So Small
The Floyds Lyrics
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I just got on my plane today,
I don't know when I'm coming back.
Maybe a day or two, maybe a day or two.
I'm drivin' two hundred miles,
And haven't left the culdesac.
I'm feeling stuck like glue, I'm feeling stuck like glue.
(chorus)
I can wash my face, I can dress for real.
I can act like I'm cool, like it's no big deal.
As I stare at the clock, ¡®til the paint starts to peel.
I wonder what you're doin' right now.
I like to ride the ferris wheel, just to see how it feels.
Spinning round and around, then crashing to the ground.
Don't think I'm weird at all, it's just I feel so small.
When you start coming around, and I give up my crown.
(chorus)
I never get the hellos, I never get goodbyes (goodbye)
I never want to run and hide.
The song “So Small” by The Floyds is a poignant expression of feeling stuck, powerless, and insignificant in the face of love. The lyrics are a conversation about the inability to let go, with the singer admitting to feeling small and powerless when the object of their affection is around. The opening verse of the song implies that the singer has a certain level of agency and control over their own decisions. We see them board their plane and embark on a journey. However, we quickly learn that despite their physical ability to move, they are still emotionally stuck. Even after driving two hundred miles, they haven't really left the cul-de-sac. The metaphor of glue emphasizes the grip that love has on the singer, making it impossible to escape.
The chorus reveals a certain level of acceptance, an admission that the singer can put on a façade of happiness and normalcy. They can wash their face and dress up, pretending that everything is ok. Still, they are acutely aware of time slipping away, staring at the clock and wondering what the person they love is up to. The second verse of the song reveals an interesting juxtaposition, with the singer enjoying the thrill of a ferris wheel while also admitting to feeling small and powerless. Ultimately, the chorus is repeated, emphasizing the idea that the singer never receives a proper goodbye, as if they are caught in a never-ending cycle of hope and despair.
Line by Line Meaning
I just got on my plane today,
I recently left home and embarked on a journey by plane.
I don't know when I'm coming back.
I'm uncertain about when I'll return home.
Maybe a day or two, maybe a day or two.
I might be away for a short period of time or slightly longer.
I'm drivin' two hundred miles,
I'm trying to escape my current situation by driving a fair distance.
And haven't left the culdesac.
Despite covering significant mileage, I'm still stuck in the same neighborhood.
I'm feeling stuck like glue, I'm feeling stuck like glue.
I can't seem to shake off this feeling of being trapped and immobile.
I can wash my face, I can dress for real.
I'm capable of maintaining a neat appearance.
I can act like I'm cool, like it's no big deal.
I can put on a façade of nonchalance or composure.
As I stare at the clock, ¡®til the paint starts to peel.
I'm so stuck that I can't even leave my gaze on the clock, and its tick-tocks erode the paint on the walls over time.
I wonder what you're doin' right now.
I'm curious about what you're presently engaged in.
I like to ride the ferris wheel, just to see how it feels.
I engage in activities such as riding the ferris wheel to briefly escape reality and experience something different.
Spinning round and around, then crashing to the ground.
I'm aware that the experience can be fleeting and ultimately disappointing, similar to the thrill of riding a amusement park ride that ultimately ends and crashes down.
Don't think I'm weird at all, it's just I feel so small.
I'm not strange or irrational. I'm merely overcome with a sense of insignificance and vulnerability.
When you start coming around, and I give up my crown.
I relinquish my control and authority when you're in my presence.
I never get the hellos, I never get goodbyes (goodbye)
I rarely receive any proper greetings or farewells.
I never want to run and hide.
I'm not interested in evading anything, despite being trapped and powerless.
Contributed by Brayden B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.