In his own words (from his myspace page):
“For me it’s all about the SONG. I remember watching my father sitting at our dining room table for hours and hours with his pencil and pad crafting his songs; spending the time to find the perfect word, the perfect chord, the perfect melody. That really made an impression on me. When I write a song it really is a kind of science, an operation; but it isn’t mathematical or calculated, it is alive and breathing and moving. At the risk of sounding like a hippie on a soapbox, music is still powerful and holy and sacred to me. You can turn it into a product and a business, but you can’t start it that way. To me the genesis of a song has to be honest and unassuming. I truly believe that God hands me these gifts and it is my job to translate them as honestly as I can. You have to let a song be what it is. We can’t lose that. When I write songs, I like to focus on the fact that we are all the same and we are all just searching for answers and trying to make sense of everything. It's about exploring life and celebrating truth when you find it.”
Without Me
Sean McConnell Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
'Cos that's what I've wanted for so long
And we danced real slow to Norah Jones
And then we decided that would be our song
It was not the kind of dream that you expect you will awake from
Your skin was skin your, your lips were lips, our love was love
And I pinched myself a thousand times to make sure it was real
But then I woke up and I was alone
Alone and away, no hand to hold
Now I lie awake alone in the dark
With your empty words killing my heart
Didn't you say that you couldn't live without me
Couldn't you see that you were for me
And I was your Romeo
And I won't forget my Juliette
The poison I took killed me nice and slow
So I guess that you pretend that what you got is what you wanted
Something safe and something sure
I still dream of you at night
But lately all those dreams are haunted by the fear that you're still wanting more
And then I woke up and I was alone
Alone and away, no hand to hold
Now I lay awake alone in the dark
Your empty words killing my heart
Didn't you say that you couldn't live without me
Didn't you say that you couldn't live without me
Sean McConnell's song "Without Me" describes the longing that the singer feels for his significant other. The singer describes a dream where he and his significant other slow dance to Norah Jones' music and declare that to be their song. In the dream, the singer feels the love reciprocated by his significant other, and everything feels perfect. However, upon waking up, he is alone, and the realization of it being just a dream hits him hard. The juxtaposition of the dream and the reality leads the singer to question his significant other's love for him, as her actions do not line up with her words. The chorus of the song includes the repeated line "Didn't you say that you couldn't live without me?", which highlights the singer's confusion and hurt at his significant other's lack of effort in the relationship.
The second verse of the song alludes to Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" and how the singer views himself as Romeo and his significant other as Juliet. However, unlike Romeo, who dies due to a tragic yet passionate love, the singer feels like he is slowly dying due to his significant other's empty words and lack of reciprocation of love. The song ends with the singer admitting to still dreaming about his significant other but with the added fear of her wanting more than what they currently have.
Overall, "Without Me" is a heart-wrenching song that effectively captures the confusion and pain that comes with unrequited love, and the feeling of being let down by those who claim to love us. The slow melody of the song complements the softness of the lyrics and highlights the vulnerability in the singer's tone.
Line by Line Meaning
I had a dream of you kissing me
I dreamt of finally satisfying my long-standing desire to be kissed by you
'Cos that's what I've wanted for so long
I've yearned for your passionate kiss for a considerable period of time
And we danced real slow to Norah Jones
We danced at a slow tempo to the romantic tunes of Norah Jones
And then we decided that would be our song
We selected that tune to represent our love as a couple
Your skin was skin your, your lips were lips, our love was love
My dream felt vivid, real, and intensive as I felt every skin touch and every kiss shared, and our love seemed so tangible
But I suppose a thousand times was not enough
Though I tried to confirm the reality of my dream frequently by pinching myself, I could not convince myself entirely that it was not a dream
But then I woke up and I was alone
I opened my eyes to find myself lying on my bed with no sight of you beside me
No hand to hold
Unfortunately, there was no palm to grasp or mutual touch to feel close to you
Now I lie awake alone in the dark
I stay up at night, in pitch darkness, with the absence of your company, only with my thoughts and feelings, trying to keep hope alive
With your empty words killing my heart
Your meaningless promises only lead to my emotional distress and pain
Didn't you say that you couldn't live without me
You once claimed that you needed me in your life to exist, but your actions suggest otherwise
And I was your Romeo
I played the role of your passionate lover, just like Romeo in Shakespeare's classic
And I won't forget my Juliette
You were my beloved Juliet and will always have a special place in my memories
The poison I took killed me nice and slow
My affection for you eventually proved to be detrimental to my emotional well-being, and my love for you destroyed me gradually
So I guess that you pretend that what you got is what you wanted
It appears that you're feigning satisfaction with what you have because you know you can't have what you truly desire
Something safe and something sure
You've settled for something stable and certain, even if it doesn't fulfill your heart's desires and deepest passions
I still dream of you at night
Despite the pain of our separation, I continue to yearn for you in my dreams
But lately all those dreams are haunted by the fear that you're still wanting more
Lately, my dreams are overshadowed by the fear that you may pursue someone else, beyond what we had or could have
Contributed by Samuel Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.