In The Dark

Song Meaning

The lyrics paint a picture of someone feeling lost and overwhelmed, like wandering through fog or watching the lights go out. The opening lines, "Trick Talk" and "Tic Tok," set a tone of deceptive or confusing messages and the relentless march of time, creating a sense of unease. It feels like a moment of crisis, where the narrator acknowledges that things might be worse than they appear, urging themselves not to be swayed by outward appearances or the feeling of being too late. The central tension arises from the experience of being pulled into darkness, described as a "dark room" and a "pitch-black place." This isn't necessarily a negative event, though. The lyrics suggest that this descent into the dark is a necessary prelude to emergence, a place from which one will "shine." The repeated phrase "It's alright now" acts as a mantra, a reassurance that even in this state of being "in the dark," there's a path to rediscovering a lost self. A striking element is the contrast between the external "cold wind" and "trash talk" and the internal process of finding oneself. The lyrics advise to "just try not to be shaken" and to "find the forgotten heart." The recurring "Tic Tok" sound, initially associated with fading light, later seems to represent the steady rhythm of breathing and finding inner peace, especially in the bridge where the narrator is told to "slowly exhale what you inhaled." This suggests that the darkness is a space for introspection, not despair. Ultimately, the effectiveness of these lyrics lies in their gentle reframing of a difficult experience. The "night" that "comes and takes you" isn't an enemy but a catalyst. By presenting the dark as a place of potential and transformation, where one can "shine" and "find yourself," the song offers a comforting perspective on moments of isolation or confusion, suggesting that these periods are crucial for eventual brightness.