You trembled like you'd seen a ghost
And I gave in
I lack the things you need the most
You said, "Where have you been?"
You wasted all that sweetness to run and hide
I wonder why
I remind you of the days you poured your heart into
But you never tried
I've fallen from grace
Took a blow to my face
I've loved and I've lost
I've loved and I've lost

Explosions on the day you wake up
Needing somebody and you've learned
It's okay to be afraid
But it will never be the same
It will never be the same

You left my soul bleeding in the dark
So you could be king, ah
The rules you set are still untold to me
And I've lost my faith in everything
The nights you could cope
Your intentions were gold
But the mountains will shake
I need to know I can still make

Explosions on the day you wake up
Needing somebody and you've learned
It's okay to be afraid
But it will never be the same

And as the floods move in
And your body starts to sink
I was the last thing on your mind
I know you better than you think
'Cause it's simple, darling, I gave you a warning
Now everything you own is falling from the sky in pieces
So watch them fall with you, in slow motion
I pray that you will find peace of mind
And I'll find you another time
I'll love you, another time

Explosions on the day you wake up
Needing somebody and you've learned
It's okay to be afraid
But it will never be the same


Lyrics submitted by thrwmyhrtawy.

Explosions Lyrics as written by John Frederik Fortis Elena Jane Goulding

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Reservoir Media Management, Inc.

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Explosions song meanings
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23 Comments

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  • +3
    My Interpretation

    If you've ever heard of the song "Dreams" by Fleetwood Mac it would pretty much get the same general, if not exact, meaning I think. It seems to be about someone who's left and has caused the other to feel extremely hurt. She/He is letting them go slowly and hoping they they find peace. The "explosions" signify a time when they may might feel the same pain they're going through and they might one day need them just as much as they did or do... But if they try to go back to what made them okay, in context the person they left, it won't be the same.

    MuzickLvron October 11, 2012   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    Ellie said in an interview this song is about her father, who she hasn't seen in about ten years.

    Kieran13on April 22, 2014   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    I love this song. It's so sincere in it's portrayal of a breakup. It's somewhat bittersweet in the sense that the protagonist is comforting herself to know that 'it's okay to be afraid, but it will never be the same'. That lyric really resonates with me, cause in every falling out there's that feeling that encapsulates confusion, fear of not knowing what will happy from that day onwards and hope for the future that this heartbreak will be over.

    I also think that 'explosions' serve as a metaphor in the sense that she can still shine at her very best, creating magic with another person whom she might meet in the future, tying into the concept that everything will be ok.

    However, I think the most realistic part of this song will be how she 'will love you (him) another time' It's self explanatory but resonates with everyone. Relationships will inevitably end and it truly reflects her acceptance that this breakup belongs in the past. . .

    hysterickon March 20, 2013   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    I feel like I could take clips of my life and put it in a video to this song. I've been married almost 2 years and the relationship has been on the rocks for 2 years.

    My husband disappeared one night and I couldn't get a hold of him.

    When he came home he trembled like he'd seen a ghost. He said nothing happened with the girl he was with the night before and I gave in.

    A couple of days later he tells me he wants a divorce. I lack the things he needs the most...that the relationship is dead. Where have I been? Why didn’t I see this coming?

    He wasted all his sweetness to run and hide. Instead of dealing with our problems, he went and found someone else.

    All I have done is pour my heart into this marriage and he never tried.

    He suddenly had an explosion of love for me. He decides he wants to get back together. He needs someone. But I feel like our relationship will never be the same because I no longer trust him.

    The night he cheated he said he decided that the marriage was over. But I didn’t know he felt this way. As I waited up for him, he left my soul bleeding in the dark, so he could be king by doing something to bring temporary happiness. Boundaries have been broken. He makes up the rules to the relationship and they are untold to me. I’ve lost my faith in trying to make us work. There are nights when he can treat me wonderful. His intentions are gold. But I always end up feeling shaken.

    He feels depressed about what he has done. His body sinks. That night he cheated, I was the last thing on his mind. I knew he cheated before he told me. I know him better than he thinks.

    Our relationship is falling from the sky in pieces. We stand back and watch them.. trying to figure out what we did wrong. We both have our own issues to work out. I pray that he finds peace of mind. We need to work on ourselves and once we do maybe I can find him another time. Maybe one day I will love him again another time.

