos años a mis 53 años
Dios por fin la encontré
Tantos recuerdos cuando era jovencita 😢
💞🔊🎵🎶🎧🎤🎼
🔝🔝🔝🔝💯💯💯💯
🙋🇦🇷

@-resines

¿No te refieres a la versión en español: "Me mietes", de Los Vaina?

@cesar.309

Cuéntame, que lindos recuerdos y tan frescos con si fuera ayer, tardes de noche de verano y esas vivencias de juventud alegre y....sana! Recuerdos que llaman a emoción ! Abrazo!

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