All You Ever Do Is Walk Away
The Magnetic Fields Lyrics


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Sad as a painted clown, a beautiful boy in an ugly town
but when your circus closes down don't walk away from me
you've been asleep too long, the birds are bruises in the dawn
the pounds of flesh between us stretch as far as you can see

But all you ever do is walk away and I know if you'd only go slow

you could see what it means to be making the scene with me
But all you ever do is walk away and I think if you tried
you could find a little time
for the life I can see in your eyes, don't go. Don't go.

Sometimes you just explode and no one alive can break your code
You have a language of your own, an unconnected road
The people you called your friends, the places you won't go again
The decades lost in finding them, you'll have to let them go.





But all you ever do is walk away and I know if you'd only go slow

Overall Meaning

All You Ever Do Is Walk Away is a melancholic song by The Magnetic Fields that speaks about a beautiful young man who seems to be struggling with something that the singer cannot understand. The young man seems trapped in an ugly town and cannot find his way out, and despite the singer's attempts to connect with him and show him a better life, the young man always walks away. The song conveys a sense of sadness and frustration with the situation, as the singer can see the potential in the young man but cannot seem to get through to him.


The lyrics paint a vivid picture of the young man's situation, with lines like "Sad as a painted clown" and "the birds are bruises in the dawn" creating a sense of desolation and hopelessness. The singer acknowledges the distance between them, with "the pounds of flesh between us stretch as far as you can see", but still holds out hope that the young man will come around. The chorus is particularly poignant, with the repeated plea "don't go" showing the singer's desperation to keep the young man close.


The second verse explores the young man's complexity, with lines like "You have a language of your own, an unconnected road" highlighting his unique perspective. However, this also makes it difficult for the singer to reach him, as they are unable to understand his code. The verse ends with a recognition that some things are lost forever, as the young man will have to let go of people and places from his past in order to move forward. Overall, All You Ever Do Is Walk Away is a powerful and emotive song that speaks to the human experience of trying and failing to connect with others.


Line by Line Meaning

Sad as a painted clown, a beautiful boy in an ugly town
The person being addressed here is feeling sad and out of place, like a clown with a painted smile. This person is like a beautiful boy in a town that doesn't appreciate him.


but when your circus closes down don't walk away from me
When things get tough and it seems like everything is falling apart, don't abandon our relationship.


you've been asleep too long, the birds are bruises in the dawn
You've been neglecting your surroundings for too long. The birds, usually symbols of hope and freedom, are now like bruises in the morning light.


the pounds of flesh between us stretch as far as you can see
The physical and emotional distance between us is growing and becoming more apparent.


But all you ever do is walk away and I know if you'd only go slow
You always leave without fully understanding what you're leaving behind. If you took a moment to slow down and really see what we have, maybe you wouldn't be so quick to leave.


you could see what it means to be making the scene with me
You could understand what it's like to be a part of my life.


But all you ever do is walk away and I think if you tried
All you ever do is leave, but I believe that if you made an effort, you could be better at staying.


you could find a little time for the life I can see in your eyes, don't go. Don't go.
If you made an effort to stay, you'd see that there's a life waiting for you here. Don't leave. Please stay.


Sometimes you just explode and no one alive can break your code
Sometimes you have a hard time controlling your emotions and it's difficult for others to understand what you're going through.


You have a language of your own, an unconnected road
You have a way of communicating that's unique to you and it's difficult for others to connect with you because of it.


The people you called your friends, the places you won't go again
You've lost touch with old friends and avoid places that remind you of your past.


The decades lost in finding them, you'll have to let them go.
You've spent a long time trying to reconnect with those people and places, but it's time to accept that they're gone and move on.




Lyrics © ROUGH TRADE PUBLISHING

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