Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: piano
Song Meaning of “Away When You Were Here” by Ben Folds Five
“Away When You Were Here” is a heartbreaking ballad of a man reflecting on the end of an intimate relationship. He loves this person very deeply, but they are sadly no longer in his life. The sadness of the situation is felt through the narrator’s monologue, as he laments not being able to spend time with them and experience the joys of their connection, even as he knows that they could never stay together. He can only move forward, even if that means being apart from the one he had come to care for. The narrator is lost in the grief and pain of losing something he had come to cherish, but also reflects that letting go is a part of life. He knows that being able to keep going without the person he cares for will ultimately lead to his own healing, but at the same time it is a hard truth to swallow.
The song specifically mentions Heartbreak, with the narrator wanting to be away from the pain and longing of the broken relationship. He reflects on how things have changed, with the person he grew to love now gone. Each verse focuses on one aspect of this concept, with a drifting melody that captures the melancholy and pain of a broken heart. The song shines through its somberness, conveying a heartache that many of us can understand.