Silence
The Leaves Lyrics


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It breaks the silence again
Soft velvet hands in the air
Followin' me up the stairs
Drownin' me then unaware, yeah
Yeah, I want you to know
Yeah, I want you to know
Cause it's there in your face
Yeah, it's there in your face
Lookin' at me
Looks like I've been there before
Stiff like a stone on the floor
When it breaks the silence again
Drownin' me then once again, yeah
Yeah, I want you to know
Yeah, I want you to know
Cause it's there in your face
Yeah, it's there in your face
Lookin' at me
Yeah, I want you to know
Yeah, I want you to know
Cause it's there in your face
Yeah, it's there in your face
Yeah, I want you to know (I don't know, 'bout anything)
Yeah, I want you to know (I've been told, it's only instinct)
Cause it's there in your face (I don't care, 'bout anything)
Yeah, it's there in your face (Afterall, it's only instinct)
Lookin' at me (I don't know, 'bout anything)
Lookin' at me (I've been told, it's only instinct)
Lookin' at me (I don't care, 'bout anything)




Yeah, me, yeah (Afterall, it's only instinct)
Lookin' at me

Overall Meaning

The Leaves's song Silence has a hauntingly mysterious quality to it, adding to the intrigue and ambiguity of its lyrics. The opening line "It breaks the silence again" sets the tone for the rest of the song, hinting at something ominous about to happen or something already happened. The second line "Soft velvet hands in the air" evokes a sensory image of something gentle, yet uncertain, floating in the air. The following lines suggest the singer's unease and their feeling of being followed, leading them up the stairs to a potentially dangerous situation. The chorus repeats the phrase "Yeah, I want you to know" twice, with the second time almost a whisper, emphasizing the urgency and importance of the message that the singer is trying to convey.


The third verse reveals the singer's feeling of being stuck or trapped, "Stiff like a stone on the floor," adding to the tension and suspense of the song. The final chorus repeats the same lines as the previous ones, with the addition of "Me, yeah" at the end, perhaps suggesting the singer's realization of their own vulnerability and fragility in the face of the unknown.


Overall, the song's lyrics are open to interpretation, leaving much room for individual imagination and speculation. It could be seen as a love song or a warning song, depending on the listener's perspective.


Line by Line Meaning

It breaks the silence again
Something is happening that is disturbing the peace or quiet that was previously present.


Soft velvet hands in the air
There is a gentle, smooth sensation in the atmosphere.


Followin' me up the stairs
Someone or something is trailing or pursuing the singer as they ascend a staircase.


Drownin' me then unaware, yeah
The artist feels overwhelmed or suffocated by something that came upon them unexpectedly.


Yeah, I want you to know
The artist desires for someone to understand or recognize something important to them.


Cause it's there in your face
The thing the singer wants someone to know or understand is very visible or obvious.


Lookin' at me
The singer feels as though they are being watched or observed.


Looks like I've been there before
The current situation or environment feels familiar to the artist, as though they have experienced it previously.


Stiff like a stone on the floor
The artist feels rigid or immobile, like a solid object on the ground.


When it breaks the silence again
Something again disturbs the peace or quiet that was present, but the artist may not know what it is.


Drownin' me then once again, yeah
The singer feels overwhelmed or suffocated by something that has happened before and is happening again.


Yeah, me, yeah
The artist is acknowledging their own existence or presence.




Contributed by Xavier O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Martyn Brunt

I loved this song when I first heard it 20 years ago. I still love it. Sublime.

Jonah Louque

another great song by the legendary Leaves.

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