Smooth Ends are a 4 piece alternative band based in South East London. The … Read Full Bio ↴Smooth Ends are a 4 piece alternative band based in South East London. The band was formed in 2013 by Kevin Erlicher (vocals/guitar) and Luca Oliva Knight (guitar) who are both from Argentina. They were later joined by Benjamin Vallejos from Chile on bass and drummer Nico Ariza from the USA. They released their first EP 'Magic Johnson' in 2015 which consisted of 5 tracks including 'Southbound'. The single 'Mr Haines' was released in February 2016 and 'Santa Ana' followed in August.
The band describe their genre as 'cream pop'. The bands music is inspired by many genres such as hip hop, funk and britpop.

Southbound
Smooth Ends Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

I got off the train
after several miles in the pouring rain
and I got back on my feet just to pretend I was strong
I should have read the signs, yeah, I should have known
But when I saw your face I couldn't speak at all
Making up lies, pretending I'm the same
see I paid the price, and I'll do it again
And I got back on my feet just to pretend I was strong

I know it's been a while, I know it's been too long

I should have read the signs, yeah, I should have known
But when I saw your face I couldn't speak at all

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Southbound" by Smooth Ends speak of a person who has gone through a tough time, which was possibly triggered by a broken relationship. The first few lines depict a journey in harsh weather conditions with the person losing hope along the way. They try to put on a brave face by pretending to be strong even though they are hurting inside. The lyrics talk about the person regretting not reading the warning signs that could have prevented them from reaching this point of heartbreak. The sight of the person they loved in the past disempowers them, rendering them speechless as they are lost in a flood of emotions.

The lyrics of "Southbound" are touching because most people can relate to the feelings expressed in this song. Whether someone has been through a breakup or any other difficult situation, the lyrics speak about the experience of pain, regret, and struggling to pretend that everything is fine. The song has a melancholic tone and beautiful instrumentals that perfectly match the emotional message conveyed in the lyrics. Smooth Ends does an excellent job of expressing such emotions through their words and music.

Line by Line Meaning

I got off the train
I disembarked from the train.

after several miles in the pouring rain
Having traveled a considerable distance, marked by rain pouring down heavily.

and I got back on my feet just to pretend I was strong
I stood up to create the illusion that I was capable and resilient.

I should have read the signs, yeah, I should have known
I should have been able to interpret warning signals and foreseen the outcome.

But when I saw your face I couldn't speak at all
The sight of you left me speechless.

Making up lies, pretending I'm the same
I fabricated falsehoods and acted like I hadn't changed.

see I paid the price, and I'll do it again
I endured the consequences of my actions and will do so again in the future.

And I got back on my feet just to pretend I was strong
I rose up again to falsely portray myself as tough.

I know it's been a while, I know it's been too long
I'm aware it's been quite some time, maybe even more time than acceptable.

I should have read the signs, yeah, I should have known
I ought to have detected the indications and realized the situation's reality.

But when I saw your face I couldn't speak at all
The sight of you left me speechless.