Joy
Thornhill Lyrics
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Just so he could escape
He just can′t see here
Just so blinded by hate
On this journey just unable to find
He says, "I'm okay" in his mind
He carries on out in this open plane
With a map of who he was in his brain
Hell just be chasing butterflies
"The flashes in my eyes
The colours they move like dancers
I just can't hold on anymore
I won′t cry for you
I′ve lost too much time
Here's the answer
I don′t want to know anymore"
People see him as he talks to himself
Scared to greet him putting plans on the shelf
No one truly gets to know who they are
Growing old makes this seem darker
Sunflower carry me home
I feel joy in my heart but death in these bones
If I feel joy in my heart then why am I alone?
"The flashes in my eyes
The colours they move like dancers
I just can't hold on anymore
I won′t cry for you
I've lost too much time
Here′s the answer
I don't want to know anymore"
Say that you love me
Say that you do
I just don't think that I could forget you
The lyrics of Thornhill's song Joy deeply explore the themes of loneliness, self-destructiveness, and the struggles of finding oneself. In the first verse, the singer of the song talks about putting himself in a certain place just so he could escape, but is unable to see anything due to his blinded rage and hatred. He is on a journey, but is unable to find his way, and keeps saying he is okay when in reality he is lost. The person carries on with a map of who he was in his mind. However, despite the brave front he puts up, he has lost himself in his eyes and is chasing butterflies. The singer is struggling with his own demons that he cannot escape from, resulting in him being lost in his own world.
The chorus of the song depicts his confusion about his emotional state. He is experiencing joy in his heart, but at the same time is overwhelmed by the melancholic feeling of death in his bones, which could be a metaphor for the emptiness he feels inside. He is unable to comprehend this paradox and questions himself, wondering if he is truly alone, even amidst the joy he feels.
The second verse delves into the reactions of people around him, who seem to avoid and fear him, misinterpreting his self-talk as madness. Through the lines, "scared to greet him putting plans on the shelf," the artist is perhaps trying to convey how people tend to judge others from afar, without a proper understanding of their situation. The chorus is repeated at the end, with a small addition of a yearning for love.
Overall, the song Joy is a haunting and emotional piece that talks about the struggles of a person's mind and how it can affect their perception of the world around them.
Line by Line Meaning
He put himself here
He intentionally placed himself in this situation
Just so he could escape
He sought refuge by putting himself in this situation
He just can′t see here
He is unable to see clearly in this situation
Just so blinded by hate
His hatred has clouded his judgement
On this journey just unable to find
He is lost and unable to find his way
He says, "I'm okay" in his mind
He is trying to convince himself that he is okay
He carries on out in this open plane
He keeps moving forward in this unfamiliar territory
With a map of who he was in his brain
He is holding onto his past self, but it isn't helping him in the present
There′s no pretending he's lost himself in his eyes
He is aware that he has lost himself in his own thoughts
Hell just be chasing butterflies
He will be chasing an unattainable goal
"The flashes in my eyes
He experiences surreal or dream-like visions
The colours they move like dancers
The visions are a mixture of vibrant colors in motion
I just can't hold on anymore
He is losing his grip on reality
I won′t cry for you
He won't allow himself to be emotionally vulnerable for someone else
I′ve lost too much time
He has wasted too much time on something or someone
Here's the answer
He has finally found the solution
I don′t want to know anymore"
He has no desire to continue seeking answers
People see him as he talks to himself
Others perceive him as strange or unstable
Scared to greet him putting plans on the shelf
People avoid interacting with him due to fear or discomfort
No one truly gets to know who they are
We never really fully understand ourselves
Growing old makes this seem darker
As we age, the process of understanding ourselves becomes more challenging
Sunflower carry me home
He longs for a sense of security and familiarity
I feel joy in my heart but death in these bones
He experiences conflicting emotions
If I feel joy in my heart then why am I alone?
He questions why he is still lonely despite feeling good
Say that you love me
He desires affection and validation
Say that you do
He wants the person to confirm their love for him
I just don't think that I could forget you
He is unable to move on from this person
Writer(s): Matthew James Van Duppen, Benjamin Robert Maida, Jacob Randall Charlton, Nicholas Douglas Sjogren, Ethan James Anthony Mccann
Contributed by Abigail D. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
walker_texas
He put himself here
Just so he could escape
He just can't see here
Just so blinded by hate
On this journey just unable to find
He says, "I'm okay" in his mind
He carries on out in this open plane
With a map of who he was in his brain
There's no pretending he's lost himself in his eyes
Hell just be chasing butterflies
"The flashes in my eyes
The colours they move like dancers
I just can't hold on anymore
I won't cry for you
I've lost too much time
Here's the answer
I don't want to know anymore"
People see him as he talks to himself
Scared to greet him putting plans on the shelf
No one truly gets to know who they are
Growing old makes this seem darker
Sunflower carry me home
I feel joy in my heart but death in these bones
If I feel joy in my heart then why am I alone?
"The flashes in my eyes
The colours they move like dancers
I just can't hold on anymore
I won't cry for you
I've lost too much time
Here's the answer
I don't want to know anymore"
Say that you love me
Say that you do
I just don't think that I could forget you
Olga Barko
I just love “Joy” so much. This song definitely has a special place in my heart.
dfgdfb sdfvv
yes
Filip
same br
Josh Forest
So much heart beyond their years. The lyrics are so relatable and delivered with the best range. Thornhill is like a progression of Architects, Northlane and Deftones but then they got some crazy new haunting yet uplifting shit going on too
ThatGuyFromSanDiego!
Nice comparisons my man, I agree for the most part with your take on them. For sure ready for a US tour!
woej
This song is my all time favourite song... The lyrics mean something to me like no other song before. I'm happy, but lonely. I've never had unconditional love before and all I want is to be loved by people but I struggle so hard to make that happen 😞. The song gives me goosebumps and brings me tears more times than I'd like to admit. Absolutely epic song.
woej
Can someone please just say that they love me... 😢
Максим Иванов
Bro I don’t know you but I think you I should know that you are loved. Learning to love yourself might be hard, but it worth trying. When you love yourself, everyone around do too. Everyone has his own way, but for me it helped taking out negative emotions with music. The more open and honest with yourself you become, the better you can understand, what causes your sadness and solve that. Hope I helped even a little. Love you, man
Shane Massey
@woej I love you! I hope that you are doing amazing!
TessirraccT
@woej I love you buddy!! Head up; we grow from our darkest times. As hard as it may ever get. If you can make it out of your darkest times, you will ALWAYS be unstoppable. Stay humble, and continue to love.