We Let The Stars Go
Prefab Sprout Lyrics

There was that girl I used to know
The singer is thinking about a girl from his past

She'd tease me about my name
The girl used to make fun of the singer's name

Fan the embers long enough
The singer still has feelings for the girl even though it's been a while

I sometimes catch her flame
The singer still thinks about the girl and can feel the emotions he had for her coming back

The soothing voice of distance tells me
The singer is trying to distance himself emotionally from the girl and move on

"That was just a fling"
The singer is trying to convince himself that what he had with the girl was not significant

Other music fills my ears
The singer has moved on and is listening to other music now

But I still hear her sing :
Despite trying to move on, the singer still can't forget the girl and her voice

Paddy Joe, say Paddy Joe
The girl is addressing the singer by his name

Don't you remember me ?
The girl is asking if the singer remembers her

How long ago one gorgeous night
The girl is reminiscing about a beautiful night they had together

We let the stars go
The girl and the singer enjoyed the moment so much that they didn't pay attention to the stars in the sky

There was a boy I used to be
The singer is remembering himself as a younger, more naive version of himself

I guess that he was cold
The singer is reflecting on his past self and thinks that he didn't understand love

If she came to buy him now
The singer is saying that he would be willing to do anything for the girl if she came back

How cheaply he'd be sold
The singer is criticizing his past self for not understanding the value of love

But the light is gone and it is dark
The singer is saying that the beauty and magic of the past is gone and he can't go back

What used to be the sky
The singer is comparing his memories of the past to the sky that has changed since then

Is suddenly embarrassing
The singer is ashamed of the naive boy he used to be and the memories he has of the past

To the naked eye
The singer is saying that his current perspective on the past is different than it was before

Paddy Joe, see Paddy Joe
The girl is addressing the singer again

Can't face this memory
The singer is struggling to deal with the memories of the past

How long ago one gorgeous night
The girl and the singer shared a beautiful night together a long time ago

We let the stars go
The girl and the singer didn't pay attention to the stars in the sky because they were enjoying the moment together

Long ago one stupid night
The singer is criticizing himself for not realizing how important that night was

We let the stars go free
The girl and the singer were so caught up in their own moment that they didn't even notice the stars

We let the stars go free
Repetition of the previous line for emphasis

We let the stars go free
Repetition of the previous line for emphasis

We let the stars go free
Repetition of the previous line for emphasis