Song Details
- Album Release Date: 2012
- Genre: folk
Song Meaning of “Circles” by Passenger
‘Circles’ by Passenger is a song about the cyclical nature of life- how many of our experiences are similar to those that have come before and how despite all of our strive for change, many aspects of our lives seem to carry on in similar courses.
The lyric describes how every generation is used to making the same mistakes as the previous one, never truly learning from the past. The narrator assumes a feeling of impending and inevitable sadness as he reflects on the ‘circles’ we all seem to ‘run in’, and the dreams that seem to never quite be reached.
The chorus is a plea for each of us to break away from these circles, in hopes that the narrator’s generation can achieve something more meaningful. The singer is seemingly brokenhearted, held back by the weight of history, and haunted by a sense of déjà vu.
The chorus suggests that the only way to break the cycle is to take a chance and break away, despite potential risks. Even if it doesn’t pan out, it was worth the effort if something different is achieved. He speaks to us all, inviting us to join him on his journey.
The song ends optimistically, laying out the possibility of our lives taking a journey we hadn’t expected, one that may not end as joyfully as we had thought, but perhaps also one that is ultimately more fulfilling. The chorus fades out on ‘And I’ll take a chance, and I’ll take a chance so I don’t run in circles anymore’, exemplifying the power that each of us has to break the cycle and create a different life than what previous generations limiting expectations have laid out for us.