Discography:
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs (EP) (2002)
• Fever to Tell (2003)
• Show Your Bones (2006)
• It's Blitz! (2009)
• Mosquito (2013)
• Cool It Down (2022)
Hysteric
Yeah Yeah Yeahs Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What you ask
Strange steps
Heels turned black
The cinders the cinders
They light the path
Of these strange steps
Take us back, take us back
Flow sweetly hang heavy
You suddenly complete me
You suddenly complete me
Flow sweetly hang heavy
You suddenly complete me
You suddenly complete me
Oh oh hey
Oh oh hey
Hysteric
Oh oh hey
Oh oh hey
Hysterical
No wonder no wonder,
Other half, strange steps
Heels turned black.
The cinders they splinter
And light the path
These strange steps
Trace us back trace us back
Flow sweetly hang heavy
You suddenly complete me
You suddenly complete me
Flow sweetly hang heavy
You suddenly complete me
You suddenly complete me
Hysteric [Repeats]
Hysterical.
The lyrics to Yeah Yeah Yeahs' "Hysteric" suggest a longing for a lost love, where the singer is haunted by strange steps and blackened heels. The cinders on the path are a metaphor for the remnants of a past relationship – the memories and emotions that linger. The chorus repeats the word hysteric, which may reflect the intensity of the singer's emotions as they grapple with the sudden and unexpected loss of their partner. The second verse suggests that the singer is incomplete without their other half, and the strange steps and blackened heels serve as a reminder of what has been lost. The phrase "other half" can also function as a pun on the phrase "half-step," which could reflect the singer's feeling of being slightly out of sync with the world around them. The cinders splintering and lighting the path can be interpreted as the singer piecing together a new future, while still grappling with the remnants of the past.
Overall, the song explores the emotions of heartbreak and the process of moving on after a loss. The strange steps and blackened heels are a compelling metaphor for the remnants of a past relationship, while the chorus highlights the intensity of the singer's feelings. It's a beautiful and moving song that captures the complexity of love and loss.
Line by Line Meaning
No longer no longer
The previous way of things has changed
What you ask
What you want from me
Strange steps
An unusual path, different from the norm
Heels turned black
Refers to something/someone tainted, corrupted or darkened
The cinders the cinders
The remnants of what once burnt bright
They light the path
They guide the way towards something
Of these strange steps
Of this unusual path
Take us back, take us back
An imploration to return to a previous state or way of being
Flow sweetly hang heavy
The sensation of something both light and heavy
You suddenly complete me
You have filled a void within me
Oh oh hey
An exclamation of excitement or energy
Hysteric
A state of frenzied energy or emotion
Hysterical
Relating to or marked by uncontrollable, extreme emotion
No wonder no wonder
It's not surprising, of no great shock
Other half, strange steps
The unknown, or something not yet discovered
Heels turned black.
Refers to something/someone tainted, corrupted or darkened
The cinders they splinter
The remnants of what once burnt bright are breaking apart
Trace us back trace us back
To follow along the path of the past
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Brian Chase, Karen Lee Orzolek, Nicholas Joseph Zinner
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@NatalieG84
I walked down the aisle to this song at my wedding - it was perfect. <3
@killerkart9818
Bro ain't no way my step mom walked down the aisle to with this song
@karlirae6423
"Flow sweetly, hang heavy" forever one of my favorite lyrics
@affectingsolid
I remember listening to this album on repeat on the bus every morning in eighth grade. Seems so long ago yet we still have so much more to go.
@9903031884
That outro is the pinnacle of musical achievement
@foreveryactionthereisacons1683
Absolutely 💯
@michaelchase7282
100%.
@tato2493528
My first gf in high school told me about the yeah yeah yeahs. I remember listening to this song, and all i could think of was my gf…this song reminded me of her, idk why. So much nostalgia
@brandonconnelly2216
This album is the album that this band was meant to put into the world. So talented what a great band
@MusiCipherLessons
I love the vulnerability in her voice.