Long Way Down
Radford Lyrics


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Just another day my dear
Choking in the atmosphere
And if I just breathe in
Maybe I'll black out
There's someone else you need
To get you stepping over me
And if I just breathe in
Maybe I'll black out

'Cause you know
You know
You know
I can always see right through you

[Chorus]
Oh no, everything has changed
You may never be the same
I know disappointment reigns
For you in me
It's a long way down

Just another day my dear
Another lie to overhear
And if I just explode
Would anybody notice me?
I've been inside my shell
I just came out to wish you well
And if I just explode
Would anybody notice me?

'Cause you know
You know
You know
I can always see right through you

[Chorus]

Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah
Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah

[Chorus: x2]

It's a long way down
It's a long way down
Down, down, down




It's a long way down
Such a long way down

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Radford's "Long Way Down" express the feeling of being suffocated and overwhelmed by circumstances or a relationship in which an individual is struggling to be seen or heard. The opening lines of "Just another day, my dear/Choking in the atmosphere/And if I just breathe in/Maybe I'll black out" communicate a sense of claustrophobia and helplessness. This is amplified with the repetition of "You know/You know/You know/I can always see right through you," highlighting the feeling of being unseen and unheard in a situation that is stifling.


The chorus adds to this sense of hopelessness with "Oh no, everything has changed/You may never be the same/I know disappointment reigns/For you in me/It's a long way down." These lyrics reflect the sense of dread and despair that come with realization that whatever is being hoped for is beyond reach. The last lines of "Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's a long way down" emphasizes that sense of distance from the light.


The rest of the lyrics continue the theme of claustrophobia and isolation, with lines like "Another lie to overhear/And if I just explode/Would anybody notice me?" In this way, the song uses metaphors of drowning or being buried alive to communicate the feeling of helplessness.


Line by Line Meaning

Just another day my dear
Another typical day in which nothing seems to be going right.


Choking in the atmosphere
Feeling suffocated by the environment, circumstances or emotions.


And if I just breathe in Maybe I'll black out
Considering doing something drastic to escape the situation.


There's someone else you need To get you stepping over me
The person needs someone else to help them move on and forget about the singer.


Cause you know You know You know I can always see right through you
The singer can see through the other person's intentions and actions.


Oh no, everything has changed You may never be the same I know disappointment reigns For you in me It's a long way down
The relationship has changed and there may be no going back to how things were before which is disappointing for both of them.


Another lie to overhear
Continuing to hear falsehoods.


And if I just explode Would anybody notice me?
Wondering if anyone would care if the singer were to leave, become angry or upset.


I've been inside my shell I just came out to wish you well And if I just explode Would anybody notice me?
The singer's been hiding or isolating themselves and only came back to express their feelings but still feels invisible.


If I just breathe in Maybe I'll black out
Contemplating a harmful escape from the situation they're in.


It's a long way down It's a long way down Down, down, down It's a long way down Such a long way down
Reiterating the feeling that it's a difficult and painful situation that may only get worse.




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