Welcome to the third article in our series, “K-Pop Lyrics Explained”, where we take a look at the lyrics to some of your favorite songs. Previously, we explained WonHo’s ‘Blue’ and Coldplay’s ‘My Universe’ featuring BTS. Today, we are explaining WEi’s ‘Starry Night’.
Recently, WEi released the song “Starry Night’, produced by wear in collaboration with the Universe platform. The promotional single received a huge positive response from fans and non-fans alike for its unique composition, interesting instrumentals and the overall strong impression the song left. The quality of the production added to the dreamy quality of the music. The vocals in particular are incredibly smooth, which makes this song the perfect ear candy.
If you’re wondering what the song actually means, read on for our explanation!
‘Starry Night’ is a promotional single by Universe. It’s clear in the song that a lot of effort was put into writing the song’s lyrics and justifying the great title, an obvious allusion to van goghfamous painting of “The Starry Night”. Several references are made in the song to painting itself and its various techniques, relating it to reality.
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“In a sleeping town, we’re the only ones awake/Maybe tonight/This skyline is rippled, I’m wandering/Trying to find the starlight”
The first lines immediately transport us to the world created by Van Gogh. The undulating brushstrokes, an iconic painting signature, and the city sleeping under the starry sky are invoked from the outset.
“Where I go is not important / Another night is passing by / Tomorrow and the day after tomorrow / We’ll keep drawing, oh yes we”
There’s a fantastical quality to a night when the lines between real and daydream are blurred. It feels like one is sucked into an adventure, just like Alice in Wonderland. Clearly, then, the destination is not as important as the journey itself. One can advance in life without predestination, but by creating or tracing one’s own destiny. You are the brush that draws your destiny.
“Starry night, fluttering heart / My watercolor spreads on the canvas / I can’t sleep and I draw the night / In this starry starry night”
This is the most direct reference possible to the painting. The painting was a “night study” brought to life on paper, and WEi expresses a similar sentiment.
“I’m avoiding the eyes on me / The secret moves behind the shadows / The magic at my fingertips / I’m facing the distant hidden moonlight / Oh, I’m trying to paint it / Making it touch the sky / I want to show you darling”
Ignoring criticism, hate, malice and doubts, WEi moves forward, creating magic with his music. Creating such art would be impossible if they gave in to the negativity of the outside world. Instead, the only person they are focusing on, the only person they want to show their world to, is RUi.
“I wandered and wandered and finally found, all my life / Now I know, without you, I’m so blind / Yes, I’ll be your starlight / I’ll shine bright in your night / Adding colors to my night, let’s draw it it tonight”
Finally, the song closes with the statement that when WEi and RUi are together, they will both blossom and shine like diamonds in the sky.
What did you think of ‘Starry Night’? Share your thoughts with Kpopmap in the comments section below!
