By the Sea
The London Suede Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

She can walk out anytime anytime she wants to walk out that's fine
She can walk out anytime anytime she feels that life has passed her
by
And when I start my new life I won't touch the ground
I'm gonna try hard this time not to touch the ground.
He can walk out anytime anytime he wants to walk out that's fine
He can walk out anytime across the sand into the sea into the
brine
And when I start my new life I won't touch the ground,
I'm gonna try hard this time not to touch the ground.
So we sold the car and quit the job
and shook some hands and wiped the make-up right off,
And we said our good-byes to the bank
left Seven Sisters for a room in a seaside shack,
And when I start my new life I won't touch the ground,
I'm gonna try hard this time not to touch the grounds




...it's by the sea we'll breed
...into the sea we'll bleed...

Overall Meaning

"By the Sea" by The London Suede is a love song that expresses the desire for freedom and escape from the monotony of daily life. The song is about a couple who gives up their material possessions and city life to start anew in a seaside shack. The opening lines convey the ease with which either partner can walk out if they feel life has passed them by, without any guilt or blame attached to it.


The most striking aspect of the song is the desire for the singer to fly and not touch the ground when starting his new life. Lyrics like "when I start my new life I won't touch the ground, I'm gonna try hard this time not to touch the ground" are repeated multiple times, emphasizing the dreamlike quality of the singer's new life by the sea. This desire for flight could be interpreted as the yearning for freedom and self-discovery, something that the singer could not achieve in his previous city life.


The lyrics also describe the couple's newfound freedom, having left everything behind, including their car, job, and financial ties. The final lines, "it's by the sea we'll breed, into the sea we'll bleed," could be interpreted in a number of ways - perhaps it is meant to convey the cyclical nature of life, or the idea of rebirth.


Line by Line Meaning

She can walk out anytime anytime she wants to walk out that's fine
She has the freedom to leave whenever she desires, and that's perfectly acceptable.


She can walk out anytime anytime she feels that life has passed her by
She is free to leave if she feels that she has missed out on opportunities in life.


And when I start my new life I won't touch the ground
The singer is determined to create a new life for themselves free from constraints and limitations.


He can walk out anytime anytime he wants to walk out that's fine
He has the freedom to leave whenever he desires, and that's perfectly acceptable.


He can walk out anytime across the sand into the sea into the brine
He has the freedom to leave and go into the vastness of the ocean which has no limits, boundaries, or constrictions.


So we sold the car and quit the job, and shook some hands and wiped the make-up right off
The singer and presumably someone close to them have decided to make some major changes in their lives, including leaving their old jobs and getting rid of material possessions that no longer serve them.


And we said our good-byes to the bank left Seven Sisters for a room in a seaside shack
The singer and their companion have left behind a life of financial obligations and moved to a more peaceful and simpler life by the ocean.


...it's by the sea we'll breed
The sea represents a new beginning and the possibility for the artist and someone else to create a new life for themselves.


...into the sea we'll bleed...
Possibly a metaphor for letting go of past pains and old memories by submerging them in the ocean.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: BRETT ANDERSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

@jeffchavarria4219

She can walk out anytime anytime she wants to walk out that's fine
She can walk out anytime anytime she feels that life has passed her
by
And when I start my new life I won't touch the ground
I'm gonna try hard this time not to touch the ground.
He can walk out anytime anytime he wants to walk out that's fine
He can walk out anytime across the sand into the sea into the
brine
And when I start my new life I won't touch the ground,
I'm gonna try hard this time not to touch the ground.
So we sold the car and quit the job
and shook some hands and wiped the make-up right off,
And we said our good-byes to the bank
left Seven Sisters for a room in a seaside shack,
And when I start my new life I won't touch the ground,
I'm gonna try hard this time not to touch the grounds
...it's by the sea we'll breed
...into the sea we'll bleed



All comments from YouTube:

@MJ.71

Oct 20 - 24yrs since it was released, and it still sends shivers down my spine whenever I listen to it....
Absolutely fantastic song

@anilec333

I really like how people call suede as “london suede “ in the past time! I first listened suede song in 1998. In my friend’s home at Macau,the coming up album. That day was a golden music days!

@TheEveljesus

God, what a good song....

@MJ.71

10 yrs since your comment and it's still a great song

@armotif

amazing song.. reminds me of my teenage years.

@homersimpson7068

Great vid, perfect for the song.

@northerncorner

When I realized this song was about the breakup of Brett and Bernard it took on a whole new meaning.

@christiancarley

Across the sand/the sea/the brine....

@jeffchavarria4219

She can walk out anytime anytime she wants to walk out that's fine
She can walk out anytime anytime she feels that life has passed her
by
And when I start my new life I won't touch the ground
I'm gonna try hard this time not to touch the ground.
He can walk out anytime anytime he wants to walk out that's fine
He can walk out anytime across the sand into the sea into the
brine
And when I start my new life I won't touch the ground,
I'm gonna try hard this time not to touch the ground.
So we sold the car and quit the job
and shook some hands and wiped the make-up right off,
And we said our good-byes to the bank
left Seven Sisters for a room in a seaside shack,
And when I start my new life I won't touch the ground,
I'm gonna try hard this time not to touch the grounds
...it's by the sea we'll breed
...into the sea we'll bleed

@garygreen2833

beautiful song........."..gonna try hard,this time,not too touch the ground." sounds like suicide though.

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