distance
The laid-back, soulful ease with which Ruel sings his catchy pop tunes coul… Read Full Bio ↴The laid-back, soulful ease with which Ruel sings his catchy pop tunes could only be delivered by a true natural. But the British-Australian songwriter—born Ruel Vincent van Dijk in 2002—has also been working at it for a sizable chunk of his life. Ruel was on the precipice of his teenage years when his dad sent a demo of him doing a James Bay tune to producer M-Phazes (Demi Lovato, Eminem) in 2015, kickstarting his run as one of 21st-century pop’s foremost purveyors of feels. His debut EP, 2018’s Ready, proved that he was exactly that—before even becoming a legal adult, Ruel built a record packed with well-crafted, R&B-inflected, chart-ready songs. The breezy rhythm of “Dazed & Confused” is juxtaposed with the heartbreak that staccato strings set front and centre for the throbbing chorus; and “Younger”, with its sugary vocal hooks, bouncy piano and gospel singers, softens the blow of a story about friends growing apart over time. In 2020, his music continued to mature with Bright Lights, Red Eyes. Using a stream-of-consciousness writing style, Ruel’s bedroom-pop vulnerability shines through on songs like the rousing “courage”, creating a tenderness and intimacy that’s impressive for an artist of any age.

distance
Ruel Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

I had you on the phone, I heard you were mine
I've been on the run since you walked through the hallway
Heard it all before, I don't even mind
I'll do anything, pull me in and I'm far away

You're right there
But I won't say that I'm standing
I'm right here, when I see you I panic
So scared of the way it might pan out

Well I don't wanna say that this was all it was
Trying not to stay but that just made it worse
I've been keeping my distance
But I just wanna know what you're thinking
I just can't explain the way it hurts
Now that what we had is gone, I don't have the words
I'm so bad at playing along, saving my feelings
I've been keeping my distance

I talked about it last night, thought I was fine
Helped you pack your things, put your bags in the hallway
Maybe in a past life, problems aside
We could make it home, I'd hear you when you're calling

You're right there, yeah
But I won't say that I'm standing
I'm right here, when I see you I panic
So scared of the way it might pan out

I don't wanna say that this was all it was
Trying not to stay but that just made it worse
I've been keeping my distance
I just wanna know what you're thinking
I just can't explain the way it hurts
Now that what we had is gone, I don't have the words
I'm so bad at playing along, saving my feelings
I've been keeping my distance

I've been feeling so high on the way down
Hope I get another chance 'cause I know I wouldn't
Wouldn't let you pass by, wouldn't even think twice
Let you out of my mind, I don't even know why

I've been feeling so high on the way down
Said you treated me bad 'cause you know I couldn't
You know I couldn't

I don't wanna say that this was all it was
Trying not to stay but that just made it worse
I've been keeping my distance
I just wanna know that you're thinking
I just can't explain the way it hurts
Now that what we had is gone, I don't have the words




I'm so bad at playing along, saving my feelings
I've been keeping my distance

Overall Meaning

In "Distance," Ruel sings about a relationship that has ended but he is struggling to let go of. He reminisces about the past and the relationship's potential, indicated in the lyrics, "Maybe in a past life, problems aside, we could make it home, I’d hear you when you’re calling." Despite their separation, Ruel still wants to know what his ex-partner is thinking and feeling, mentioning "I just wanna know that you're thinking." The chorus emphasizes the theme of distance and confusion, with Ruel admitting that he's "been keeping my distance" and finding it difficult to express his emotions. He feels paralyzed by the fear of things not working out, saying "so scared of the way it might pan out," and admitting that he's "so bad at playing along, saving my feelings."


The song's use of imagery suggests the conflicting emotions that Ruel is feeling. He's "feeling so high on the way down" and "panicking" when he sees his ex. These lines indicate that even though his emotions are up and down, he's unable to clarify how he feels. "Distance" is a poignant portrayal of the aftermath of a breakup and the struggle to move on. Ruel's raw and emotional vocals convey the pain and confusion he feels as he grapples with the end of a relationship.


Line by Line Meaning

I had you on the phone, I heard you were mine
I spoke with you on the phone, you said you were mine


I've been on the run since you walked through the hallway
Ever since you came into my life, I've been in constant motion


Heard it all before, I don't even mind
I've experienced this before, it doesn't affect me


I'll do anything, pull me in and I'm far away
If you want me, I'll do whatever it takes to be with you


You're right there
You're physically close to me


But I won't say that I'm standing
I won't admit my true feelings for you


I'm right here, when I see you I panic
I'm close by, but seeing you makes me anxious


So scared of the way it might pan out
I'm afraid of how our relationship might end up


Well I don't wanna say that this was all it was
I don't want to accept that our relationship was only temporary


Trying not to stay but that just made it worse
I tried not to become attached to you, but it only made things harder


I've been keeping my distance
I've been avoiding getting too close to you


But I just wanna know what you're thinking
Even though I'm keeping my distance, I'm still curious about your thoughts and feelings


I just can't explain the way it hurts
I can't put into words how much it hurts to be apart from you


Now that what we had is gone, I don't have the words
Our relationship is over, and I'm at a loss for words


I'm so bad at playing along, saving my feelings
I'm not good at hiding my emotions


I talked about it last night, thought I was fine
I spoke about our relationship last night and thought I was okay


Helped you pack your things, put your bags in the hallway
I assisted you in packing your belongings and placing them in the hallway


Maybe in a past life, problems aside
Perhaps in a different life, without the issues we currently have


We could make it home, I'd hear you when you're calling
We could make our relationship work, and I would always be there for you


I've been feeling so high on the way down
I've been feeling positive, even though things aren't going well


Hope I get another chance 'cause I know I wouldn't
I hope I get another opportunity because I know I wouldn't let it slip away


Wouldn't let you pass by, wouldn't even think twice
I wouldn't let you go past me, I wouldn't have to think twice


Let you out of my mind, I don't even know why
I can't stop thinking about you, and I don't even know why


Said you treated me bad 'cause you know I couldn't
You treated me poorly because you knew I wouldn't leave


I just wanna know that you're thinking
I just want to know what's going through your mind




Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Mark Landon, Ruel Vincent Van Dijk, Sarah Aarons

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@darkyle4611

“I want him to be famous but I want him to be a secret”~Every Ruel fan ever.

@nurulle3921

truee 😔

@HannahPau

YESS😩😩

@mariad.7753

Fr

@ronaldjohn1874

but he's already famous 🙂

@denayaaadelea9003

Very true 😭

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@sal5258

ruel just doesn't have bad songs PERIOODDDDDD.

@maia6871

periodooo

@imeiseera

yasssssss

@sal5258

@@maia6871 yasss 💅

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