Lights is the debut studio album by singer Ellie Goulding that was released on February 26, 2010, through Polydor Records. The album spawned different genres like folk-pop and synth-pop along with dance-pop music.
On the Google Play version of Lights, the title track serves as the opening song for the album. It's a synth-pop song that talks about not being able to sleep with the lights off. Goulding on the beginning sings, "I had a way then/ Losing it on all my own/ I had a heart then/ But the queen has been overthrown/ And I'm not sleeping now/ The dark is too hard to beat/ And I'm not keeping up/ The strength I need to push me". Then on the chorus, she says, "You show the lights that stop me turn to stone/ You shine them when I'm alone/ So I tell myself that I'll be strong/ And dreaming when they're gone/ Cause they're calling, calling, calling me home/ Calling, calling, calling home/ You show the lights that stop me turn to stone/ You shine them when I'm alone".
Guns and Horses is a pop song that tells the story of an online romance with a guy that doesn't go as planned with the lyrics, "Let's type words/ Because they amount to nothing/Play it down/ Pretend you can't take what you've found/ But you found me/ On a screen, you sit at permanently", then continues on the chorus with, "But I wish I could feel it all for you/ I wish I could be it all for you/ If I could erase the pain/ Then maybe you'd feel the same/ I'd do it all for you, I would".
Starry Eyed is about letting go of the past. Goulding sings, "Handlebars that I let go, let go for anyone/ Take me in and I'll throw out my heart and get a new one/ Next thing, we're touching/ You look at me, it's like you hit me with lightning", and then moves on to the chorus with, "Oh, everybody's starry-eyed/ Oh, everybody's starry-eyed/ And everybody glows/ Oh, everybody's starry-eyed/ And my body goes".
This Love (Will Be Your Downfall) is lyrically about Ellie and her lover playing with each other's emotions while they're in a relationship as she sings, "Who are we to be emotional?/ Who are we to play with hearts and throw it all away?/ Who are we to turn each other's head?/ Who are we to find ourselves in other people's bed?", then continues on the chorus with, "This love is be and end all/ This love will be your downfall/ This love is be and end all/ This love will be your downfall".
Under The Sheets is about a guy and a girl being in a very dark relationship that is only based on being physical. On the hook, Ellie says, Like all the boys before/ Like all the boys, boys, boys, boys", then sings on the chorus with, "We're under the sheets and you're killing me/ In our house made of paper, your words all over me/ We're under the sheets and you're killing me".
The Writer talks about how you'd do anything to change absolutely everything about yourself just to be noticed by that one person. On the chorus, Elle sings the lyrics, "But I've got a plan/ Why don't you be the artist and make me out of clay? Why don't you be the writer and decide the words I say?/Because I'd rather pretend, I'll still be there at the end/ Only it's too hard to ask, won't you try to help me?"
Animal captures the idea of falling in love with someone repeatedly shows how deeply you care for them. You're more less having an obsession for the person that you love like an "animal". The chorus suggest otherwise with the lyrics, "You have stolen all my senses/ There's a fever in my heart/ And you're taking my defenses/ You are pulling me apart/ Forever we're young and we are dying/And we will be spilling all our blood/ So I will take away my feelings/ I will be an animal/ An animal/ An animal".
Every Time You Go is where Ellie begins to miss her lover and starts reminiscing about the memories that they shared together with her singing in the intro, "Every time you go/ Every time you go", and goes on to the next verse with, "It starts with a picture/ And it sits in your frame/ And we part with a letter/ And it ends in my name/ And it starts with forever/ And it ends with a touch/ And I know that you're clever/ And I don't ask for much/Maybe we forgot all the things we are when we are together".
Your Biggest Mistake is a very personal track for Ellie that talks about her father and how he left the family when she was 5 years old. The song is a message to dad and the question about him leaving his family. She opens up on the beginning with, "Take cover/ Signs don't show/ You drove me off the road/But you let go/Because your hope is gone/ And every question fades away", then Goulding goes to the post-chorus with the lyrics, "You know this is your biggest mistake/ What a waste, what a waste, what a waste/ And all of the things you never explained/ You know this is you biggest mistake".
Salt Skin is the only pop song that really involves her finding love. On the first verse, she sings, "You're as bright as the sun and as calm as the moon/ I don't know when you'll break, but it's going to be soon/ If my will caves in, I'll be in the same boat with you", and then continues with, "I've got the salt skin, running where he is/ Never going to give in, even with the strength/ He's stealing salt skin/ Telling me I'm winning wars they created/ Just to understand... "the meaning of".
Your Song is the last track on Lights. It's also a cover version of Elton John's hit song of the same name. She begins with, "It's a little bit funny/ This feeling inside/ I'm not one of those who can easily hide/ I don't have much money/ But boy if I did/ I'd buy a house where/ We both could live/ So excuse me forgetting/ But these things I do/ See I've forgotten if/ They're green or they're blue/ Anyway the thing is/ What I really mean/ Yours are the sweetest eyes I've ever seen", then continues on the chorus with, " And you could tell everybody/This is your song/It may be quite simple but/ Now that it's done/ I hope you don't mind, I hope you don't mind/ That I put down in words/ How wonderful life is now you're in the world".
This was the first time that I have ever listened to an Ellie Goulding album. After listening to Lights from beginning to end, I loved it. I liked the production of the album, the songs, lyrics and all of the instruments that fit perfectly for some of the tracks. I would give Lights 10/10 because this album is just so original to me.
Make sure that you purchase Lights from Google Play, Amazon Music, Spotify & ITunes:
https://play.google.com/store/music/album/Ellie_Goulding_Lights?id=Bte4ddcqpsvqsvdztsswrps6dmy&hl=en
You can also purchase the re-released issues of Lights titled Bright Lights on any of these same platforms below:
