Stayaway by Muna Lyrics Meaning – Dissecting the Heartache and The Hardest Part of Goodbye

You can view the lyrics, alternate interprations and sheet music for Muna's Stayaway at Lyrics.org.

Lyrics

If I see my old friends, we’ll go out dancing
If we go out dancing, then we’ll go to the bar
If we go to the bar, then there’s gonna be drinking
If I drink, I wanna see where you are
So I don’t see my old friends, I don’t go dancing
I don’t do most things I used to do
Actually, now that I’m thinking about it
I did most things to get to you

No one ever told me leaving was the easy part
I gotta stay away
Leaving you was easy, now I gotta do what’s hard
I gotta stay away

Stay away, stay stay away
Stay away, stay stay away

If I go driving then I’ll put on music
If I put on music then I’ll play your song
If I play your song then I think I’ll lose it
End up pulled up at the front of your lawn
So I don’t go driving, no, I just stay in
I don’t do most things I used to do
‘Cause every moment is a fork in the road
And all my roads lead back to you (You, you)

No one ever told me leaving was the easy part
I gotta stay away
Leaving you was easy, now I gotta do what’s hard
I gotta stay away

Stay away, stay stay away
Stay away, stay stay away

If I turn off the light then I might start thinking
If I start thinking, I’ll think of the time when
You said that you loved me, you said I was perfect
You said you were sorry, you said you were selfish
If I don’t stop it, before I know it
All the bad things never happened
You never lied or treated me bad and
If you did then you’ll wish you hadn’t
Start believing you were right and
I was being too dramatic
So I gotta leave the light on
For tonight
Just so I can stay away

No one ever told me leaving was the easy part
I gotta stay away
Leaving you was easy, now I gotta do what’s hard
I gotta stay away
Any little misstep
I’ll be at your doorstep
Talking ’bout forgiveness
Giving you my heart back
Just so you can break it
One more time before I say
I gotta stay away

Stay away, stay stay away
Stay away, stay stay away
Stay away
Stay away
Stay away, stay stay away

Navigating the aftermath of a breakup is often likened to walking through the remnants of a battlefield, trying to make sense of the chaos left behind. Muna’s ‘Stayaway’ is a poignant and delicately layered track that encapsulates the struggle of detachment in the wake of lost love. It’s a portrait of a person navigating the complexities of heartbreak, every line etching deeper into the listener’s emotions with an authenticity that is as heartbreaking as it is relatable.

With ‘Stayaway,’ Muna delivers not just a song, but an emotional journey, set to an infectious synth-pop beat that belies the gut-wrenching narrative within. As we dissect the meaning behind the lyrics, we realize that this is more than just a breakup song; it’s a manual on self-preservation in the face of an easy descent back into the arms of a toxic love.

The Vicious Cycle of ‘If’ – Spinning the Web of What-Could-Be

The opening lines of ‘Stayaway’ immediately plunge us into the infectious habitual patterns that define post-breakup life. Each ‘if’ is a domino falling into the next, creating a maze of associations that lead back to the ex-lover. It’s a spiral of hypothetical scenarios, highlighting the unavoidable triggers found in daily routines that once included the departed partner.

Muna doesn’t just describe the cycle; the rhythmic repetition of the word ‘if’ mimics the cyclical nature of the protagonist’s thoughts. This poetic technique hooks the listener, trapping us in the same cycle of repetition and compulsion that keeps the speaker tethered to the memory of their lost love.

A Heartbreaking Contradiction – ‘Leaving was the Easy Part’

One of the song’s most profound revelations comes with the insight that sometimes, the act of leaving isn’t the hardest part. Rather, it is the daily commitment to staying away that poses the greater challenge. The contrast between the ease of a breakup and the struggle of its aftermath is a testament to the complicated nature of human relationships and the battle against emotional gravity.

By sharing this wisdom, Muna echoes the sentiment of anyone who’s found themselves caught in the between, having taken the necessary step away from a relationship, only to find that each day is yet another step that must be consciously repeated.

The Hidden Meaning – Life’s Forks and Roads Leading Back to You

‘Stayaway’ offers a deeper understanding than just the surface struggle of detachment. The song effortlessly chronicles the inner tug-of-war, illustrating how simple day-to-day decisions can become excruciating battles when every choice seems to inch one closer to a previous love.

The ‘fork in the road’ analogy elevates the song from a personal narrative into a universal lament. It is about how obsessive longing can turn our personal journeys into an onerous succession of choices, all of which can be sabotaged by the lingering presence of an erstwhile partner.

Memorable Lines – ‘Stayaway’ as a Mantra for Self-Preservation

The chorus, with its simple yet powerful repetition of ‘Stay away, stay stay away,’ functions as both a plea and a mantra. It reminds listeners that, at times, the most potent form of self-care is setting and maintaining boundaries, no matter how antithetical they may seem to our immediate desires.

The repetition serves as a sonic representation of the struggle between head and heart, reinforcing the necessary resolve to safeguard one’s well-being. These lines, enshrined within the song’s title, become a battle cry for anyone who needs to remind themselves that staying away can be the ultimate act of self-love.

Lights On – The Battle Against Romanticized Memories

Towards the song’s bridge, Muna touches on the idealization of a past lover, a tempting and often inevitable aspect of human psychology. The lyrics portray the struggle to keep the mind from rewriting history, glorifying a flawed relationship, and painting the ex-partner in a light far too forgiving than they deserve.

By ‘leaving the light on,’ Muna presents an almost childlike approach to dealing with monsters in the dark—the monsters being the glorified memories that threaten to lure the protagonist back to a place of pain. It’s a poignant reminder of the vigilance required to keep one’s perspective in check, firm in the resolve to acknowledge the past for what it was, rather than what it could have been.