Colours
Xinema Lyrics


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Like clouds and the ice of winter
Like mist by early dawn
Like the plague and the curse of an inner nightmare

One million miles
From oblivion to where the guideline goes
One million tries
Between the rise and where the sad man shows
Behold the grey of one ordinary day

One man so cautious
Trying to fill the void
One man hearing high breaths
Trying to avoid
One man so far out
He tries so hard to catch the moon
One man
Tries so hard to call the tune

Easy come
You have to name your prize
Easy go
Don't you close your eyes

One man so standing
Trying to take his fall
One man moving faster
Till he gets smashed against a wall

Easy come
You have to name your prize
Easy go
Don't you close your eyes

Watching, waiting, brooding
Trying to piece together
All the ends
Colours
Too many colours
Now you have to watch them fade

Nightmares, nightmares
Nightmares, nightmares

One million miles
One million tries

One man so burning
Trying to keep it cool
One man so turning
He will be nobody's fool

Easy come
You have to name your prize
Easy go
Don't you...

Easy come
You have to name your prize
Easy go
Don't you close your eyes





Easy come
Easy go

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Colours" by the Swedish alternative rock band Xinema convey a sense of struggling with personal demons and a quest for self-discovery. The song opens with imagery of contrasts – clouds and ice, mist and plague – setting the tone for a journey through light and darkness. The singer is described as "one man" throughout the song, suggesting a sense of solitude and introspection. This person is cautious, trying to fill the void within, but also hearing the "high breaths" of anxiety and trying to avoid them. At the same time, he or she is far out, reaching for seemingly unattainable goals, like catching the moon. The chorus emphasizes the theme of impermanence and the need to make choices: "Easy come/You have to name your prize/ Easy go/ Don't you close your eyes." The second verse adds more conflict to the mix: the singer is now standing and trying to take his fall, moving faster but getting smashed against a wall. The bridge, with its repetition of the word "nightmares," suggests a mental or emotional turmoil that cannot be easily shaken off. The song ends with a return to the chorus, reminding us of the fleeting nature of life and the need to make the most of it.


Line by Line Meaning

Like clouds and the ice of winter
The singer is comparing the colors they see to the cloudy and icy shades of winter.


Like mist by early dawn
The singer is comparing the colors to the hazy and ephemeral look of early morning mist.


Like the plague and the curse of an inner nightmare
The singer is using dark imagery to describe the colors as if they are infectious and bring to mind a painful mental experience.


One million miles From oblivion to where the guideline goes
The distance metaphor describes how there is a great divide between oblivion and the path they need to tread in order to succeed.


One million tries Between the rise and where the sad man shows
The number of attempts and the image of a 'sad man' suggests that the task is difficult and may not have a happy outcome.


Behold the grey of one ordinary day
The singer is asking the listener to observe the dull and unremarkable colors of a regular day.


One man so cautious Trying to fill the void
The man is hesitant and trying to fill an empty space in his life.


One man hearing high breaths Trying to avoid
The man is anxious and trying to avoid something that is making him nervous.


One man so far out He tries so hard to catch the moon One man Tries so hard to call the tune
The man is determined and willing to attempt something seemingly impossible in order to have a sense of control over his life.


Watching, waiting, brooding Trying to piece together All the ends
The artist is watching and waiting, trying to understand how everything fits together.


Colours Too many colours Now you have to watch them fade
The many different colors represent various aspects of life, but they all eventually lose their brilliance and fade away.


Nightmares, nightmares Nightmares, nightmares
The repetition of the word 'nightmares' suggests a haunting and frightening experience for the artist.


One man so burning Trying to keep it cool One man so turning He will be nobody's fool
The man is struggling to maintain composure but is also unwilling to be taken advantage of.


Easy come You have to name your prize Easy go Don't you close your eyes
The singer is warning against making hasty decisions without considering the long-term consequences.


One man so standing Trying to take his fall One man moving faster Till he gets smashed against a wall
One man is trying to fail gracefully, while the other is recklessly heading towards disaster.


Easy come Easy go
Success and loss come and go with relative ease and frequency, and it is important to be prepared for both.




Contributed by Mila O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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