And So it Goes
The Duke's Men Lyrics
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A sanctuary safe and strong
To heal the wounds from lovers past
Until a new one comes along
I spoke to you in cautious tones
You answered me with no pretense
And still I feel I said too much
And every time I've held a rose
It seems I only felt the thorns
And so it goes, and so it goes
And so will you soon I suppose
But if my silence...
Made you leave
Then that would be my worst mistake
So I will share this room with you
And you can haaaaaaave
This heart to break
And so it goes
So I would choose to be with you
That's if the choice were mine to make
But you can make decisions too
And you can have this heart to break
And so it goes, and so it goes
And you're the only one who knows
The song "And So it Goes" by The Duke's Men is a beautiful ballad that speaks to the struggles of opening up to love after experiencing heartbreak. The opening lyrics set the tone for the rest of the song and speak to the idea that in everyone's heart there is a safe place, a sanctuary, where we can heal ourselves from the wounds that former lovers have left behind. The song is about the hope and risk that comes with giving love another chance.
The songwriter speaks about their hesitancy in opening up and how they spoke to their new love interest in "cautious tones." The fear of getting hurt again leads to the songwriter's silence, as they believe it is their self-defense. The lyrics go on to explain that every time they have held a rose, they have only felt the thorns, and it seems to them that history will repeat itself. The lines "And so it goes, and so it goes, and so will you soon, I suppose" showcase the singer's fear of inevitable heartbreak.
However, the songwriter then decides that they do not want to make the mistake of pushing their new love away by being silent, fearing their own heartbreak. The ending lyrics are about offering their heart to their new love and allowing them to make their own decision. This choice showcases the delicate balance between protecting oneself from heartbreak while taking a risk on love.
Line by Line Meaning
In every heart there is a room
Everyone has their own personal space within themselves.
A sanctuary safe and strong
This space is meant to be a place of safety and resilience.
To heal the wounds from lovers past
It serves as a place to recover from previous heartbreaks.
Until a new one comes along
But when the next relationship comes along, that space is temporarily occupied.
I spoke to you in cautious tones
I was careful in my speech when talking to you.
You answered me with no pretense
You responded honestly and sincerely.
And still I feel I said too much
Despite this, I still feel like I may have revealed or shared too much.
My silence is my self defense
I may choose to remain silent to protect myself from vulnerability.
And every time I've held a rose
Each time I've experienced love, it felt like it was concealing something painful or disappointing.
It seems I only felt the thorns
I overlook the good in love and instead just feel the bad parts.
And so it goes, and so it goes
That's just the way it has always been, and probably will always be.
And so will you soon I suppose
You will probably affect me in the same way as previous relationships.
But if my silence... made you leave
However, if my hesitancy makes you want to leave,
Then that would be my worst mistake
That would be the biggest regret I could have.
So I will share this room with you
Instead of retreating within myself and staying silent, I will let you in.
And you can haaaaaaave, this heart to break
I am letting you enter this safe space, knowing that you may end up hurting me.
So I would choose to be with you
If it were up to me, I would choose to be with you.
That's if the choice were mine to make
However, the decision isn't mine alone to make.
But you can make decisions too
So it's up to you as well.
And so it goes, and so it goes
Regardless of what we choose, love can be tumultuous.
And you're the only one who knows
The future of our relationship is unknown, and only you can know the extent of your own feelings.
Contributed by Bailey D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.