She & Him is an American indie folk band consisting of Zooey Deschanel (voc… Read Full Bio ↴She & Him is an American indie folk band consisting of Zooey Deschanel (vocals, keyboards) and M. Ward (guitar, production). The pair first met in 2006 for a movie soundtrack project for the film 'The Go-Getter' in which they recorded a version of Richard and Linda Thompson’s "When I Get To The Border”. Their first studio album, Volume One, was released in March of 2008 on Merge Records. Their second studio album, Volume Two, was released March 23, 2010, just over two years since the release of Volume One. Their third studio album, Volume 3, was released May 7, 2013.

According to Merge, at their initial studio session the two “were immediately struck by one another’s talents and found an instant rapport". During a conversation about their shared love of old records, Zooey let slip that she wrote her own songs, which she recorded alone at home on her computer. Somewhat shy about sharing these musical morsels, she was eventually persuaded to send them to M. Ward. He was instantly impressed, and they soon reconvened at his studio in Portland to begin work. Recorded over a period of several months, between acting work (She) and touring commitments (Him), the pair found time to bring Zooey’s fledgling songs to gorgeous fruition

So Long
She & Him Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

It's not complicated
Or very hard to grasp
But every time I see you
I laugh

I wont get too sappy
I've had no epiphany
I just enjoy your company

You test my nerves, it makes me stronger
So can you bother me a little bit longer?
Hate to say goodbye, goodbye, and I
Hate to see the end, the end
'Cause it's been so long since I've made a friend

Hate to say goodbye, goodbye, and I
Hate to see the end, the end
'Cause it's been so long since I made a friend like you

Well, I could dot the "I's"
And you could cross the "T's"
'Cause letters alone are lonely
Well, I could be the blossom
And you could be the bee
And then I could call you "Honey"

You test my nerves, it makes me stronger
So can you bother me a little bit longer?

Hate to say goodbye, goodbye, and I
Hate to see the end, the end
'Cause it's been so long since I made a friend

Hate to say goodbye, goodbye, and I
Hate to see the end, the end
'Cause it's been so long since I made a friend like you

Some like to be alone, independent
And on their own
All alone I guess they're free
but not me, not me...

Hate to say goodbye, goodbye, and I
Hate to see the end, the end
'Cause it's been so long since I made a friend

Hate to say goodbye, goodbye, and I
Hate to see the end, the end
'Cause it's been so long since I made a friend like you

Hate to say goodbye, goodbye and I
Hate to see the end, the end
'Cause it's been so long since I've made a friend like you
Yes, it's been so long since I've made a friend like you

Yes, it's been so long since I've made a friend like you
Yes, it's been so long since I've made a friend like you

Overall Meaning

The first verse of "So Long" talks about how easy and enjoyable it is to be in the company of a certain person. The singer enjoys the other person's company and finds it amusing. Despite this, the singer is aware that others might find it sappy and has not had any epiphany or deep realization about the relationship. The singer is just content with how things are.

The second verse uses metaphors to describe the dynamic between the two people. The first metaphor uses the imagery of letters, which can communicate but cannot replace actual presence and companionship. The second metaphor compares the singer to a blossom and the other person to a bee, with the singer calling the person "honey." The metaphors are used to express the singer's need for the other person's presence and their enjoyment of it.

The chorus repeats a few times and emphasizes the impact of the other person's presence on the singer's life. The singer hates to say goodbye and sees the end of the friendship as a negative thing. They acknowledge that it has been a long time since they have made a friend like this, emphasizing the uniqueness and importance of the friendship.

Line by Line Meaning

It's not complicated
The situation between us is simple and easy to understand

Or very hard to grasp
It's not difficult to comprehend or comprehend what we have

But every time I see you
Whenever I see you

I laugh
I chuckle or smile in response to being in your presence

I wont get too sappy
I won't become overly sentimental or emotional

I've had no epiphany
I haven't had any sudden realizations or profound insights

I just enjoy your company
I simply enjoy being around you and sharing experiences

You test my nerves, it makes me stronger
Your actions or behavior can challenge me, but it ultimately strengthens my resolve

So can you bother me a little bit longer?
Would you mind continuing to test me and push me a bit further?

Hate to say goodbye, goodbye, and I
I feel sad and reluctant to say goodbye

Hate to see the end, the end
I don't want to acknowledge or accept that things are coming to an end

'Cause it's been so long since I've made a friend
It's been a while since I've connected with someone in a meaningful way

Well, I could dot the "I's"
I could focus on the details or particulars

And you could cross the "T's"
And you could handle the bigger picture or overarching ideas

'Cause letters alone are lonely
Written communication by itself can feel isolated or distant

Well, I could be the blossom
I could be the flower that attracts attention or admiration

And you could be the bee
And you could be the one who brings energy and action to the situation

And then I could call you "Honey"
And I could affectionately refer to you as "Honey"

Some like to be alone, independent
Some people prefer solitude and self-reliance

And on their own
And without relying on others for support or companionship

All alone I guess they're free
Being entirely alone may give some a sense of freedom or autonomy

but not me, not me...
But that's not the case for me

Yes, it's been so long since I've made a friend like you
It's been a significant amount of time since I've found someone with whom I can connect in such a positive way

Contributed by Liliana P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

TRACKS