Sophie Michelle Ellis-Bextor (born 10 April 1979) is an English singer, son… Read Full Bio ↴Sophie Michelle Ellis-Bextor (born 10 April 1979) is an English singer, songwriter and model. She first came to prominence in the late 1990s, as the lead singer of the indie rock band theaudience. After the group disbanded, Ellis-Bextor went solo, achieving widespread success in the early 2000s. Her music is a mixture of mainstream pop, disco, nu-disco, and 1980s electronic influences.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor has released six solo albums: Read My Lips, Shoot from the Hip, Trip the Light Fantastic, Make a Scene, Wanderlust and the most recent, Familia, which was released on September 2nd 2016. Her new album HANA will be released on 2nd June 2023.

By Chance
Sophie Ellis-Bextor Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Take this down
Turn it around
I am water underneath a bridge
So, what do I know?
Getting here must be a privilege
Do say something meaningful
If at all, just to fill the air
Or believe I adore you

Love me if you dare

By chance
When I turn out the light
I'm finding the right line
By chance
I may put this to writin'
Not in the rest of this lifetime

Let it ride, always inside
Isn't worth the indecision I hide?
So nowhere to go
Stimulating, no illusion
I should say something pivotal
Burn it all, how you let me down
Or believe I adore you
Love you if you dare

By chance
When I turn out the light
I'm finding the right line
By chance
I may put this to writin'
Not in the rest of this lifetime, no, no

Look at you going places
See two faces
I know which to trace
I would be holding my breath
But things will stay the same, won't they?
Oh, I know

By chance
When I turn out the light
I'm finding the right line
By chance
I may put this to writin'
Not in the rest of this lifetime

By chance
When I turn out the light
I'm finding the right line
By chance
I may put this to writin'
Not in the rest of this lifetime

By chance
When I turn out the light
I'm finding the right line
By chance
I may put this to writin'
Not in the rest of this lifetime, no, no

Take it down, turn it round
Tell me we can work it out
Take it down, turn it round
Tell me we can work it out
Take it down, turn it round
Tell me we can work it out
Take it down, turn it round
Tell me we can work it out
Take it down, turn it round
Tell me we can work it out
Take it down, turn it round
Tell me we can work it out
Take it down, turn it round
Tell me we can work it out

Take it down, turn it round
Tell me we can work it out

Overall Meaning

The song "By Chance" by Sophie Ellis-Bextor is a contemplation on the uncertain nature of life and love. The first verse speaks to the singer's own feelings of insignificance, likening themselves to water flowing under a bridge. They question their own knowledge and express a desire for someone to say something meaningful to fill the space. The repeated assertion to love and be loved "if you dare" suggests that the singer is guarded about embarking on a relationship, acknowledging the risk inherent in opening oneself up to love.

The chorus suggests a desire to seize upon moments of inspiration and creativity, expressed through the metaphor of finding "the right line" and "putting this to writin'." The second verse seems to be directed towards a specific person who has let the singer down, again emphasizing the hesitancy towards fully trusting another person. The final verse introduces a sense of nostalgia and regret, acknowledging that even if the singer were to take a chance on love, things might not turn out differently in the end.

Line by Line Meaning

Take this down
Let's make a change

Turn it around
Let's do things differently

I am water underneath a bridge
I feel insignificant and overlooked

So, what do I know?
I doubt myself and my knowledge

Getting here must be a privilege
I feel fortunate to be where I am

Do say something meaningful
I want to hear something profound

If at all, just to fill the air
Even if it's just small talk

Or believe I adore you
You should know that I love you

Love me if you dare
Take the risk to love me

By chance
Unexpectedly

When I turn out the light
When I'm alone in the dark