Lessons In Love by Level 42 Lyrics Meaning – Unpacking the Anthem of Emotional Education
Lyrics
I felt sure we had enough but our love went overboard
Lifeboat lies lost at sea I’ve been trying to reach your shore
Waves of doubt keep drowning me
All the dreams that we were building
We never fulfilled them
Could be better, should be better
For lessons in love
For restless eyes, egos burn and the mold is hard to break
Now we’ve waded in too deep and love is overboard
Heavy hearts token words all the hopes I ever had
Fade like footprints in the sand
All the homes that we were building
We never lived in
Could be better, should be better
Lessons in love
If we lose the time before us
The future will ignore us
We should use it, we could use it, yeah
Lessons in love
Lost without love
Lessons in love
When will you ever learn
Lessons in love
When there’s nowhere left to turn
Lessons in love
Don’t let your spirit burn
Lessons in love
I’ll wait ’till you return
All the dreams that we were building
(Yeah, yeah, yeah)
We never lived them
We could lose it, we should use it
(Lessons in love)
Lessons in love
All the homes that we were building
We never lived in
Could be better
(Could be better)
Should be better
(Yeah, yeah)
Lessons in love
If we lose the time before us
The future will ignore us
We should use it, we could use it
(Good God)
Lessons in love
In 1986, the British band Level 42 released ‘Lessons in Love,’ a track that soared to the upper echelons of charts worldwide and became an emblematic sound of the decade. But beyond its infectious bassline and dance-floor ready beat, ‘Lessons in Love’ harbors a poignant exploration of the trials and tribulations faced in the realms of love and emotional maturity.
Dissecting the heartfelt lyrics penned by frontman Mark King and bandmates, it becomes evident that the song is an introspective journey through the complexities of relationships. Each verse and chorus serve as a compass for navigating the stormy seas of love, beckoning listeners to look deeper into the metaphoric teachings laid before them.
Navigating the Sea of Sentiments: The Voyage Begins
The opening lines of ‘Lessons in Love’ immediately plunge the listener into an ocean of remorse and realization. The protagonist’s acknowledgment of their own missteps and the ‘truth’ that’s hard to digest sets a tone of vulnerability and self-reflection. This somber admission – ‘I’m not proud, I was wrong’ – is a candid mirror revealing the human propensity to err within the intimate dance of partnership.
The imagery of a ‘lifeboat lies lost at sea’ accentuates the notion of a relationship gone adrift. It lays bare the chilling isolation felt when love, which was once a sturdy vessel, capsizes into the chilling waters of estrangement. The efforts to ‘reach your shore’ become symbolic of reclaiming a connection that is on the brink of being swallowed by the ‘waves of doubt.’
Crumbling Castles of Commitment: The Edifice That Never Was
Level 42 artfully constructs a metaphor for the unattained dreams and habitats of the heart with ‘All the homes that we were building / We never lived in.’ The song suggests a universal longing for stability and the creation of shared experiences. Yet, these aspirations disintegrate like ‘footprints in the sand,’ ephemeral and ultimately overtaken by the tides of discord.
This section not only mourns the unrealized potential of a relationship but also implicitly challenges the listener to ponder what could have been ‘better.’ It is a resonating call to action, ushering in the need for improvement and growth, both personal and within the framework of love’s lessons.
The Sands of Time and Lost Potential: An Urgent Call
The urgency within ‘Lessons in Love’ escalates as the song delves into the idea of fleeting time with ‘If we lose the time before us / The future will ignore us.’ An inevitable pressing forward of time necessitates the use of the present to foster meaningful connections, lest we become artifacts to an uncaring future.
This race against the clock encapsulates a double-edged sword: the recognition of love’s impermanence and the pursuit to make every moment count. It speaks to the depth of human yearning for connection and the embraced truth that love should be nurtured and never taken for granted.
The Chorus of Change: A Repetitive Reminder
As the chorus ‘Lessons in Love’ echoes through the song, its repetitive nature serves as a haunting reminder of the cyclical patterns that trap us. These refrains become mantras, imploring us to learn from our past, to adapt and adopt new strategies in the interplay of hearts.
When the song poses the rhetorical question, ‘When will you ever learn?’, it’s not just a query to a former lover, but a reflective probe to ourselves. The insistence on change becomes an anthem for transformation, a chorus calling for each of us to evolve in the wake of past pains.
A Treasure Trove Uncovered: The Song’s Hidden Meaning
Tucked beneath the synthesizers and entrancing basslines lies the song’s treasure – the veiled message about the necessary journey of personal growth through relational strife. The ‘lessons in love’ transcend mere didactic advice; they become a movement of introspection and the development of emotional intelligence.
Each verse, every vivid image, carves deeply into the psyche, inspiring listeners to face the ebb and flow of love with resilience and learned wisdom. To truly comprehend the hidden profundity of Level 42’s hit is to embrace the philosophy that within every wound there is a wisdom waiting to be discovered.
