The song “Blinding Lights,” sung by “The Weeknd”, is about a person realizing that all their dreams have come true, but they are still not content as they feel their life has no meaning. While talking about the song, The Weeknd says the song is “how you want to see someone at night, and you’re intoxicated, and you’re driving to this person and you’re just blinded by streetlights, but nothing could stop you from trying to go see that person, because you’re so lonely. I don’t want to ever promote drunk driving, but that’s what the dark undertone is.”
Being Blinded By Love Hurts
In the song “Blinding Lights” by “The Weeknd,” there is a feeling of both uneasiness and optimism. There is an image in the song of someone walking through life in darkness but then coming across these blinding lights that lead to this idea of finally finding meaning in one’s life, which is represented in the lines: “Life had no meaning when I was wasting my time / Felt like a prisoner locked inside / But then you appeared and showed me all that was true.”
Many metaphoric characterizations are used in the song “Blinding Lights” by “The Weeknd”. There is the image of a person walking through life in darkness, experiencing the burden that no one understands and then finding these blinding lights at the end of the tunnel, leading them to mean and fulfillment.
The video for the song “Blinding Lights” by “The Weeknd” depicts the same character from the song waking up in their bed to find that they have just woken up, yet there is a blinding white light coming down on them. This character then starts getting dressed and realizes it is too bright.
There is another scene in the video where this character wakes up, walks out on their balcony and looks up to see the same blinding light coming down, which they then try to walk towards but then realize that it is not even worth walking towards as there is nothing they could do. They then turn around and walk back into their home.
Loving Someone and Not Letting Go
The song lyrics meaning of the song “Blinding Lights” by “The Weeknd” is that a person has finally woken up to find that they feel as if they are not where they should be in their life. This person realizes that while they have had some success, it is not enough for them to feel happy and fulfilled. For this person, the singer’s sister has blazed her trail in life, and even though she experienced much hardship along her way, she still feels accomplished and fulfilled.
In the song lyrics, the chorus goes, “Blinded by all of these lights, blinded by all that you’ve shown me; I just want it to be over. I just want it to be over”. It goes on to say, “blinding lights blinding lights, blinding lights”, which is representative of these brilliant and shining lights, which represent the idea that finally, this person has realized that their life has meaning and is content at the end of their quest.
The song lyrics of the song “Blinding Lights” by “The Weeknd” allude to the book “The Shining” by Stephen King, where the main character Danny Torrance is convinced that the hotel he is staying at is alive and has a mind of its own. He starts experiencing a range of paranormal activities, such as writing appearing on walls, moving furniture and even entering his room via an elevator. In the end, he realizes that his father had been attacking him in a murderous rage. His wife and the spirit of Danny’s mother, who has come to save his father, are eventually killed.
Blinding Lights has topped charts and been a huge success all over, including being heard on the following TV shows: Ms. Marvel, The Girl in the Mirror, America’s Got Talent, and The Masked Dancer. The Weeknd also performed the song live on Saturday Night Live in 2020.
I’ve been tryna call
I’ve been on my own for long enough
Maybe you can show me how to love, maybe
I’m going through withdrawals
You don’t even have to do too much
You can turn me on with just a touch, baby
I look around and
Sin City’s cold and empty (oh)
No one’s around to judge me (oh)
I can’t see clearly when you’re gone
I said, ooh, I’m blinded by the lights
No, I can’t sleep until I feel your touch
I said, ooh, I’m drowning in the night
Oh, when I’m like this, you’re the one I trust
(Hey, hey, hey)
I’m running out of time
‘Cause I can see the sun light up the sky
So I hit the road in overdrive, baby, oh
The city’s cold and empty (oh)
No one’s around to judge me (oh)
I can’t see clearly when you’re gone
I said, ooh, I’m blinded by the lights
No, I can’t sleep until I feel your touch
I said, ooh, I’m drowning in the night
Oh, when I’m like this, you’re the one I trust
I’m just walking by to let you know (by to let you know)
I can never say it on the phone (say it on the phone)
Will never let you go this time (ooh)
I said, ooh, I’m blinded by the lights
No, I can’t sleep until I feel your touch
(Hey, hey, hey)
I said, ooh, I’m blinded by the lights
No, I can’t sleep until I feel your touch
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Max Martin / Oscar Thomas Holter / Ahmad Balshe / Abel Tesfaye / Jason Matthew Quenneville
Blinding Lights lyrics © Universal Music Corp., Sal And Co Lp, Songs Of Wolf Cousins
Listeners that enjoy this song about Breakup may also be interested in the song I Love You Like An Alcoholic by The Taxypayers.
Editor’s Note: This article was first published on August 10, 2022 and last updated on May 28, 2023
