Oh Wonder are a London-based alt-pop duo, consisting of Josephine Vander Gu… Read Full Bio ↴Oh Wonder are a London-based alt-pop duo, consisting of Josephine Vander Gucht and Anthony West. Since releasing their DIY debut album, they have seen international success with their mellow, slow-grooving, R&B-flecked alt-pop tunes. Beginning in September 2014, Anthony and Josephine set out to write, record, and release one song a month for a year. All of the songs were released together as a self-titled debut album on September 4, 2015.

Sold out shows in London, Paris, Los Angeles, Amsterdam and New York a week after their debut album release marked the beginning of the band’s touring career.

Waste
Oh Wonder Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

There's a space in between
Like a grey evergreen
Where the hurt never meant stops to linger
On the pavement below
See a crack that I know
All the corners of you
All the bones that I knew
I said I would never come back

Screaming at the walls in jet black
Hurt until my words are out flat
Can I whisper it back?

What a waste, what a waste
What a waste to be so alone
A waste, what a waste
What a waste to be so alone
A waste, what a waste
What a waste to be so alone

There's a space in between
Like a grey evergreen
Where the hurt never meant starts to linger
On the pavement below
See a crack that I know
All the corners of you
All the bones that I knew
I said I would never come back
Screaming at the walls in jet black
Hurt until my words are out flat
Can I whisper it back?
I said I would never come back
Screaming at the walls in jet black
Hurt until my words are out flat
Can I whisper it back?

What a waste, what a waste
What a waste to be so alone
A waste, what a waste
What a waste to be so alone
A waste, what a waste
What a waste to be so alone
So alone, so alone a waste, what a waste
What a waste to be so alone
A waste, what a waste
What a waste to be so alone
A waste, what a waste
What a waste to be so alone
A waste, what a waste
What a waste to be so alone
A waste, what a waste
What a waste to be so alone
A waste, what a waste
What a waste to be so alone
A waste, what a waste
What a waste to be so alone
A waste, what a waste
What a waste to be so alone

A waste, what a waste
What a waste to be so alone

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to "Waste" by Oh Wonder describe a feeling of emptiness and loneliness. The song opens with the repetition of "There's a space in between, like a grey evergreen," which sets the tone for the sense of emptiness and longing. The singer feels trapped in this space, where the pain and hurt never seem to fade away. They notice cracks and corners, symbolic of the brokenness and fragments of a past relationship.

The repeated line, "I said I would never come back, screaming at the walls in jet black," suggests a cycle of emotional turmoil. The singer declares that they will not return to this place of pain, but then find themselves consumed by it once again. The expression of anger and frustration amplifies the intensity of their emotions.

The chorus: "What a waste, what a waste, what a waste to be so alone," emphasizes the sense of regret and loss associated with being alone. The repetition of "waste" emphasizes the feeling of squandering time and opportunities, as well as the feeling of being isolated.

Overall, the lyrics convey a yearning for connection and the struggle to escape the loneliness that lingers in the singer's life. It explores the notion of repeating patterns and the difficulty of breaking free from cycles of emotional pain.

Line by Line Meaning

There's a space in between
There's a void, a distance separating us

Like a grey evergreen
A dull, constant reminder of our pain

Where the hurt never meant stops to linger
Where the pain we unintentionally caused remains without fading away

On the pavement below
Visible for everyone to see, unable to be ignored

See a crack that I know
Spotting a flaw, a vulnerability in our relationship

All the corners of you
Every aspect, every facet of your being

All the bones that I knew
Knowing every part of you intimately

I said I would never come back
Promising to stay away, to not return

Screaming at the walls in jet black
Expressing anguish and frustration in the darkness

Hurt until my words are out flat
Feeling the pain so deeply that my words lose their impact

Can I whisper it back?
Is there a chance to undo the damage, to take back what has been said?