Finger Eleven: One Thing Meaning
Song Released: 2003
One Thing Lyrics
Cause I wasted the light
Between both these times
I drew a really thin line
It’s nothing I planned
And not that I can
But you should be mine
Across that line
[Chorus:]
If I traded it all
If I gave it all away for one...
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1TOP RATED
#1 top rated interpretation:Ok, I'm weighing in on this.
I think that this song IS about something desired and longed for, something he knows he shouldn't have. Something he knows he should turn away from, but everything tells him that he can't just walk away. It stays on his mind, his heart. I believe it's attributed to a forbidden love. If you pay attention to the lyrics AND the song at the same time, I think the music sounds as if it builds up, in intensity. It's almost sad, mourningful... yet full of suspense and urgency.
Restless tonight (I can't sleep)
Cause I wasted the light (I thought about her all day)
Between both these times (and in my thinking)
I drew a really thin line (I made flimsy boundaries)
It's nothing I planned (Didn't plan on that or the love)
And not that I can (Wouldn't have been appropriate)
But you should be mine (I want her despite the obstacles)
Across that line (Can't I just forget boundaries?)
[Chorus:]
If I traded it all (My whole life would change)
If I gave it all away for one thing (Could I live with it)
Just for one thing (Losing everything for ONE gain)
If I sorted it out (If I figured out a way)
If I knew all about this one thing (If I could ONLY have her)
Wouldn't that be something (How wonderful it would be)
I promise I might (Most times I can hold my feelings in)
Not walk on by (And these feelings scare me)
Maybe next time (Maybe I could be strong later)
But not this time (But for now, I can't fight it anymore)
Even though I know (I know full well what's at risk)
I don't want to know (I want to forget and ignore that)
Yeah I guess I know (I know I must give it all away)
I just hate how it sounds (Please don't hold it against me)
This is what I see, what I picture. I can literally make my own video showing this personal conflict within himself. At first, thinking about how much this has affected his thoughts all day, and now he can't sleep because of it. The boundaries made, but they could be so easily dismissed. And how amazing it would be... Sure, I'd have to lose everything else, but it very well could be worth it. And if it WERE worth it, it would be the most amazing thing ever. Then, after thinking about it and weighing the situation, he can't fight it anymore. He knows what he has to do, he knows it looks so bad on him, looks so dishonorable... but he can't help it anymore. The music changes support this, in my opinion. Starting out soft and slow, as he's at his wits end, not knowing what to do. Frustration building up at the first chorus... Thinking (BUT... what IFFFF!) then slowing again, (I've been fighting so hard, but I can't anymore). Becoming slightly more intense at the second chorus, repeating the words, as if running through his thoughts that way. Slow again, with the sad thought of what must be done. Slower still for second repeat (I have to do this, and it will hurt someone else, I'm sorry but...) Way more intense at the third chorus.... He's given in, he's going for it despite the losses, there will be SUCH a gain, and he can't give that up. (YES! I MUST realize this dream!!)
Okay, so I know this song is NOT new, and even the post isn't, but the most recent post was only a few months ago and this song drives me crazy lol. I am experiencing this right now. This song pulls at my heart, and I know I am feeling just what I have explained, this song speaks to me as if it understands. I haven't given in, but I can imagine how it would be if I did, and it seems so wonderful. So amazing. So, when you listen to this song, think of it with my explanation. FEEL it, don't just listen, and I think you'll agree. Thanks, and sorry for the long explanation, but I'm good at OVER-analyzing things. Haha -
2TOP RATED
#2 top rated interpretation:I know this song probably has a specific meaning behind it but if you think about it, the lyrics can apply to almost anything.
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3TOP RATED
#3 top rated interpretation:Restless tonight ( - when dreams and desires fill your head)
Cause I wasted the light (he didn't use his days to do anything about them)
Between both these times
I drew a really thin line (the line between thinking about something and doing it. It's thin because he's really close to trying it.)
It’s nothing I planned
And not that I can
But you should be mine
Across that line (he is dying to be with a woman that he can't have.)
If I traded it all
If I gave it all away for one thing
Just for one thing (he is already committed, maybe has a wife and kids. It would cost him everything to be with her, his family, his friends, his honor.)
If I sorted it out
If I knew all about this one thing
Wouldn’t that be something ( - to have the courage to sacrifice everything just to try it. It would change his whole life forever.)
I promise I might
Not walk on by
Maybe next time
But not this time (in spite of what it will cost him, he is really close to doing it.)
