The band has released six albums since their formation: "Real Estate" (2009), "Days" (2011), "Atlas" (2014), "In Mind" (2017), "The Main Thing" (2020), and "Daniel" (2024).
Talking Backwards
Real Estate Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And the line is still engaged
Were not getting any closer
You're too many miles away
And I might as well be talking backwards
Am I making any sense to you
And they only thing that really matters
When the night was over
And the field was lit up bright
And I want to tell you
Nothing I said came out right
And I might as well be talking backwards
Am I making any sense to you
And they only thing that really matters
Is the one thing that I can't seem to do
And I might as well be talking backwards
Am I making any sense to you
And they only thing that really matters
Is the one thing that I can't seem to
Make sense of this dream
It's the one thing I can't seem to do
Real Estate's "Talking Backwards" is a song about feeling like you are not getting through to someone who is far away from you. The first few lines set the tone for the whole song, where the singer is talking to someone on the phone for hours, but they are not getting any closer to each other. The line "And I might as well be talking backwards" represents the feeling of futility that the singer experiences. They feel like they are not making any sense to the person on the other end, and they might as well be talking gibberish.
The song also explores the feeling of regret, where the singer realizes that they have said something wrong and that their words did not come out right. This is evident in the line, "And when the night was over, and the field was lit up bright, and I want to tell you, nothing I said came out right." The singer is aware that they have messed up in some way, but they do not know how to fix it.
The whole song is a slow and melancholic reflection on the frustrations of communication and the weight of missed connections. It highlights the difficulty of expressing oneself fully, especially when trying to convey something to someone else who is far away. In the end, the singer's dream is the only thing that remains uncertain and inaccessible, further emphasizing the theme of missed connections and failed communication.
Line by Line Meaning
We can talk for hours
We are capable of having long conversations
And the line is still engaged
But we are not making any progress as the communication is still ongoing
Were not getting any closer
Our discussion is not bringing us any nearer to an understanding
You're too many miles away
We are too distant from each other physically or emotionally
And I might as well be talking backwards
I feel like I am not making any sense
Am I making any sense to you
Do my words have any significance or meaning to you?
And they only thing that really matters
The only important thing is
Is the one thing that I can't seem to do
Something that I cannot achieve
When the night was over
At the end of the evening
And the field was lit up bright
When it was still illuminated
And I want to tell you
There was something I wished to convey to you
Nothing I said came out right
However, I failed to articulate effectively
And I might as well be talking backwards
I feel like I am not making any sense
Am I making any sense to you
Do my words have any significance or meaning to you?
And they only thing that really matters
The only important thing is
Is the one thing that I can't seem to do
Something that I cannot achieve
And I might as well be talking backwards
I feel like I am not making any sense
Am I making any sense to you
Do my words have any significance or meaning to you?
And they only thing that really matters
The only important thing is
Is the one thing that I can't seem to
Something that I cannot achieve
Make sense of this dream
Understand this thought or imagination
It's the one thing I can't seem to do
It is something that I cannot accomplish
Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: ALEXANDER WILLIAM BLEEKER, MARTIN COURTNEY, MATTHEW ANTHONY MONDANILE, POLLIS JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@djskeedledoo
We can talk for hours
And the line is still engaged
Were not getting any closer
You're too many miles away
And I might as well be talking backwards
Am I making any sense to you
And they only thing that really matters
Is the one thing that I can't seem to do
When the night was over
And the field was lit up bright
And I want to tell you
Nothing I said came out right
And I might as well be talking backwards
Am I making any sense to you
And they only thing that really matters
Is the…
@mikeclonetroopers
We can talk for hours
When the line is still engaged
We're not getting any closer
You're too many miles away
And I might as well be talking backwards
Am I making any sense to you
And the only thing that really matters
Is the one thing I can't seem to do
When that night was over
And the field was lit up bright
And I walked home with you
Nothing I said came out right
And I might as well be talking backwards
Am I making any sense to you
And the only thing that really matters
Is the one thing I can't seem to do
And I might as well be talking backwards
Am I making any sense to you
And the only thing that really matters
Is the one thing I can't seem to,
Make sense of this dream,
It's the one thing I can't seem to do
@sratus
This song inspired me to stop stalling and finally ask this girl I really liked to go out with me. We're married now.
@user-sz7wm3wh2x
oh man this is an incredibly underrated comment. cheers mate!
@harrybaules
I got that same determination from smoking weed one night. True story. I hardly ever smoke but that time it cleared my mind.
@okay_rajan8033
Omg i am so happy for you my frnd :)
All the best.
@erickgutierrez1898
Thats beautiful man congrats
@joebennett4030
That's beautiful sir
@saintherip8624
I heard this song at a department store* in 2014. Every second the music entered my ear, my interest heightened. Sadly, I was in the last few seconds of the song. I grabbed my phone and recorded only 19 seconds of it hoping I could get the lyrics and search it for later. I listened to the recorded audio and could barely hear the lyrics because of the noise inside the store. I asked the customer service where I could ask for the title of the song that was previously played. They told me the operator was in a restricted area. After that, I just felt like my life was over (of course, I'm exaggerating). It was only after a year later in 2015 that I finally found it! I can't really recall how, but it was a huge relief. It's still my favorite song until now. I feel like the luckiest person.
*SM department store in the Philippines (specifically in Bacolod City)
@axelblaze4168
i feel you
@SandroArmstrong
I know that feeling ! :D
@djskeedledoo
We can talk for hours
And the line is still engaged
Were not getting any closer
You're too many miles away
And I might as well be talking backwards
Am I making any sense to you
And they only thing that really matters
Is the one thing that I can't seem to do
When the night was over
And the field was lit up bright
And I want to tell you
Nothing I said came out right
And I might as well be talking backwards
Am I making any sense to you
And they only thing that really matters
Is the…