Understanding
Mr. Long Lyrics


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Breathe in
Smoke dancing in my lungs
Breathe out
The form convulsing in the night air
Relief hung
On the cigarette
Balancing between
The rungs of my fingers
The insomniac stars
Screaming and glistening
Dead for all I know
The trees whistling
A long forgotten tune
In the ancient winds
Obscured by the sirens
Modern life brings
Silent streets filled with nothingness
And the biting chill of the breeze
Well, at least I can feel
At least I can feel
A thousand and one thoughts racing through me
And not one of them making sense to the people around me
I try to explain all the feelings inside
You tell me to 'open up' so I just curl up and hide
But I'm not a book, I've already put it away
Am I alienating you and you're just too polite to say?
I didn't mean to shout and now all I feel is guilt
It's hard to open up you see, in this prison I've built
Silent streets filled with nothingness
And the biting chill of the breeze
Why do I have to feel
Why do I have to feel
The hail falls hard
In the biting cold
So lets wait under the trolley point
In Tesco
You're trying to understand
It's hard for the both of us




But wait under here with me
And that'll be enough

Overall Meaning

In these lyrics, the artist, Mr. Long, expresses a sense of introspection and detachment from the world around him. The first verse portrays a moment of personal relief as he inhales and exhales smoke, using it as a metaphor for releasing inner turmoil. The insomniac stars and the trees whistling represent a disconnection from the natural world due to the intrusive sounds and distractions of modern life. The silence on the streets highlights the emptiness and loneliness he feels.


In the second verse, Mr. Long discusses the struggles of communication and expression. He feels misunderstood and disconnected from others, as his thoughts and feelings are racing with no connection to those around him. He describes how he tries to explain himself but is met with the advice to "open up," leading him to retreat and hide his emotions. He questions if he is alienating people and hints at the difficulty he faces in sharing his vulnerabilities.


The chorus conveys a yearning to feel, even though it brings both pain and confusion. Mr. Long questions why he feels so deeply when it can be overwhelming and isolating. The biting chill of the breeze serves as a physical representation of the emotional discomfort he experiences.


The final verse introduces a scene where Mr. Long seeks solace with someone, suggesting that they stand together under a shelter in a Tesco parking lot. The lyrics imply that the other person is trying to understand him, but it is a challenging journey for both of them. Despite their difficulty in grasping each other's emotions, their mere presence and the act of waiting together is enough for now. It signifies a glimmer of hope and connection amidst the struggles of understanding oneself and others.


Line by Line Meaning

Breathe in
Inhaling deeply, taking in the smoke


Smoke dancing in my lungs
The smoke swirling and moving gracefully within the lungs


Breathe out
Exhaling, releasing the form of smoke


The form convulsing in the night air
The shape of the smoke trembling and shaking in the dark atmosphere


Relief hung
A sense of ease suspended


On the cigarette
Resting upon the lit tobacco


Balancing between
Resting in equilibrium


The rungs of my fingers
The spaces formed by the interlocked fingers


The insomniac stars
The stars that stay awake in the sleepless nights


Screaming and glistening
Shouting out their brilliance and shining intensely


Dead for all I know
Lifeless and distant from my understanding


The trees whistling
Melodious sounds emitted by the trees


A long-forgotten tune
An ancient melody lost in time


In the ancient winds
Carried by the eternal breezes


Obscured by the sirens
Hidden and overshadowed by the wailing sounds of emergency vehicles


Modern life brings
The contemporary existence brings about


Silent streets filled with nothingness
Empty roads lacking any meaningful presence


And the biting chill of the breeze
The cold wind that carries a harsh and piercing sensation


Well, at least I can feel
At least I have the ability to experience and sense


A thousand and one thoughts racing through me
Numerous and rapid thoughts rushing through my mind


And not one of them making sense to the people around me
None of these thoughts comprehensible to those in my vicinity


I try to explain all the feelings inside
Attempting to articulate the emotions within me


You tell me to 'open up' so I just curl up and hide
When urged to be vulnerable, I retreat and conceal myself


But I'm not a book, I've already put it away
I'm not an open narrative, I have already hidden my emotions


Am I alienating you and you're just too polite to say?
Have I isolated you and you're simply being polite by not expressing it?


I didn't mean to shout and now all I feel is guilt
I didn't intend to raise my voice, and now I'm overwhelmed with remorse


It's hard to open up you see, in this prison I've built
Revealing my innermost self is challenging because I have constructed a confinement


Why do I have to feel
Why am I burdened with experiencing emotions


The hail falls hard
The frozen precipitation descends forcefully


In the biting cold
In the harsh, freezing temperature


So let's wait under the trolley point
Let us seek shelter under the shelter for shopping carts


In Tesco
Within the premises of a Tesco supermarket


You're trying to understand
You are making an effort to comprehend


It's hard for the both of us
It is challenging for both of us


But wait under here with me
However, if you wait here with me


And that'll be enough
Then that will suffice




Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Lara Hanson

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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