These Days
Nico Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I've been out walking
I don't do too much talking these days
These days
These days I seem to think a lot
About the things that I forgot to do
And all the times I had
A chance to
I've stopped my rambling
I don't do too much gambling these days
These days
These days I seem to think about
How all these changes came about my ways
And I wonder if I'd see another
Highway

I had a lover
I don't think I'd risk another these days
These days
And if I seem to be afraid
To live the life that I have made in song
It's just that I've been losing
So long

La, la, la, la, la
La, la

I've stopped my dreaming
I won't do too much scheming these days
These days
These days I sit on cornerstones
And count the time in quarter tones to ten




Please don't confront me with my failures
I had not forgotten them

Overall Meaning

Nico's song "These Days" is a melancholic and introspective ballad about a person who is reflecting on their own experiences and mistakes. The first verse describes a person who has been out walking and thinking a lot about the things they forgot to do and the missed opportunities they had. This person seems to have become more introspective and reflective, and does not talk or gamble as much as they used to. They seem to have become more cautious and hesitant.


The second verse describes how the person has stopped dreaming and scheming, and now sits on cornerstones, counting time in quarter tones to ten. They seem to be afraid to live the life they have made in song because they have been losing for so long. The final line "please don't confront me with my failures, I had not forgotten them" suggests that the person is struggling to come to terms with their own shortcomings and mistakes.


The repeated refrain "These days" emphasizes the passing of time and the changes that come with it. The song is a poignant and introspective meditation on the human experience, and the way that we reflect on our own lives as we grow older.


Line by Line Meaning

I've been out walking
I've been taking long walks and enjoying some time to myself


I don't do too much talking these days
I've become quieter and prefer to keep to myself


These days
Recently or lately


These days I seem to think a lot
I've been thinking about things more often than usual


About the things that I forgot to do
I'm reflecting on past actions that I didn't complete


And all the times I had
I'm thinking about past experiences and opportunities I had


A chance to
The opportunity to do something


I've stopped my rambling
I've stopped wandering aimlessly and without purpose


I don't do too much gambling these days
I don't take as many risks or make impulsive decisions


These days I seem to think about
My thoughts have been focused on


How all these changes came about my ways
I'm reflecting on how my life has changed


And I wonder if I'd see another
And I wonder if I'll have another chance


Highway
Opportunity or path in life


I had a lover
I was in a romantic relationship


I don't think I'd risk another these days
I don't think I'm willing to take another chance on love


And if I seem to be afraid
If I come across as scared or hesitant


To live the life that I have made in song
To live the life that I've written about in my music


It's just that I've been losing
I've been experiencing loss or failure


So long
For a while or a long time


La, la, la, la, la
Nonsensical syllables used as a vocalization or melody


La, la
Nonsensical syllables used as a vocalization or melody


I've stopped my dreaming
I've stopped having unrealistic thoughts or hopes


I won't do too much scheming these days
I won't try to come up with elaborate plans or goals


These days I sit on cornerstones
I spend my time sitting and observing everyday life


And count the time in quarter tones to ten
I'm keeping track of time and taking things one step at a time


Please don't confront me with my failures
Please don't make me face my past mistakes or shortcomings


I had not forgotten them
I remember my mistakes but I don't want to be confronted with them




Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Jackson Browne

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@johnrall8818

I've been out walking
I don't do too much talking
These days, these days
These days I seem to think a lot
About the things that I forgot to do
And all the times I had the chance to.
I've stopped my rambling
I don't do too much gambling
These days, these days
These days I seem to think about
How all the changes came about my ways
And I wonder if I'd see another highway
I had a lover
I don't think I'll risk another
These days, these days
And if I seem to be afraid
To live the life that I have made in song
It's just that I've been losing so long
I've stopped my dreaming
I won't do too much scheming
These days, these days
These days I sit on corner stones
And count the time in quarter tones to ten
Please don't confront me with my failures
I had not forgotten them



@mijail619

I've been out walking
I don't do too much talking these days
These days
These days I seem to think a lot
About the things that I forgot to do
And all the times I had
A chance to
I've stopped my rambling
I don't do too much gambling these days
These days
These days I seem to think about
How all these changes came about my ways
And I wonder if I'd see another
Highway
I had a lover
I don't think I'd risk another these days
These days
And if I seem to be afraid
To live the life that I have made in song
It's just that I've been losing
So long
La, la, la, la, la
La, la
I've stopped my dreaming
I won't do too much scheming these days
These days
These days I sit on cornerstones
And count the time in quarter tones to ten
Please don't confront me with my failures
I had not forgotten them



@nell2050

parole française :
je me suis promené
je ne parle pas trop Ces jours-ci,
ces jours-ci Ces jours-ci,
je semble beaucoup penser À propos des choses que j'ai oublié de faire
Et toutes les fois où j'en ai eu la chance.
J'ai arrêté mes divagations
ne jouez pas trop Ces jours-ci,
ces jours-ci Ces jours-ci,
je semble penser à Comment tous les changements sont survenus à propos de mes manières
Et je me demande si je verrais une autre autoroute C'est un amoureux Je ne pense pas qu'il en risque un autre Ces jours-ci,
ces jours-ci
Et si j'ai l'air d'avoir peur Pour vivre la vie que j'ai faite en chanson
C'est juste que j'ai perdu
si longtemps J'ai arrêté de rêver je ne ferai pas trop d'intrigues Ces jours-ci,
ces jours-ci Ces jours-ci,
je suis assis sur des pierres angulaires
Et compter le temps en quarts de ton jusqu'à dix S'il te plaît,
ne me confronte pas à mes échecs Je ne les ai pas oubliés



All comments from YouTube:

@doransanft1525

"Please don't confront me with my failures, I had not forgotten them." --One of the best lines ever...from a 16-year old kid!

@erazet3084

Woah she wrote this when she was 16????

@cameronfooter323

@@erazet3084 Jackson Browne wrote it

@davidleiva36

@@erazet3084 Yeah Jackson Browne wrote the song at age 16

@JohnSmith-qw1fg

kinda ironic

@sonicsonic2444

"Now if I seem to be afraid to live the life that I have wrote about in song; it's just that I've been losing too long." Jackson Brown wrote this song at 16 yo; wow!

23 More Replies...

@bryce8793

It's hard to believe this song came out 55 years ago. Indie music now sounds so similar to this

@jdjsjsj8027

hard to believe it came out 55 years ago? you really think people 55 years ago were primitive monkeys or something? You definitely haven't heard anything from the '60s other than The Beatles and the songs that have become a stupid tiktok trend if you think like that. please 10s zoomer kids stop calling tvu indie and comparing the legendary band to today's indie bullshit and billie eilish because today's indie music and billie eilish is shit and you dont know about culture and music. I hate these people from tiktok

@jdjsjsj8027

@Google User usually when new people say TVU sounds like today's indie artists, they mean Billie Eilish or people like Lil Peep XD Like wtf? they contributed nothing to the music, they are not creative and they don't sound alike at all and their work is only about being edgy and writing lyrics about being gay and eating xanax for "alternative" 12 year olds who have no other activities than watching tiktok. If people are to be interested in the culture and music of the 1960s, I love that and I encourage my friends to familiarize themselves with old psychedelic music, if zoomers are to comment on a topic they have no idea about, I dont get that and people shouldn't comparing them. Btw you know indie artists who are actually indie and do something comparable to TVU?

@t.castro4493

It's a shame that Nico was most likely a racist. She made interesting music that was quite influential. Desertshore and Marble Index are great.

More Comments

More Versions