Even though I know
I don’t want to know
Yeah I guess I know
I just hate how it sounds (he knows he has to betray someone who loves him. He knows what it will do to her. It is tormenting him.) -
I know it fits me too well. 17-18 drugs and alcohol, girl i loved. we got were getting clean, she decided she still wanted to party. I turned and left. kicked myself since, should have stayed and helped her. so the "light" was love for her, thin line line that destroyed it was to stay clean or not. second part of song was when i too (now heart broke) walked past the door for the AA meeting and on to the bar. always hoping planning to do better, and find her again. This was back in 80-82. Found out she died in 2000. and I'm clean. And still miss here. -
I think this song is about laundry. He wants to wear his one favorite shirt tonight, but its in the dirty pile of laundry. And he wasted all day not getting his laundry done, and now he cant wear his favorite shirt. He needs to sort out the dirty piles into whites and colors. He doesnt know how much detergent to put in, or what temperature to wash, etc... He needs to learn. He promises to get the dirty pile of laundry done tomorrow. He hates how the buttons on his jeans clang and make a racket in the dryer. He wants to trade it all and give all that dirty laundry away just for that one shirt, clean. He could wear that clean shirt then.
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I believe it is about a guy who has just been floating aimlessly through life never committing to ONE THING and doing it well and being fulfilled by it. So if he finds just ONE THING that makes him happy and puts his ALL into it then he wonders if that is the key to living a successful and fulfilled life and if he finds this ONE THING he believes in it wholly would it be worth giving up all he has. He feels that if he makes this decision to follow his dream then his partner should be on his side. He knows that if he devoted himself to a cause or dream of his he may sound like a fanatic but he wonders if it is worth the possible ridicule.
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For me the song was about addiction if gave it all away for one thing. Because when you are an addict you do give everything away for it you trade everything your whole life changes . Even though I know I don't want to know yeah I guess I know I just hate how it sounds. You hate being addicted to something but you can't stop you know it's wrong that's how I interpreted it.. thank God I'm not addicted anymore and now I know!
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If I could trade it all I would do to see my mother one last time! The line i would cross would be the thin line of what I would give up to make it happen and the consequences of that decision of wanting something so bad that you would do almost anything to make it happen.
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The man had to end a relationship because he couldn't bear children(found out without her knowing. He gave his one love away so she could have a family. he drew a really thin line between both those times.(pregnancy test)he might not just walk on by if he gathers the courage to face his past love now with child/children. wants to know shes happy but,hates how that sounds. its nothing he planned not that he can. Whether,or not the relationship/love was "planned" it was pursued there by eliminating the not that i can because he could have planned to fall in love. he couldnt plan fate.
just a thought. -
What I thought I read when the song came out what his introduction to Higher Being that wants him to give up his old life and be a part of a Bigger Plan.
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For me this song is about the tangled struggle with addiction.
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Okay, I had this song playing on my phone when I overheard my (now passed on) teacher (let's call him Mr. Anon) tell another teacher that "I have cancer... How do I tell the students? I want to keep teaching" My heart literally dropped to my feet. I HATED anon but I just felt so bad. His youngest is in my grade. I thought about him just giving up EVERYTHING to have treatments and still teach (from the hospital on Skype.) He later died in a car accident on the way home from a chemo treatment
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The beauty of this song is that the lyrics are so vague that it opens itself up this song to all sorts of interpretation. While I appreciate all of the heteronormative interpretations here, the song could also be about the writer questioning his own sexuality, especially the "I just hate how it sounds" lyric. Honestly, it's a generic song about an internal struggle of crossing a line--and we, as listeners, can interpret for ourselves what that line represents. To my mind, that's what makes this song so appealing to so many people.
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One thing = unconditional love
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well wow....in being in a long secret relationship i had to cut it off.....so i did and his last tx was to me..."when you get a chance hear this song "one thing", he said this is how i feel about you. so I did and im like okkkkkk so of course i googled it.and omg totally makes sense ugh so depressing.
so the situation we were in was that YES he was married with kids.But he couldnt let go because first of all his kids were at ages of 2,9,and,12 his kids are his life yes he wanted me but yet couldnt make a decision but this song really sums it up and definetly can relate with. like alot of the bloggers said "sucks to be that girl"!!!! -
This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
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I have 2 versions.
#1- having to sacrifice an unhealthy relationship for your sanity
#2- realizing theres something life has dealt u that ud rather not have to deal with but do (in my case, alcoholism) - hence, '' Even though I know I don’t wanna know Yeah I guess I know I just hate how it sounds ” -
Heroin / Opiate Addiction. If you have been through, it is obvious.
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