Not Exactly
Rainbirds Lyrics


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I am sad alright
But what a waste of time
I held you much too close
And now there's something missing
But I can't see the empty space
Something else has taken place
I am sad alright
But what a waste of tears
I held you much too close
And now there's someone missing
She is gone without a trace
Just the expression on her face:
What a waste
There's a flame and a fire and a body burning up
And a bird on a shape made of steel ohoh
He keeps on singing

it's not exactly what you think
Not exactly what you see
Not exactly what you've learned
And what you will be learning

I am sad alright
But what a waste of breath
I'm only talking to relieve
Although there's no one listening
He is gone without a trace
Just the expression on his face:
Who's to blame?
There's a flame and a fire and a body burning up
And a bird on a shape made of steel, ohoh
He keeps on singing

it's not exactly what you think
Not exactly what you see




Not exactly what you've learned
And what you will be learning

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Rainbirds' "Not Exactly" capture the feeling of sadness and loss, but with a sense of ambiguity and uncertainty. The singer acknowledges their sadness but also recognizes that they may have held onto someone too tightly, resulting in a feeling of emptiness. However, they cannot pinpoint what exactly is missing, only that something has changed.


The chorus of the song emphasizes this ambiguity by repeating the phrase, "it's not exactly what you think, not exactly what you see, not exactly what you've learned, and what you will be learning." This suggests that things are not always clear as they seem and that there is more to a situation than what is immediately apparent.


The use of imagery throughout the song also adds to its complexity. The mention of a bird on a steel shape and a body burning up can be interpreted in different ways, depending on the listener's perspective. The lyrics leave room for interpretation, allowing the listener to bring their own experiences and emotions into the meaning of the song.


Overall, "Not Exactly" is a contemplative and introspective song that explores the emotions of sadness and loss in a nuanced and complex way.


Line by Line Meaning

I am sad alright
I'm feeling sad but okay


But what a waste of time
The time I spent on this relationship was not worth it


I held you much too close
I held onto this relationship too tightly


And now there's something missing
Something is not there anymore


But I can't see the empty space
I cannot clearly see what’s gone


Something else has taken place
Something else has changed, taken over


I am sad alright
I'm feeling sad but okay


But what a waste of tears
Crying about the end of this relationship is a waste


I held you much too close
Again, I held onto this relationship too tightly


And now there's someone missing
There's a person I cared about who is gone


She is gone without a trace
This person disappeared without me knowing why


Just the expression on her face:
I remember her last expression vividly


What a waste
This situation feels like a waste


There's a flame and a fire and a body burning up
This intense passion and desire is consuming me


And a bird on a shape made of steel ohoh
I see a bird on a metallic structure, singing despite the surroundings


He keeps on singing
The bird keeps singing despite the changes around him


it's not exactly what you think
The situation is not what it seems


Not exactly what you see
The situation is not what is appearing


Not exactly what you've learned
Everything I thought I knew about this has changed


And what you will be learning
There's more to come, more to learn


I am sad alright
I'm still feeling sad but okay


But what a waste of breath
Talking about this situation is not helping


I'm only talking to relieve
I talk to release my emotions


Although there's no one listening
Despite no one else being there to listen


He is gone without a trace
Another person has left without a reason


Just the expression on his face:
I remember his expression when he left


Who's to blame?
Who should be held responsible?


There's a flame and a fire and a body burning up
This intense passion and desire is consuming me again


And a bird on a shape made of steel, ohoh
Again, I see a bird on a metallic structure, singing regardless of surroundings


He keeps on singing
The bird is still singing despite everything




Lyrics © Edition Intro Meisel GmbH
Written by: KATHARINA FRANCK, MICH MERKELBACH, MICHAEL BECKMANN, MICHAEL MERKELBACH

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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