Djo’s “End of Beginning” is a synth-pop track about someone looking back at their life, remembering how their past shaped who they are. Djo is the stage name of Joe Keery, best known for playing Steve Harrington in Stranger Things. The song describes how he felt when success meant giving up a simpler time and leaving his old self behind.
Below is a section-by-section interpretation of the lyrics in “End of Beginning.”
- Song: End of Beginning
- Artist: Djo
- Songwriter: Joe Keery
- Released: 2024
- Album: Decide
- Genre: Synth-pop
“End of Beginning” Meaning: Line by Line
Verse 1: Saying Goodbye to Innocence
Just one more tear to cry, one teardrop from my eye
He’s run out of energy to keep mourning what’s behind him. That “one more tear” feels like the last bit of grief left to release.
He’s been through a lot of change, but he’s also aware that there’s still more to come. It’s like he’s saving the final drop of sadness for when life hits him even harder.
You better save it for
The middle of the night when things aren’t black and white
He’s saying that the hardest moments come when clarity fades. In the quiet of the night, when emotions blur and life isn’t simple anymore, he’ll need that last tear.
These lines are about maturity. He seems to be saying that he needs to stop seeing the world as purely good or bad and start living in the uncertainty between.
Enter, Troubadour
“Remember twenty-four?”
He calls himself a troubadour, a performer, hinting at his younger days as an artist just beginning to find his voice.
“Remember twenty-four?” probably refers to when he first broke into acting. He was 24 when he got his Stranger Things role.
It’s a nostalgic memory of early adulthood, when dreams felt huge but everything was still unknown.
Chorus: Leaving the Past Behind
And when I’m back in Chicago, I feel it
Another version of me, I was in it
Chicago represents his roots. It’s the place where he studied theater at DePaul and first started to perform.
Every time he returns, he feels the pull of that hungry, idealistic version of himself before success hit. It’s like meeting a ghost of who he used to be.
I wave goodbye to the end of beginning
He’s saying farewell to the early part of his life, that phase of discovering himself and chasing dreams.
It’s more of an acknowledgment that one chapter has truly closed than a sad goodbye.
Verse 2: Learning What It Means to Grow Up
This song has started now, and you’re just finding out
Now isn’t that a laugh?
The “song” is a metaphor for his life story or current phase. Even though this part of his life is already in motion, his true self and identity are just now becoming clear through his lived experiences.
He sees the irony in only now figuring out who he is after already being established.
A major sacrifice, but clueless at the time
This could be about his decision to dedicate himself fully to acting, unaware of the cost that would come with it.
Becoming a part of a huge TV series like Stranger Things required him to give up a lot of his privacy and earlier simplicity, a trade-off he didn’t fully realize or comprehend when he first took the job.
Enter, Caroline
“Just trust me, you’ll be fine”
Caroline is Joe Keery’s sister, and this line sounds like something she might have told him early on.
It’s a comforting voice from home, reminding him that even through uncertainty and sacrifice, he’ll come out okay. It’s a grounding moment amid all the change.
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Bridge: What Stays With You
You take the man out of the city, not the city out the man
This repeating line shows the significant impact his time in Chicago had on him.
Even though he no longer lives there, the lessons, experiences, and identity he built in that city remain a core part of who he is now.
“End of Beginning” Song Meaning: Growing Past What Used to Be
“End of Beginning” is primarily about Djo (aka Joe Keery) understanding that the period of just getting started is over. It’s a way for him to acknowledge the people and places, like his sister and Chicago, that shaped his development.
The track is also about seeing a past version of yourself and realizing how much you’ve changed. It’s a recognition that while that simpler time is gone, it was an essential step that led you to where you are.
Songs Like “End of Beginning”
Here are a few songs that explore similar themes of growth, nostalgia, and identity:
1. “Stop This Train” by John Mayer
“Stop This Train” is a rock song about the fear of getting older and wanting to pause time. It’s another track about realizing how quickly life moves once it truly begins.
Related: Best Songs About Time Passing
2. “Vienna” by Billy Joel
In “Vienna,” Billy Joel reminds listeners to slow down and not rush through life’s milestones. Both songs are about pacing yourself when everything feels like it’s speeding up.
Related: “Vienna” Song Meaning
3. “7 Years” by Lukas Graham
“7 Years” traces a man’s life from childhood dreams to adult realizations, showing how quickly time passes and how each stage shapes the next. It has that same mix of nostalgia and awareness found in “End of Beginning.”
4. “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” by Green Day
While this one has multiple interpretations, it can be seen as a song about looking back on personal change and the closing of life chapters with a mix of gratitude and sadness.
Related: “Good Riddance” Song Meaning
Conclusion: Remembering Where You Came From
“End of Beginning” is about that bittersweet feeling of looking back at your life and seeing how much has changed in such a short time. It’s a unique, personal take on the effects of fame and growing up from the perspective of a successful actor.
You can listen to “End of Beginning” on Spotify and Amazon.
Find “End of Beginning” and more great tracks on the Songs About Nostalgia list!
