Friday, June 29, 2012

More Words I Wish I Wrote: My Favorite LIGHTS Lyrics


Sort of the female version of Owl City, LIGHTS (born Valerie Ann Poxleitner) is a singer/musician of electronica/pop music that – while it's not explicitly Christian in its approach or its target audience – does incorporate many elements of LIGHTS' own profession of faith in Christ. Like Owl City, she's one of my favorites, not just because of her music – which is great, and infectiously listenable – but also because of her lyrics, which are often packed with a variety of emotions – belief, doubt, hope, despair, and the like. Here are some of my favorite lines among her songs. Hope you'll enjoy them as well...


"The night is deafening
When the silence is listening
And I'm down on my knees
And I know that something is missing.
Because the back of my mind
Is holding things I'm relying in
But I choose to ignore it
Because I'm always denying them.
I'm a bit of a manic
When it's not as I plan it
'Cause I start losing my head
Then I get up in a panic.
Remember, when we were kids
And always knew when to quit it?
Are we denying a crisis
Or are we scared of admitting it?
I don't want to know...
I just wanna run to You
And break off the chains
And throw them away.
I just wanna be so much
And shake off the dust
That turned me to rust.
Sooner than later
I'll need a Saviour
I need a Saviour..."
~  "Saviour"


"Stand me up and maybe I won't be so small
Free my hands and feet
And maybe I won't always fall
Save me..."
~  "Saviour"


"You make the darkness disappear
I feel found when you stay near.
I know where I am when you are here
My way becomes so clear.
When you're gone, will I lose control?
You're the only road I know
You show me where to go.
Who will drive my soul?"
~  "Drive My Soul"


"I want to go where you're going
A follower, following
Changing but never changed
Claiming but never claimed..."
~  "Drive My Soul"


"I never really ever know what to say
When all of my emotions get in the way
I'm just trying to get us on the same page.
I always get it better right afterward
When all the wrong impressions are said and heard
How come I can never get the right words
I need to convey? – Wish I could explain..."
~  "The Listening"


"Can I let the trees do the talking?
Can I let the ground do the walking?
Can I let the sky fill what's missing?
Can I let my mouth do the listening?"
~  "The Listening"


"Once in a while
I act like a child
To feel like a kid again.
It gets like a prison in
The body I'm livin' in.
'Cause everyone's watching
Quick to start talking
I'm losing my innocence.
Wish I were a little girl
Without the weight of the world.
It would be nice
To start over again
Before we were men
I'd give, I'd bend
Let's play pretend..."
~  "Pretend"


"It's not going to be long
Before we're all gone
With nothing to show for them.
Stop taking lives – come on
Let's all grow up again..."
~  "Pretend"


"Sing, the last thing on your mind
The last word on your breath.
I'll be the one to keep you
To keep you at your best.
The last thing on your mind
'Cause I don't need your mess
I'll be the one to keep you
One disaster less..."
~  "The Last Thing On Your Mind"


"How many times will the clock go around?
How many times can my hands hit the ground?
How many coffins before there's a crown?
How far will I fall 'til the alarm sounds?
How can you love me when I am ugly?
Guess I can only hope...
Give me a second go
Don't let me go alone
You saw me at the worst
You caught me falling first
All I wanted to know
Give me a second go..."
~  "Second Go"


"No matter the weather, there's never a break
Conquer a ladder, then slip on a snake
Cried 'til my river turned into a lake
And I'm wondering now before it's too late.
How can you save me when I am angry?
Reasons I'll never know..."
~  "Second Go"


"I know you're near me.
I know you understand.
Say that you're with me.
Say you know my face
Like the back of your hands..."
~  "February Air"


"The times you don't wanna wake up
'Cause in your sleep, it's never over when you give up
The sun is always gonna rise up
You need to get up, gotta keep your head up!
Look at the people all around you
The way you feel is something everybody goes through
Dark out, but you still gotta light up
You need to wake up, gotta keep your face up!"
~  "Face Up"


"Be steady on your feet
No matter the trouble you meet.
Lions make you brave.
Giants give you faith.
Death is a charade.
You don't have to feel safe
To feel unafraid..."
~  "Lions!"


"So here's my heart, and here's my mouth
And I can't help if things come out
'Cause there are words I want to shout
But maybe I'll stay low...
I could wait a thousand hours
Stay the same in sun and showers
Pick apart a hundred flowers
Just to be quiet.
Tell me when you feel ready
I'm the one, there's not too many
Hold my hand to keep me steady
Just to be quiet...with you."
~  "Quiet"


"One foot on the ledge
And I'm feeling for safety
Somewhere between sure
And I don't know, maybe..."
~  "Where The Fence Is Low"


"Oh, you capture my attention
Carefully listening
Don't wanna miss a thing
Keeping my eyes on you.
Oh, you capture my attention
I'm anticipating
I'm watching, I'm waiting
For you to make your move
Got me on my toes..."
~  "Toes"


"It's around me, in my surroundings
It counts me when it starts the counting
In the chaos, there is a standard
I'm carrying it like a banner...
So lift it up like a banner
Hold it up over me
It this war is never-ending
I'll take this love down with me..."
~  "Banner"


"We all forget to sleep
And crash at someone's feet
Everybody skips a beat.
We let the chances pass
The few we held so fast
Everybody breaks a glass...
We all pretend to keep
Our tongue out of our cheek
Everyone's the fool they seek.
We all go off the track
And feel for our way back
Everybody breaks a glass...
Somewhere perfection lies
But not for you and I
Everybody trips sometimes.
When cities fall like shacks
Walls eventually crack
Everybody breaks a glass..."
~  "Everybody Breaks A Glass"


"Oh, I'm not a lost cause
I'm just stuck in this spot
And I'm close to falling off
So toss me a heavy rope
It's a slippery slope...
Don't let me tumble away
Into the throes of the shadowy bay
I cling to the rock
And it's crumbling off
Toss me a heavy rope
It's a slippery slope.
Come bail me out of this
Godforsaken precipice..."
~  "Heavy Rope"


"There I was, none the wiser
Both of us, different trajectories
Who'd have thought we'd be right here
In this spot – timing is everything..."
~  "Timing Is Everything"


"If they take my hand
Will it be to burn me, or to say 'amen'?
We beckon, so we can make amends
And with the same flip of the hand
We curse our friends...
It's getting hard to know
If I'm on the tracks, or off the beaten road
When no truth ever easily shows
So I'll follow you no matter where you go...
Where it's all a blur
You are the hard line
In the disorder
You are the peace sign
And when the riots stir
You are the sound mind
And in the disorder
You are the peace sign..."
~  "Peace Sign"


And, last but not least, my favorite LIGHTS 
song, in its entirety... "Cactus In The Valley"


"I never meant to wither
I wanted to be tall.
Like a fool, left the river
And watched my branches fall.
Old and thirsty, I longed for the flood
To come back around
To the cactus in the valley
That's about to crumble down...
And wipe the mark of sadness from my face
And show me that Your love will never change.
If my yesterday is a disgrace
Tell me that You still recall my name.
So, the storm finally found me
And left me in the dark
In the cloud around me
I don't know where You are.
If this whole world goes up in arms
All I can do is stand.
And I won't fight for anyone
Until You move my hand...
And wipe the mark of madness from my face
Show me that Your love will never change.
If my yesterday is a disgrace
Tell me that You still recall my name.
In the shadow, here I am
And I need someone by my side.
It becomes so hard to stand
And I keep trying to dry my eyes.
Come and find me, in the valley...
And wipe the mark of sadness from my face
Show me that Your love will never change.
If my yesterday is a disgrace
Tell me that you still recall my name..."

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