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Polaris Lyrics

I'll say it straight and plain
I know I've made mistakes
I've always been afraid
I've always been afraid

A thousand nights or more
I travelled east and north
Please answer the door

Can you tell me
You say that love goes anywhere
In your darkest time, it's just enough to know it's there
When you go, I'll let you be
But you're kill everything in me

Get down on your knees
Whisper what I need
Something pretty
Something pretty

I feel that when I'm old
I'll look at you and know
The world was beautiful

Then you tell me
You say that love goes anywhere
In your darkest time, it's just enough to know it's there
When you go, I'll let you be
But you're killing everything in me

I'm done, there's nothing left to show
Try but I can't let go
Are you happy where you're standing still?
Do you really want the sugar pill?
I'll wake up tomorrow and I'll start
To another, it feels so hard
As a train approaches, getting on
As I'm sure your kiss remains employed
Am I only dreaming?

You say that love goes anywhere
In your darkest time, it's just enough to know it's there
When you go, I'll let you be
But you're killing everything in me

When you go, I'll let you be
But you're killing everything in me
Song Info
Submitted by
_valerie On Sep 22, 2004
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Cover art for Polaris lyrics by Jimmy Eat World

Right, taking Jim as the person writing the song, (instead of when bands sing songs from someone elses point of view), and going from the top to finish, this is my interpretation: Jim is trying to justify with himself going on tour, scared that leaving his wife will harm his relationship with her. (I'll say it straight and plain, I know I've made mistakes, I've always been afraid.) To tour, he has to leave arizona (A thousand nights or more, I travel east and north) And he wants to know he'll be let 'back in' when he comes home (Please answer the door) The chorus is then, I think his wife seeing him off, and telling Jim it's ok. (Then you tell me:You say that love goes anywhere, in your darkest time its just enough to know its there) Even though it hurts to be without him (When you go I'll let you be, but you're killing everything in me.) Jim asks for his wife to give him something to keep in mind when he's away, to remind him of her. (Get down on your knees, whisper what I need, something pretty) He then tells her that he'll stay with her til they're old together (I feel that when I'm old, I'll look at you and know, the world was beautiful) I think the song then jumps to Jim on tour, and he's missing his wife. He's drained after a show and he can't stop thinking about back home (I'm done, theres nothing left to show, I try but can't let go) He questions whether he could live without playing music, and touring as a result (Are you happy where you're standing still) And concludes that he would be lying to himself if he said he could, even though he could stay at home (Do you really want the sugar pill?) The tour has to carry on, and though he misses his wife, he has to keep going. (I'll wake up tomorrow and I'll start, tonight it feels so hard) And as he keeps travelling, Jim keeps in mind how his wife loves him (As the train approaches Gare du Nord, I'm sure your kiss remains employed) And questions how real the situation is, either if he is really putting himself through this, or if his wife really loves him. (Am I only dreaming?) Anyway, thats my long guess at whats going on here, sorry for taking up so much room.

dont apologise for taking up room, otherwise i'm doomed XD i cant say i agree with all your ideas, just generally i dont think the song is based on jim's wife [jim has a wife?]. i think the lines "When you go, I'll let you be, but you're killing everything in me" & "I'm done" & "I feel that when I'm old, I'll look at you and know, the world was beautiful." show more of a loss, a significant and long-term one, then just leaving his wife and worrying about it. something more permanent and painful, like [i dont believe this is...

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Cover art for Polaris lyrics by Jimmy Eat World

Probably a jouney of some sort. "I'll wake up tomorrow and I'll start To another, it feels so hard"

I can't even play it more than twice in a row in case the tears start welling. Heelp.

Cover art for Polaris lyrics by Jimmy Eat World

this song strikes me as the situation of two people that got themselves into something they should have never touched. it could be anything, perhaps drugs (''do you really want the sugar pill''), or prostitution maybe (''as i'm sure your kiss remains employed), but it never says for sure. what is clear is that they loved eachother, and that over time they were torn apart by the situation. he feels alone, abandoned, and deprived of love while she gets deeper into whatever they were doing... thus he says:

''are you happy where youre standing still, do you really want the sugar pill?''

with 'sugar pill' representing the temptation, the risk, the thrill... whatever. in the end he loses her, and he regrets what happened... its ''killing everything in'' him. perhaps her/their addiction took her life, and thats why he says:

