White Light
Vienna Teng Lyrics


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All of a sudden the conversation turns
And everyone concerned is looking down
Guilty party is right here in the room
But no one can assume the high ground
Oh it almost caught up with you
Caught up with you then
Oh you should've thought of this my friend
If you knew it was wrong why did you do it
You don't know, you didn't mean to, it slipped your mind
And it feels so good to feed a habit
You're just making the most of your borrowed time
Waiting for the white light

Heading home you swear that you'll be good
Do everything you should, and know the facts
But in the morning you're back to petty needs
Tragedy recedes to photographs
Oh it hasn't caught up with you
Caught up with you yet
No it hasn't taught you when to quit

If you knew it was wrong why did you do it
You don't know, you didn't mean to, it slipped your mind,
It is OK because everybody does it
This whole party is rolling on borrowed time
Waiting for the white light

Shine down
Wipe it all out again,
Show me how
It doesn't matter in the end

If you knew it was wrong why did you do it
You don't know, you didn't mean to, it slipped your mind
It is OK because everybody does it
No laws are broken if we're all committing the same crime

But I know it's wrong, why do I do it
I don't know, I don't mean for it to slip my mind
It just takes so much to break a habit




Even when I'm aware we are out of time
Am I waiting for a white light

Overall Meaning

The song "White Light" by Vienna Teng appears to be a commentary on the nature of human weakness and our tendency to rationalize our own bad behavior. The lyrics describe a scene where everyone present knows that someone in the room has done something wrong, but no one wants to take responsibility for calling them out. The guiltiest person in the room is aware of their own bad behavior, but they continue to make excuses for it, ignoring the consequences of their actions. Teng suggests that this behavior is a form of addiction, and that even when we know what we're doing is wrong, it's hard to stop because it feels so good in the moment.


The chorus of the song, "Waiting for the white light," is a reference to death, and the idea that we'll all "see the light" and be held accountable for our actions when we die. Teng seems to be suggesting that this is a dangerous way of thinking, and that we should be more aware of how our actions affect others. She acknowledges that it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking that "everybody does it," but ultimately this kind of thinking leads to a kind of moral relativism where no one is willing to take a stand against bad behavior.


Overall, "White Light" is a thought-provoking commentary on the nature of human behavior, addiction, and moral responsibility.


Line by Line Meaning

All of a sudden the conversation turns
The topic of discussion suddenly changes to something uncomfortable


And everyone concerned is looking down
People seem ashamed and avoid eye contact


Guilty party is right here in the room
The person who did something wrong is present


But no one can assume the high ground
No one is in a position to pass moral judgment


Oh it almost caught up with you
The consequences of your actions almost caught up with you


Caught up with you then
But it didn't happen yet


Oh you should've thought of this my friend
You should have considered the consequences beforehand


If you knew it was wrong why did you do it
You were aware of the wrongdoing, yet you chose to do it


You don't know, you didn't mean to, it slipped your mind
You might deny having done something intentionally


And it feels so good to feed a habit
You enjoy doing something, although it's not healthy or right


You're just making the most of your borrowed time
You're trying to enjoy yourself, despite knowing that you shouldn't


Waiting for the white light
You're waiting for a sign or moment of clarity


Heading home you swear that you'll be good
You promise to act responsibly in the future


Do everything you should, and know the facts
You're aware of what's right and what's wrong


But in the morning you're back to petty needs
You quickly revert to your old ways


Tragedy recedes to photographs
The importance of past events fades away


Oh it hasn't caught up with you
The negative consequences have not yet caught up with you


Caught up with you yet
Although it might happen in the future


No it hasn't taught you when to quit
You haven't learned when to stop doing something


No laws are broken if we're all committing the same crime
You might justify your actions by saying that everyone else is doing it too


But I know it's wrong, why do I do it
You're aware that your actions are immoral, yet you continue to do them


I don't know, I don't mean for it to slip my mind
You might not know why you're doing something, but you're not doing it intentionally


It just takes so much to break a habit
It's difficult to stop doing something that you're used to doing


Even when I'm aware we are out of time
You know that you should stop doing something, but you continue to do it anyways


Am I waiting for a white light
You wonder if you're waiting for a sign or opportunity to change your behavior




Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: VIENNA TENG

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

F0kx

So beautiful! Thank you Deity in the sky for blessing us with this amazing person; a voice straight from an Angel.

excusemejimchim

Very catchy tune, I love it. Vienna Teng is so good, I wish a lot more people knew her and appreciated her, she has good talent

midsummersky

She's so versatile <3 I love herr ♥

demonofthefullmoon

nice song ^_^