Back and Forth Again
Slash's Snakepit Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Now you've slipped away
And found a place to stay
Who do I congratulate
But I'm happy for you
Where are you today
I sense that you're afraid
And I don't know what to do
I miss you, but what does it change
This confusion feels the same
Forget you and let you leave
But I'm still thinkin' it through
It's been the conflict between us
That's kept me from sinking before
You drove me crazy and I let you
Come do it some more
Put the past to bed,
we've done it before

Now we're back and forth again
Can we help this pointless thing
Swingin' like a hinge
To the place we always meet

There's nothing to say
Except loneliness is strange
Cause you wear the face
That I never can leave
And I know you're gonna call
Cause you know just where I'll be
Once you come and find me here
I'll be happy for me
So happy to be
Not alone anymore
We've done it before

Now we're back and forth again
Can we help this pointless thing
Swingin' like a hinge
To the place we always meet

It's such a shame how little things
Can change your minds
Don't just sit there filing your nails
And passing the time
I can't let you bottle it up
And take it too far
Carrying all of that weight
Is the hardest part

Now we're back and forth again
Can we help this pointless thing
Swingin' like a hinge
To the place we always meet
Back and forth again
Back and forth again




Back and forth again
Back and forth again

Overall Meaning

The song "Back and Forth Again" by Slash's Snakepit is written from the perspective of someone who has lost a loved one and is trying to come to terms with the separation. The chorus expresses the back and forth nature of the relationship, where the two parties keep meeting and parting ways, causing confusion and emotional turmoil. The singer is trying to move on but finds himself drawn back to the same person repeatedly.


The opening lines of "Now you've slipped away/ And found a place to stay/ Who do I congratulate/ But I'm happy for you," suggest that the person has left the singer and found a new home, and the singer is trying to be happy for them, but there's a sense of sadness and longing. The lines "I miss you, but what does it change/ This confusion feels the same/ Forget you and let you leave/ But I'm still thinkin' it through" reflect the dilemma faced by someone who is trying to let go of a relationship but can't seem to stop thinking about it.


The bridge of the song "It's such a shame how little things/ Can change your minds/ Don't just sit there filing your nails/ And passing the time/ I can't let you bottle it up/ And take it too far/ Carrying all of that weight/ Is the hardest part" expresses the frustration of the singer who feels like the relationship could have been saved with a little bit of effort. The song ends with the chorus "Now we're back and forth again/ Can we help this pointless thing/ Swingin' like a hinge/ To the place we always meet," which suggests that despite the pain and confusion, the singer is still drawn to this person and is willing to try again.


Line by Line Meaning

Now you've slipped away
Now that you left me, I feel distant from your image


And found a place to stay
You found comfort in someone else's arms


Who do I congratulate
Who should I give my best wishes to?


But I'm happy for you
Despite everything, I'm glad that you found happiness


Where are you today
I wonder where you are right now


I sense that you're afraid
I have a feeling that you're scared


And I don't know what to do
I'm powerless to do anything about it


I miss you, but what does it change
I still long for your presence, but it won't make any difference


This confusion feels the same
The uncertainty and chaos inside me are unchanged


Forget you and let you leave
I should erase you from my mind and let you go


But I'm still thinkin' it through
However, I'm still processing my emotions


It's been the conflict between us
Our opposing ideas and actions have caused this rift between us


That's kept me from sinking before
Otherwise, I would have drowned in despair


You drove me crazy and I let you
You made me lose my mind, yet I allowed it to happen


Come do it some more
Keep pushing my limits, come and make me go insane again


Put the past to bed, we've done it before
We should put our history to rest since we've already moved on from it


Can we help this pointless thing
Is there any way to save our futile relationship from falling apart?


Swingin' like a hinge To the place we always meet
Our uncontrollable fluctuation takes us back to where we initially met


There's nothing to say
I don't have anything to talk about anymore


Except loneliness is strange
Except for the fact that being alone feels peculiar


Cause you wear the face
Because you display a facade


That I never can leave
That I cannot escape from


And I know you're gonna call
I'm sure you'll try to reach out to me


Cause you know just where I'll be
Because you're aware of where I am and how I feel


Once you come and find me here
When you come to meet me


I'll be happy for me
I'll try to be happy for myself


So happy to be Not alone anymore
I'm elated to have some sort of company that's not just myself


It's such a shame how little things Can change your minds
It's unfortunate how small matters can play a huge role in making you change your stance


Don't just sit there filing your nails And passing the time
Don't waste your time doing mindless things while avoiding the problem


I can't let you bottle it up And take it too far
I can't allow you to suppress your emotions and let it escalate


Carrying all of that weight Is the hardest part
Holding all that emotional burden is the most difficult task


Back and forth again Back and forth again Back and forth again Back and forth again
Repeatedly switching between two contradictory opinions or actions




Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: ERIC JACKSON DOVER, SAUL HUDSON, MICHAEL A. INEZ, MATT SORUM, MATHEW WILLIAM SORUM

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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