“One By One” by Lukas Graham

Perhaps the easiest way to describe the sentiment behind the first verse of “One By One” is as one in which the vocalist is putting forth a fear of dying. However, he is not doing so due to the uncertainty of the afterlife.  Instead, Lukas’s nervousness is based in the belief that as time progresses his dear loved one, the addressee, will too gradually begin to forget him.

And the second verse operates along a similar vein. The vocalist comes off as being once again anxious as far as being forgotten is concerned. But in this verse, he is speaking more specifically to the prospect of his children growing up, leaving home and forgetting where they came from, in a manner of speaking.  And the vocalist also dreads the day that they will move out in general, whereas the room in the house which once held a precious relative is now left empty.

So we can take it that the vocalist is a pretty-emotional fellow. Evidentially, the intended recipients of these lyrics are very much around. But just exercising the possibility that they may one day forget him, that the memory of the love they share may fade, has Lukas in his feelings.

“One by One by one we fade away
Memories, one by one by one, they fade to grey
We’re here for every season till we’re gone without a reason”