The band is best known for their debut single, titled "You Get What You Give", which became a top 5 hit in the United Kingdom and has garnered major U.S. airplay for years. The song's celebrity-dissing lyrics at its end provided a minor a spectacle, with Alexander saying that the media misunderstood the meaning. Despite the song's radical messages, anti-materialistic as well as pro-youth, it's ironically been used in many films and even a famous advertising spot.
Tired of touring and promotional interviews, with the group becoming more and more commercialized, Alexander disbanded the group in mid 1999 before the release of their second single, titled "Someday We'll Know". He has successfully focus on writing and producing songs for other artists, winning a Grammy award for his talents. Consequently, the stunning "Someday We'll Know" received little attention in most countries. The band is widely considered a "one-hit-wonder".
Gotta Stay High
New Radicals Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had to run away
I fell too deep in love
There were no words to say
I just had to get high
One look inside
And I knew right away
I felt too much
I just ran to get high
But lover there's something about you
Just pushing me pulling me
That's saying don't go away
I saw your eyes
Fell into yesterday
An only child
Until you let me stay
I had no one on my side
Too weak to stand
Too scared to love again
The damn has broke
My soul is spilling all over your hands
Take a look in my eyes
Lover, there's something about you
Pushing me pulling me
That's saying don't go away
Ain't never gonna be another
I see your eyes
I'll never run away
I fell too deep in love
Only five words to say
The song "Gotta Stay High" by New Radicals tells the story of a person who falls deeply in love with someone whose eyes captivate them. Despite the intense feelings, the singer runs away because they fear the overwhelming emotions and vulnerability that come with falling in love. The lyrics "I had to run away, I fell too deep in love, there were no words to say, I just had to get high" convey the idea that the person relies on drugs to numb their feelings and push away any emotional connection.
However, there is another side of the story where the lover is trying to protect their heart but also hinting to the singer to stay. The lyrics "lover, there's something about you just pushing me pulling me that's saying don't go away" could be interpreted as the lover being hesitant about the relationship, but at the same time, feeling unable to completely let go of the connection. In the end, the singer realizes that their lover is the only one that matters, and they no longer feel the need to run away. The phrase "ain't never gonna be another, I see your eyes, I'll never run away, I fell too deep in love, only five words to say" expresses the deep love they have for their lover, the vow to stay together, and the realization that words do not always do justice to emotions.
Overall, "Gotta Stay High" is a song about love, vulnerability, and the struggle to express intense emotions. It could be interpreted as a reminder that feelings are natural and should not be pushed away or numbed, and that true love comes with risks and an openness that might be scary at times.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw your eyes
Attracted by your beauty and enchanted by your gaze
I had to run away
Feeling overwhelmed by emotions, the singer had to retreat
I fell too deep in love
Emotions were so intense that the singer felt completely taken over by love, drowning in it
There were no words to say
The feeling was so profound that words felt insufficient to express it
I just had to get high
Feeling helpless, the artist found solace in escaping reality by getting high
One look inside
Upon inspection, a closer look at the beloved
And I knew right away
It became clear to the singer immediately
I felt too much
Emotions were too strong to control or contain
I did not have the strength
The artist lacked the stamina to endure such powerful feelings
I just ran to get high
The only option the artist could think of to numb the emotions they were experiencing was to escape reality by getting high
But lover there's something about you
Addressing the beloved, the singer acknowledges that there is something unique and special about them
Just pushing me pulling me
The beloved is sending mixed signals to the artist, making them feel conflicted
That's saying don't go away
Despite the mixed signals, the singer senses that the beloved does not want them to leave
I saw your eyes
Again, the beloved's eyes were a mesmerizing sight for the singer
Fell into yesterday
The singer recalls a time before they met the beloved
An only child
The artist was alone, without anyone to rely on or share their experiences with
Until you let me stay
The beloved provided companionship and a sense of belonging to the artist
I had no one on my side
The singer felt alone and unsupported
Too weak to stand
The singer lacked the strength to face their challenges alone
Too scared to love again
Past experiences had traumatized the artist, making them afraid to love again
The damn has broke
The artist's inner struggles and vulnerabilities can no longer be contained
My soul is spilling all over your hands
The artist has opened up to the beloved and exposed their innermost feelings and thoughts to them
Take a look in my eyes
The singer urges the beloved to make a connection by looking into their eyes
Ain't never gonna be another
There will never be another person who can replace the beloved or create the same kind of connection
I see your eyes
The singer is still enchanted by the beloved's eyes
I'll never run away
Despite feeling overwhelmed at times, the singer intends to stay with the beloved
I fell too deep in love
Once again, the singer acknowledges that they are overpowered by feelings of love
Only five words to say
Words feel insufficient to express the depth of emotion and connection experienced
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: GREGG ALEXANDER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind