Lord Huron’s “The Night We Met” was originally released in 2015, but it gained widespread recognition after being featured in 13 Reasons Why. It’s a folk rock song about the pain of remembering a love that’s gone and wishing to undo the past.
Below you’ll find a full interpretation of the lyrics in “The Night We Met.”
- Song: The Night We Met
- Artist: Lord Huron
- Songwriter: Ben Schneider
- Released: 2017
- Album: Strange Trails
- Genre: Folk rock
“The Night We Met” Meaning: Line by Line
Verse 1: Searching for a Way Back
I am not the only traveler
Who has not repaid his debt
These opening lines suggest someone feeling lost and burdened by something left unresolved.
“Traveler” could symbolize a person moving through life, carrying regrets.
The “debt” may represent mistakes or emotional wounds left unpaid.
I’ve been searching for a trail to follow again
Take me back to the night we met
There’s a deep desire to return to a moment in time. The person is lost, unsure of where to go, and believes that revisiting the past might provide clarity or a second chance.
And then I can tell myself
What the hell I’m supposed to do
This line highlights confusion. The past holds answers, but they aren’t clear yet.
There’s a belief that going back would provide guidance that the present can’t.
And then I can tell myself
Not to ride along with you
This line suggests regret over ever starting the relationship.
There’s a painful realization that things may have been better if the relationship had never begun.
Chorus: The Painful Shift from Everything to Nothing
I had all and then most of you
Some and now none of you
The chorus tracks the slow erosion of a relationship.
It starts with having “all” of someone, then losing pieces of them until there’s nothing left. Love has faded into complete absence.
Take me back to the night we met
The repetition highlights the main desire to return to a time before things fell apart.
I don’t know what I’m supposed to do
Haunted by the ghost of you
The person is stuck, unable to move forward.
The word “ghost” reinforces the idea that memories linger, making it impossible to fully let go.
The past is still very much alive in their mind.
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Verse 2: A Night of Fear and Tears
When the night was full of terrors
And your eyes were filled with tears
This moment seems to reference a significant night, possibly when things first started to unravel.
Fear and sadness were present, suggesting that even the beginning of the relationship wasn’t entirely happy.
When you had not touched me yet
Oh, take me back to the night we met
This line shifts the perspective. There’s a longing for the time before intimacy, before things got complicated.
The wish isn’t just to relive a good moment. It’s to erase everything that followed.
“The Night We Met” Song Meaning: The Weight of Regret
“The Night We Met” is about wishing for a do-over. The song captures the painful feeling of looking back on a relationship and wondering if it was ever worth it.
There’s a deep conflict. On one hand, the love was real, but on the other, it led to pain that now feels unbearable.
The lyrics also touch on how memories linger, almost like ghosts. Even when a relationship ends, the emotions don’t simply disappear. This song is about that feeling where no matter how much time passes, the past still holds power.
Songs Like “The Night We Met”
If you’re a fan of “The Night We Met,” here are some songs with similar themes:
1. “Cherry Wine” by Hozier
“Cherry Wine” deals with the painful cycle of abuse inside a relationship, showing how love can be twisted into something harmful. Its light sound contrasts with the dark reality in the lyrics, making the message hit even harder.
Related: “Cherry Wine” Song Meaning
2. “Ophelia” by The Lumineers
“Ophelia” captures the feeling of losing someone you once had. The song’s bittersweet tone and themes are a perfect match for fans of “The Night We Met.”
3. “To Build a Home” by The Cinematic Orchestra
“To Build a Home” tells a story of love, loss, and the passing of time. Its slow, emotional buildup matches the feel of “The Night We Met.”
Related: “To Build a Home” Song Meaning
4. “Holocene” by Bon Iver
“Holocene” is a song about looking back and realizing how small we are in the grand scheme of things. The blend of nostalgia and sadness makes it a great companion to Lord Huron’s hit.
Conclusion: A Love That Should Have Never Been?
“The Night We Met” captures the feeling of wanting to undo the past. It’s not just one of the better songs about missing someone. It’s about regretting ever starting the relationship in the first place. The lyrics suggest that love, once lost, doesn’t just fade; it lingers like a ghost.
This song resonates because it speaks to a universal experience of holding onto memories, wishing things had gone differently, and struggling to let go.
You can listen to “The Night We Met” on Spotify and Amazon.
Be sure to check out more 2010s Song Meanings!
