Alone Together
The Strokes栀 Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

No choice now, it's too late
Let him go, he gave up
I gave up
Lisa says, "Take time for me"
Dropping him down to his knees
Ah, chest down.

Take me away

See I've got to explain
Things, they have changed
In such a permanent way
Life seems unreal
Can we go back to your place?
Oh, "You drink too much"
Makes me drink just the same

People tried. Felt so right
Giving themselves good advice
Looking down sometimes felt nice.

He knows it's justified to kill to survive
He then in dollars makes more dead than alive
Let's suck more blood, let's run three hours a day
The world is over but I don't care
'Cause

I am with you
Now I've got to explain
Things, they have changed
In such a permanent way
Life seems unreal
Can we go back to your place?
"You drink too much"
Makes me drink just the same

The first time, it happened too fast
The second time, I thought it would last

We all like it a little different.

Overall Meaning

The Strokes' song Alone Together is a complex and enigmatic track that speaks volumes about the struggles of modern relationships. The song is a rather cryptic commentary on the complexities of love and the irreversible changes it can bring about in one's life. The opening lines of the song ("No choice now, it's too late, let him go, he gave up, I gave up") are suggestive of a deep sense of resignation that often accompanies the loss of love. It appears as though the relationship has reached a point where it is now beyond repair, and one must let go of it regardless of the emotional cost.

The next few lines of the song ("Lisa says, 'Take time for me', dropping him down to his knees, ah, chest down") are equally enigmatic. It seems like the singer is trying to make sense of the changes in his/her life and is turning to someone else for guidance. However, the identity of Lisa remains unclear, and it's hard to say who or what she represents in the song. The phrase "dropping him down to his knees" suggests a change in the power dynamic between the two individuals. This could be a reference to the challenges of maintaining an equal and respectful relationship, where both partners are heard and valued.

The chorus of the song is a plea for a return to the simplicity of the past. The singer wants to "go back to your place" and escape the complexities of life, which have become too hard to bear. The song speaks to the universal desire to escape the overwhelming stress of modern life and return to a simpler time. The phrase "you drink too much, makes me drink just the same" suggests a sense of mutual enabling that often arises in dysfunctional relationships.

Line by Line Meaning

No choice now, it's too late
There's no turning back, it's too late to make a different decision

Let him go, he gave up
He gave up on the relationship and it's time to let him go

I gave up
The singer also gave up on the relationship

Lisa says, "Take time for me"
Lisa wants the artist to spend more time with her

Dropping him down to his knees
The artist is causing the person to feel defeated

Ah, chest down.
The person is feeling the effects of defeat in their chest

Take me away
The singer wants to escape their current situation

See I've got to explain
The artist needs to clarify something

Things, they have changed
Something significant in the relationship has shifted

In such a permanent way
This change is irreversible

Life seems unreal
The situation is surreal and hard to believe

Can we go back to your place?
The artist wants to go back to a familiar and safe place

Oh, "You drink too much"
Someone is criticizing the singer's drinking habits

Makes me drink just the same
Despite the criticism, the singer continues to drink

People tried. Felt so right
Others tried to give advice that felt good to follow

Giving themselves good advice
These people were trying to give themselves helpful tips as well

Looking down sometimes felt nice.
They enjoyed feeling superior or better than someone else

He knows it's justified to kill to survive
The person believes that killing is necessary to survive

He then in dollars makes more dead than alive
This person profits more from death than life

Let's suck more blood, let's run three hours a day
This person wants to continue to exploit and drain others

The world is over but I don't care
The person is indifferent to the end of the world

'Cause
This is the reason why they don't care

I am with you
The singer is with someone they care about

Now I've got to explain
The artist has something important to clarify

Things, they have changed
There has been a significant shift in the relationship

In such a permanent way
This change is irreversible

Life seems unreal
The situation is surreal and hard to believe

Can we go back to your place?
The artist wants to go back to a familiar and safe place

"You drink too much"
Someone is criticizing the artist's drinking habits

Makes me drink just the same
Despite the criticism, the singer continues to drink

The first time, it happened too fast
The first experience was too quick and sudden

The second time, I thought it would last
The second experience was expected to last longer

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group, CARLIN AMERICA INC
Written by: ARTHUR SCHWARTZ, HOWARD DIETZ

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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