Question

Updated on 16 Jan 2024

22 Mar 2023

Japanese

English (US)

Question about English (US)

watch?v=3ed7isLJdA8

✴︎the song title and name of the singer song writer：Girl With A Gun,Leslie Clio

↑Please try searching on YouTube⏯️

Answers

Gilgland

22 Mar 2023

Featured answer

English (US)

Sorry in advance if this is too long!

When I look at the other lyrics to this song, I think "I've been gone for a long time" probably means she either hasn't been her normal self for a long time or that she hasn't really been living her life with a sense of purpose about the dreams she wanted to accomplish or the direction she wants to go in. That probably means she hasn't been enjoying any exciting or new experiences either.

This is what I would think the first part of the song means"

I've been lost for a long time- She has forgotten what she wants to do and what kind of person she wants to be.

I've been gone for a long time- Like I said before, she hasn't been herself.

Stayed sick for a long time- This is probably something to do with some emotional or mental trouble, maybe depression.

Then I prayed for a long time -She really thought about where she wanted to go and what she wanted to do with her life

Just stood in the wrong line -She made some mistakes

So sick of the tough times -She was tired of not feeling like she had a sense of purpose and tired of feeling bad

I had to decide to Sail on, Sail on -She had to make the decision to pull herself out of that bad emotional place and start living her life fully again.

That's just how I understood it but this is from an interview with her about the song and what it means to her:
" For me, “Girl With A Gun” encapsulates everything I’ve learned over the last few years and that’s ultimately why I started my own label and named my album “Brave New Woman”. It’s about sticking to yourself and trusting yourself (“stick to your guns”). Always have the courage to let go of everything that isn’t good for you. Going your own way, making mistakes, but not letting anything stop you. Do your thing and stay true to yourself! “No one’s gonna tell you how to move on – except the girl with a gun”."

Highly-rated answerer

Was this answer helpful?

Share this question

Copy URL

beantalks

22 Mar 2023

English (US)

She is saying that she was figuratively gone or lost to herself. Now she is coming back to herself.

Highly-rated answerer

Was this answer helpful?

ILOVECarlyRaeJepsen

22 Mar 2023

Japanese

I see! thank you!
so,Does it have the meaning of ①?

ILOVECarlyRaeJepsen

22 Mar 2023

Japanese

（Of course, figuratively）

beantalks

22 Mar 2023

English (US)

@IreallylikeCRJ1121 Yes, it is close to #1! She has been away or not here for a long time.

Highly-rated answerer

Was this answer helpful?

ILOVECarlyRaeJepsen

22 Mar 2023

Japanese

thank you so much!
She is not very famous in Japan, so I was in trouble because there was no Japanese translation.

ILOVECarlyRaeJepsen

22 Mar 2023

Japanese

Thank you for telling me in detail.🤗

ILOVECarlyRaeJepsen

22 Mar 2023

Japanese

Gilgland

22 Mar 2023

English (US)

Sorry in advance if this is too long!

When I look at the other lyrics to this song, I think "I've been gone for a long time" probably means she either hasn't been her normal self for a long time or that she hasn't really been living her life with a sense of purpose about the dreams she wanted to accomplish or the direction she wants to go in. That probably means she hasn't been enjoying any exciting or new experiences either.

This is what I would think the first part of the song means"

I've been lost for a long time- She has forgotten what she wants to do and what kind of person she wants to be.

I've been gone for a long time- Like I said before, she hasn't been herself.

Stayed sick for a long time- This is probably something to do with some emotional or mental trouble, maybe depression.

Then I prayed for a long time -She really thought about where she wanted to go and what she wanted to do with her life

Just stood in the wrong line -She made some mistakes

So sick of the tough times -She was tired of not feeling like she had a sense of purpose and tired of feeling bad

I had to decide to Sail on, Sail on -She had to make the decision to pull herself out of that bad emotional place and start living her life fully again.

That's just how I understood it but this is from an interview with her about the song and what it means to her:
" For me, “Girl With A Gun” encapsulates everything I’ve learned over the last few years and that’s ultimately why I started my own label and named my album “Brave New Woman”. It’s about sticking to yourself and trusting yourself (“stick to your guns”). Always have the courage to let go of everything that isn’t good for you. Going your own way, making mistakes, but not letting anything stop you. Do your thing and stay true to yourself! “No one’s gonna tell you how to move on – except the girl with a gun”."

Highly-rated answerer

Was this answer helpful?

ILOVECarlyRaeJepsen

22 Mar 2023

Japanese

Thank you for teaching me in detail!!!
I didn't know there was an interview about her about this song.
She is not very famous in Japan, so I was in trouble because there was no Japanese translation.
I love Western music, but I'm a Japanese-speaking person, so it's difficult to understand the songs. But,thanks to your explanation, I understood.
Thank you very much.

ILOVECarlyRaeJepsen

22 Mar 2023

Japanese

Gilgland

22 Mar 2023

English (US)

@IreallylikeCRJ1121 Songs and poetry are hard because a lot of times they aren't very direct with what they mean. In fact, a lot of artists write songs but refuse to tell anyone what the song is about so that people can relate to it in whatever way they feel. That way you may hear a sad song and feel like it's about a loved one dying but I may hear the same song and think about a breakup with someone in a romantic relationship and neither of us is really wrong.

I think that's what makes art (music and poetry included) so beautiful but, as a language learner, it makes it hard sometimes because you have to translate the actual words and then figure out what the artist really meant.

I love music (I actually used to sing and play bass guitar in a band back in the states) so if you ever have any other questions about songs, I'll follow you so I can see them and help if I can.

Highly-rated answerer

Was this answer helpful?

ILOVECarlyRaeJepsen

22 Mar 2023

Japanese

Thank you so much!
I translated a lot of Western music into Japanese in my own way, so I felt like I understood poems and songs, but ... I have to study more!
You are very reassuring to me. I’m counting on you!!

Gilgland

22 Mar 2023

English (US)

Glad to help any time!

Don't ever feel bad for not understanding song meanings. There are songs that I have known for years and then found out they had a secret meaning that I didn't understand. A lot of music artists purposely make a song that is supposed to sound like one thing but it means something very different.

One example a few years ago that got a lot of attention on the news was an artist called The Weeknd (yes he calls himself 週末) had a song that became very popular, especially with young teenagers. There is an awards show called The Teen Choice Awards that awards popular songs and artists that are family-friendly (meaning the songs don't have any bad language and they don't talk about any activities that would be inappropriate for teens to do like drugs or bedroom stuff).

So in 2018 The Weeknd had a song called I Can't Feel My Face that most people thought was about a relationship that wasn't healthy but they loved each other so they stayed together. He won multiple awards at the Teen Choice Awards and even performed live at the award show. A few weeks after the show he was doing an interview and basically said he was really surprised that he was invited to a kid's award show for that song because the song was about his relationship with the drug cocaine. The reason it was called "I Can't Feel My Face" is because people feel numb when they use that drug.

Apparently no one, including the people that were in charge of the award show, figured out what the song really meant until he mentioned it. There were a lot of people upset about it but they couldn't do anything because the show had been on TV weeks before he talked about it. If you listen to the song though it really does sound like he's talking about a girlfriend so I can't blame the award show for not realizing it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KEI4qSrkPAs

Highly-rated answerer

Was this answer helpful?

ILOVECarlyRaeJepsen

23 Mar 2023

Japanese

@Gilgland

I thought it was a very interesting event.I was surprised!:O I thought it's depends on listeners that reception of songs. Still, I didn't know that reception of songs could be so different!
Also, thanks for following me:D