Istanbul
We The Committee Lyrics

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Shut the door
Drown the noise that lets us outside
They remind me of you
Honey they remind me of us

‘Cause we died a death long ago
Threw broken glass
And your spilled wine

And I still breath your name
I still smell your skin

Alone by the kitchen sink
Alone by the bed we made
Darling, it's you that I long for
Darling, it's you that I long for

So I played the part
Of the little I found
As the damage was done, honey
And no one to blame but it sits so well on you

Alone by the kitchen sink
Alone by the bed we made
Darling, it's you that I long for
Darling, it's you that I long for

I see you by the kitchen sink
I see you by the bed we made

Darling, it's you that I long for
Darling, it's you that I long for

Overall Meaning

The song "Istanbul" by We The Committee is a melancholic yet passionate ballad about lost love and longing for an ex-partner. The lyrics describe a sense of isolation and drowning out outside noise to focus on memories of the past relationship. The opening line "Shut the door, drown the noise that lets us outside" sets the tone for the rest of the song, portraying a sense of closure and shutting out the world to focus on one's own feelings.

The chorus, "Alone by the kitchen sink, alone by the bed we made, darling it's you that I long for" reinforces the theme of solitude and missing someone who used to be a significant part of one's life. The past tense used throughout the song, "we died a death long ago," "threw broken glass and your spilled wine," suggests a sense of finality and irrevocable loss, but the present tense of "I still breathe your name, I still smell your skin" communicates a continued attachment and affection.

Line by Line Meaning

Shut the door
Let's close everything that distracts us from each other

Drown the noise that lets us outside
Let's ignore everything that compels us to leave this room

They remind me of you
These noises outside remind me of how I miss you

Honey they remind me of us
The outside world reminds me of how much we were alike

‘Cause we died a death long ago
Our relationship was broken long ago

Threw broken glass
Our love was so shattered that it was like throwing broken glass

And your spilled wine
We spilled everything we had, including love, care, and emotions like wine from a glass

And I still breathe your name
I still miss you so much and can't forget you

I still smell your skin
I still feel you close to me as if you are right here

Alone by the kitchen sink
I'm standing alone and reminiscing in the kitchen

Alone by the bed we made
I'm alone lying on the bed that reminds me of everything we did together