    Explosions are the warm and fuzzies of being in love. I need to know I can still make him feel that. He thinks he is crazy and it is all my fault. I need to know that it isn't. That I am a positive thing in his life -- not a negative.

    midnightkittyon May 13, 2013   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    If you have seen the Movie Maleficent this song would fit perfectly to her and the kings relationship, break up, and his later demise. I thought it was written for the movie at first. He literally left her to be king and for gold.

    jessicaoarton July 24, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Explosions. On the day you wake up needing somebody. This song is about realizing what you need after its gone and you can't obtain it back.

    JF1313on July 16, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    This song isn't simply about a break up. It's about a death too.

    "As the tide moves in, and your body starts to sink."

    "I will love you, another time." - In the afterlife.

    theAteamon February 09, 2014   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    You trembled like you'd seen a ghost (because she cheated on him) And I gave in (to the temptation of hurting him back like he hurt her in other ways) I lack the things you need the most (trust) You said where have you been You wasted all that sweetness to run and hide (from then on all his sweetness and kindness he hid away from her, to hurt her back) I wonder why (she wonders why they are like this, and if they love eachother why are they both always trying to hurt eachother back like a vicious cycle) I remind you of the days you poured your heart into (before this happened) But you never tried (he stopped trying in their relationship as soon as he found something more exciting in his life, and after she cheated) I've fallen from grace Took a blow to my face I've loved and I've lost (she loved him so much and now shes lost him) I've loved and I've lost

    Explosions on the day you wake up Needing somebody and you've learned It's okay to be afraid But it will never be the same It will never be the same (they both need eachother, and are both afraid, but they know they cant go back since nothing between them will ever be the same now)

    You left my soul bleeding in the dark (the reason she cheated ,when he left her alone to deal with the distance of missing him, and his new life) So you could be king (making her feel insignificant in his life, as soon as something better came round) The rules you set are still untold to me and I Lost my faith in everything ( when he made her feel insignificant, over his amazing new life, which is why she resorted to doing the one thing that would hurt him most, cheating) The nights you could cope, your intentions were gold (when he didnt think about her cheating because he pushed her away, he was amazing and had the best intensions of moving forward) But the mountains will shake (but when it comes down to it, it will always be there, they can mask it, but the foundations will always be unsteady) I need to know I can still make

    Explosions on the day you wake up Needing somebody and you've learned It's okay to be afraid But it will never be the same

    And as the floods move in And your body starts to sink I was the last thing on your mind I know you better than you think ( i think this part is about when she was down, because she was lonely, and he was fine with his new friends and life, she was in the back of his mind) 'Cause it's simple darling, I gave you a warning (she warned him she would leave him if he didn't help her through her rough patch in life) Now everything you own is falling from the sky in pieces So watch them fall with you, in slow motion I pray that you will find peace of mind (piece of mind from whats happened, and can get over it, over what she did, because she was hurt and in a bad place) And I'll find you another time I'll love you, another time (maybe in the future when theyre both over it, they can get back together, but for now, they will just push eachother away and hurt eachother if they speak)

    Explosions on the day you wake up Needing somebody and you've learned It's okay to be afraid But it will never be the same

    tmxxxon October 23, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    I think it's about a woman who loves a man but he doesn't love her back, at least not anymore. She's fallen, broken. He doesn't understand what it's like to be broken, he never has been. And then she predicts his future, telling him, it will happen to him too. When it does happen, he will finally understand her.

    And as the floods move in And your body starts to sink I was the last thing on your mind I know you better than you think 'Cause it's simple darling, I gave you a warning Now everything you own is falling from the sky in pieces So watch them fall with you, in slow motion I pray that you will find peace of mind And I'll find you another time I'll love you, another time

    Explosions on the day you wake up Needing somebody and you've learned It's okay to be afraid But it will never be the same

    hihayleyon December 12, 2013   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    I think this song is about a woman who was deeply hurt by a man who was never there for her, yet she loved him anyway. She told herself that he was right for her, because he was...his intentions "were gold", but she needed him when he wasn't there. Something happened between them, and it was like an explosion because it was a horrible experience for her. "It's okay to be afraid, but it will never be the same": no matter how many other men she meets, none of them will ever compare to this guy. "I lack the things you need the most, you said": he never appreciated her the way she deserved. "I remind you of the days you poured your heart out into...but you never tried": meaning he will always love her, but he never admitted it, or showed it. He never tried to be anything more. "You left my soul bleeding in the dark so you could be king": he left her behind, and broke her soul. He scarred her. "I was the last thing on your mind, I know you better than you think": she knows, deep down, he did care for her, but he never knew. "I love you another time": she knows he was the one, but he never accepted it. This song is extremely heartbreaking, and it applies to my own life sadly :(

    ally14on January 23, 2014   Link

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