One word and its over

While I can understand how some may interpret this songs lyrics literally being about war and armed struggle, it’s not. The lyrics are being spoken in metaphor: they are comparing the process of a breakup or divorce as being a series of battles eventually becoming an all-out war, with the two opposing sides in the battle being the people involved, one the position of the narrator/singer and the other her partner. The gender of her partner isn’t mentioned as it’s unimportant to the story.

This particular song currently has very pertinent meaning in my life.

I’ll go through the lyrics, line by line, and then give a summary at the end.

«Rippin’ my heart was so easy, so easy»

In this line the singer is speaking from the position of the hurt partner, the one who has been wronged. Quite simply, she’s stating (bitterly) that her partner has been cold, distant and indifferent to the hurt that has been inflicted.

«Launch your assault now, take it easy»

In this line, ‘assault’ is being used as a metaphor for an argument or ‘attack’, the arguing and yelling has started again, and she’s asking her partner for understanding and to consider her feelings. There’s an unspoken, yet implied feeling that there is still hope for resolution to the problem if her partner will just stop taking the offensive against her. She doesn’t understand where the anger her partner has is coming from, but she needs it to stop. The way the line ‘take it easy’ is spoken is in a soft and soothing way, further implying that for the singer, things don’t have to be this way. She believes they have a choice in how to address their problems, and is pleading for mercy.

«Raise your weapon, raise your weapon»

The conflict is escalating, and so she is describing her partner raising their voice as the raising of a weapon. Weapon. Singular. This will be an important point later in the song.

«One word and it’s over»

This one line has double meaning, and for being only five words long, is the most important statement in the song. In one sense, she’s saying ‘one more word, one more harsh or thoughtless comment or deed and I’m gone’, but at the same time, she’s also saying (as anonymous mentioned above) that it will take only one word: «I’m ‘sorry'» or «‘forgive’ me» has to be mentioned in order for this conflict to end.

«Rippin’ through like a missile»

The words and acts of her partner are being used as weapons to hurt her. Quick and impersonal as the bullets from a gun (which are missiles) or (in this line) possibly implying a greater impact by using ‘missile’ to mean rockets or bombs. Note, that to this point, no words have been used to state that she has retaliated or even defending herself.

«Rippin’ through my heart»

Her lover’s selfish attacks are going right to the core of her and what she feels for her partner.

«Rob me of this love»

She wants to lover her partner, she *still* loves her partner, but the hurt is growing and she’s aware that her partner is winning in his attempts to hurt her, and thus, her love and affection are slowly bleeding away as a result. She believes that her partner’s actions are deliberate, specifically intended to ‘rob’ her of the love and affection she wants from her partner and aimed at ending the relationship.

«Raise your weapon, raise your weapon and it’s over»

As mentioned before, she’s on the precipice of their relationship. She’s stating (again) that they have a choice of where to go from here: to forgive and rebuild, or to continue and complete the destruction of what they have shared up to this point. She’s giving a warning to her partner, that they are dangerously close to the limit of what she can tolerate and still come back from in this.

«Love your ego, you won’t feel a thing»

There is bitterness in this line, accusing her partner of being selfish and self-centered. She sarcastically states that her partner ‘won’t feel a thing’ as he continues his assault. The singer is stating her belief that while she stands there, bloodied and wounded from the conflict, her partner is apparently unscathed and ready for more.

«Always number one»

Again, this line has subtle double meaning.
She’s stating openly that her partner always has to come first, to be ‘number one’. Perhaps though, she’s also saying that she believes she might also be partially responsible for her partner being so narcissistic: if she hadn’t of always put her partner’s wants first, before her own needs, she wouldn’t now regret having fed the (now) out of control ego of her partner.

«The pen with a bent wrist crooked king»

Her partner is taking the lead, calling the shots and isn’t entirely being fair or considerate in the decisions being made for their relationship. ‘The pen with the bent wrist’ is being used as symbolic of action being taken, and ties in the next line.

«Sign away our peace for your war, one word and it’s over»

Here, she’s emphasizing that instead of taking the initiative to try and find the root cause of their conflict, or even to simply stop hurting each-other, her partner is actively taking an aggressive stance and is consciously making the choice to hurt her, to continue the ‘war’ between them. While the ‘one word’ statement could still mean that she’s willing to forgive and rebuild, it’s less so at this point. There is resignation in her voice that the end is coming soon, and while she doesn’t want it to be so, she can’t deny where the actions and choice of her partner are taking them.

«Dropping your bombs now»
«On all we’ve built»

Her partner has escalated the conflict, going beyond hurtful words and deeds to intentional destruction of the foundation and infrastructure of their relationship. She’s watching and reporting on what she now perceives to be the wanton destruction of what they have worked to build together: the trust, love, shared memories, common goals, even the friendship that they once had. All of that is going now, being consumed in her partners selfish acts.

«How does it feel now to watch it burn, burn, burn?»

A very simple statement: she’s bitterly asking her partner if they don’t feel anything at all? Obviously the partner wants to be free of the relationship, but the singer is asking that one question: Why? Why was it necessary to do this? In this way? After spending the time and effort necessary to build up trust and love and all the other things that make up a friendship, much less a romantic involvement, why would their partner willingly destroy what they have built together? She is asking her partner what it feels like to be the one to willing destroy what was once the most important thing in their lives.

«Raise your weapons, raise your weapons and it’s over»

Weapon(S).

Plural.

As I mentioned when this line was first used, it /was/ used in the singular. This is important change, as it’s the last change to the lyrics before the bridge and then the verses simply repeat. The singer at this point is now actively engaged in the conflict, raising her own voice and fighting back instead of being passive and asking for peace. Now, instead of looking for a resolution to their conflict, she (perhaps out of hurt and spite) wishes to inflict some hurt back, to go down fighting as it were and do some damage of her own before they part ways. As another mentioned above, the transition from a single voice with piano accompaniment into the Dubstep after this point symbolizes the «war» between them with it’s harsh conflicting sounds and beat.

Summary:

This song, while haunting in it’s simplicity, describes what it feels like to be on the losing side in a dying relationship. The song takes us through six of the seven stages of grief/loss:

Shock/Disbelief
Denial
Bargaining
Guilt
Anger
Depression

The only stage not covered by the piece is the last and most important one: Acceptance and Hope. After the Dubstep bridge, the song then goes through the entire lyrics set again, in quiet reflection of the relationship. The way the song ends, in a gentle way, I believe indicates her final acceptance that «it’s over» and gives hope to a new beginning, and looks to the future for the ability to trust and love again.

[ Предположительная тональность: E ]

 The E/A chord is basically an E chord but you take off your second finger to expose the open A string :)

E
You and I

Riding down Broadway
                 E/A
Looking for some action
E
Two scattered souls
               E/A
In a scattered world
E
Your hands on the wheel

And your eyes
              E/A
Searching for cover


C#m
But one look from you
         E
And it's over
C#m
One look from you
        E  A
And I'm over


E
I can't sleep

With this heart's beat
         E/A
Thumping in my chest

Like an engine
      E
So I gather all my things
                      E/A
In the corner of the room
       E
And I light the match
                         E/A
And watch it burn to my fingers


C#m
But one word from you
         E
And it's over
C#m
One word from you
        E  A
And I'm over


B
People try
   C#m           A
To get what they want
B
People try
   C#m        A
To hold it so close
B
But they won't know
     C#m         A
That my heart is driftwood
C#m                 A
Floating down your coast



           E
It's been two weeks, now,

Since I walked through
     E/A
That front door
          E
It's been two weeks
                  E/A
Since I felt your skin
E
And tonight you wear
                  E/A
The spirit like a cover


C#m
And one touch from you
         E
And it's over
C#m
One touch from you
        E  A
And I'm over
C#m
Just one touch from you
         E
And it's over
C#m
Just one touch from you
        E  A
And I'm over

https://primanota.ru/civil-twilight/its-over-chords.htm

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