Collide
Album: Stop All The World Now
Year: 2004
Howie Day’s relationship with his girlfriend is nearly over in the contemplating ballad “Collide.”
A brooding guitar and doleful strings open the single, setting a pensive tone. In the first verse, he says it’s about 8 a.m. Next to him, his girlfriend is snoring and unconscious. She never hears the alarm clock. He reaches over her and shuts it off. As usual, he slept with his arms around her. She has her arms outstretched on the pillow. It may be a small thing, but it concerns him. He thinks it’s a sign that she doesn’t want to be affectionate with him anymore. He continues to say he tells her everything and keeps her informed of his activities. However, just last night she told him she’s going out with her friends on a weekend trip in five days. Although she’s loyal, he believes she will leave him if someone better came along. Seeing her face break out into a smile is the highlight of many of his days and to lose it would shatter him.
In the chorus, he says even great relationships get rough after a while. The bitterness behind the words keeps the conversation flowing, despite the hurt it may cause. He wonders if they should be together. The conflicts have been short but frequent over the past couple months.
In the second verse, he says he’s not talkative. It’s a quality she said she liked in him. However, that was when they first starting dating. Now, she glares him, resenting him for not speaking more. He doesn’t want to know the negative things she’s been thinking about him.
In the second chorus, he says there are some black days without any hope. However, when she’s not around him, she’s happier and returns to the girl he first met.
In the bridge, he beseeches her to keep trying and not give up. He isn’t sure where he’s going and confused about the future. He needs her around for moral support.
The doleful strings have a solo.
In the third verse, he says she’s wondering about the state of their relationship also. She’s realized they’ve grown apart. The frown on her face says it all as she moved her pillow and blanket into the living room. Within a week, she will be gone from his life.
At first, Day thought her anger towards him was the result of her job. But during the two years they’ve been dating, she’s since quit the job and working at another, where she is flourishing. She doesn’t try to find activities for them to do anymore as a couple and their sex life is nonexistent. Their relationship is destroyed, he believes, for his stoic demeanor.
Day’s willful, quenchless vocals are desperate and withdrawn. It’s his fault for being inscrutuable and difficult to get to know. Now, that he’s opened up to her, it’s too late. The distress is more than he can bear. He wants her to stay.
The reserved arrangement represses and evades from emotion, isolating in its own self-pity.
Album: Stop All The World Now
Year: 2004
Howie Day’s relationship with his girlfriend is nearly over in the contemplating ballad “Collide.”
A brooding guitar and doleful strings open the single, setting a pensive tone. In the first verse, he says it’s about 8 a.m. Next to him, his girlfriend is snoring and unconscious. She never hears the alarm clock. He reaches over her and shuts it off. As usual, he slept with his arms around her. She has her arms outstretched on the pillow. It may be a small thing, but it concerns him. He thinks it’s a sign that she doesn’t want to be affectionate with him anymore. He continues to say he tells her everything and keeps her informed of his activities. However, just last night she told him she’s going out with her friends on a weekend trip in five days. Although she’s loyal, he believes she will leave him if someone better came along. Seeing her face break out into a smile is the highlight of many of his days and to lose it would shatter him.
“The dawn is breaking/A light shining through/You're barely waking/And I'm tangled up in you/Yeah/I'm open, you're closed/Where I follow, you'll go/I worry I won't see your face/Light up again.”
In the chorus, he says even great relationships get rough after a while. The bitterness behind the words keeps the conversation flowing, despite the hurt it may cause. He wonders if they should be together. The conflicts have been short but frequent over the past couple months.
“Even the best fall down sometimes/Even the wrong words seem to rhyme/Out of the doubt that fills my mind/I somehow find/You and I collide.”
In the second verse, he says he’s not talkative. It’s a quality she said she liked in him. However, that was when they first starting dating. Now, she glares him, resenting him for not speaking more. He doesn’t want to know the negative things she’s been thinking about him.
“I'm quiet you know/You make a first impression/I've found I'm scared to know I'm always on your mind.”
In the second chorus, he says there are some black days without any hope. However, when she’s not around him, she’s happier and returns to the girl he first met.
“Even the best fall down sometimes/Even the stars refuse to shine/Out of the back you fall in time/I somehow find/You and I collide.”
In the bridge, he beseeches her to keep trying and not give up. He isn’t sure where he’s going and confused about the future. He needs her around for moral support.
“Don’t stop here/I lost my place/I’m close behind.”
The doleful strings have a solo.
In the third verse, he says she’s wondering about the state of their relationship also. She’s realized they’ve grown apart. The frown on her face says it all as she moved her pillow and blanket into the living room. Within a week, she will be gone from his life.
“Even the best fall down sometimes/Even the wrong words seem to rhyme/Out of the doubt that fills your mind/You finally find/You and I collide/You finally find/You and I collide/You finally find/You and I collide.”
At first, Day thought her anger towards him was the result of her job. But during the two years they’ve been dating, she’s since quit the job and working at another, where she is flourishing. She doesn’t try to find activities for them to do anymore as a couple and their sex life is nonexistent. Their relationship is destroyed, he believes, for his stoic demeanor.
Day’s willful, quenchless vocals are desperate and withdrawn. It’s his fault for being inscrutuable and difficult to get to know. Now, that he’s opened up to her, it’s too late. The distress is more than he can bear. He wants her to stay.
The reserved arrangement represses and evades from emotion, isolating in its own self-pity.
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