''i feel that when i'm old i'll look at you and know the world was beautiful''

also... ''you say that love goes anywhere...'' could be representative of whats beyond death, which is where he lost her, and therefore he says that in his ''darkest time, its just enough to know its there''... as a comfort that somewhere beyond the thread still exists, and that shes not forever gone

yeah, i really like that interpretation, that maybe whatever the bad thing was, killed her [drugs probably, imo]. that could fit in with the whole polaris/north star thing, as he's looking up to the sky remembering her, perhaps with the whole cheesy her-looking-down-on-him thing. that would mean the "love goes anywhere... darkest time..." lines fit beautifully.

wow this song is so sad.

but i love it.

Not Valid
Cover art for Polaris lyrics by Jimmy Eat World

Great song!

I think this song is the type that talks about looking into the sky, at polaris perhaps, knowing that whomever you care for could be looking at it the same time you are, and that it's kind of their sanity in a time of need. Like in the lyric, "In your darkest time, it's just enough to know it's there."

Cover art for Polaris lyrics by Jimmy Eat World

Can't say much about the Gare Du Nord thing other than that it probably ties in with Polaris(Gare Du "Nord", "North" Star, etc.). Maybe it could refer to being somewhere distant, e.g. Paris, and thinking about your loved one? I don't know.

Cover art for Polaris lyrics by Jimmy Eat World

the guy is saying hear me out here, i've gone through a lot just to reach you tonight ("A thousand nights or more, I travelled east and north, Please answer the door") he's remembering words of strength she gave him during their relationship, and wondering if they are still valid. does she still love him?("You say that love goes anywhere In your darkest time, it's just enough to know it's there") if and when she walks away from him for good, he will leave her alone and hope she is happy, but he can't say that he'll be thrilled. ("When you go, I'll let you be, But you're killing everything in me") His last attempts to make her stay ("I'm done, there's nothing left to show, Try but I can't let go, Are you happy where you're standing still? Do you really want the sugar pill?") he assumes she's already moved on to someone else("As I'm sure your kiss remains employed, Am I only dreaming?") and perhaps wishes he was only dreaming

Cover art for Polaris lyrics by Jimmy Eat World

Great song and fab album. Iv been a jew fan for ages and this is def one of my faves ever. I think its about trying to get close to someone but getting hurt by them (perhaps them purposely hurting you). Theres a real sense of loneliness in this song. It beautiful.

"real sense of loneliness"... wow, that's an amazing way to describe this song. i love this song, and that description is perfect.

Not Valid
Cover art for Polaris lyrics by Jimmy Eat World

I would agree with the last few posts: the song is about two people who still are in a relationship of some sort but are going through rough times and considering breaking up. perhaps they put their relation on a break and now they're wondering whether they should pick it up again. In the last bit it seems that she doesn't want to keep it up, but move on instead, while he can't really believe it but accepts it anyway. the great thing about the futures records is that pain, drugs or me and polaris are connected and could be three parts of one story, but also stand for themselves. and as it often happens to me when listening to JEW, some lines make me cry, especially " i feel that when i'm old i'll look at you and know the world was beautiful", but then again you can shout along to "love goes anywhere!" and regain some hope

Cover art for Polaris lyrics by Jimmy Eat World

This song owns, i like a lot of bands, metal, death metal, rock, country, rap, i dont give a crap, i like music, this is one of my favorite songs. i think its about a relationship

Cover art for Polaris lyrics by Jimmy Eat World

I think the song is about someone who has broken up with their significant other and looks at the world, and realizes the beauty of it and what they've lost. They try to go through life as they had before, but the pain is undeniable and inhibits them in everyday life.

Quick side note-- What was very aggravating to me is that when I come to see others opinions of the songs meaning, Mothra deemed it necessary to make sure that everyone agreed with him/her. The whole point of this website is to be tolerable of others opinions, respect them, and compare them to your own. If you disagree, then that's fine, but there is never a time to completely blow off someone's opinion and declare that yours is the correct one.

I completely agree. Mothra was taking the stand of 'i'm allowed to state my opinion, you're the one who's being close-minded' but he was dissing everyone's opinions, and bashing the band, song and fans for no reason. hypocrite. i HATE it when people do that.

love this song tho, and i've posted WAAAY too many comments on it :)

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