"Leaving" song and Analysis

You’re leaving off to college
I’m not gonna say that I don’t want you to go
You know I’m really going to miss you
Handle my emotions to stop my tears from flowing

You’re leaving off to college
Starting over again
Having a great time
You know we’re all gonna miss you
Especially that girl that you really thought you knew

And the way how you always knew everything
The only one who would make me say
I don’t feel the same without you
You’re so far away
I wish you could staayy
Staayyy

Well I’m just trying to tell you
In any kind of way
But I find it hard to say this,
When you’re so far awayyyy
Awaayy

Leaving everything behind
Eyes aren’t feeling so dry
We all love you so don’t you fear
But you know I’ll always be here



Analysis for “Leaving”


My oldest brother, Keola, is the inspiration for this song. This song is titled “Leaving” because this fall he is leaving for college. He is 18 years old and extremely wise for his young age. He has always been motivated to make a difference in the world and his positive attitude radiates towards everyone he meets.
Keola has always been my best friend, even since I was a young girl. He was always my role model because he was so well liked and very optimistic. The way he interacted with new people and instantly befriended them was amazing to me because I had always been a little shy and he forced me to break out of my shell and become outgoing.
The track I used for this song is called “seaside” by The Kooks. The flow of the song seemed right for the lyrics, and the lyrics in the original song slightly matched the mood I had written for my brother. This is one of my favorite songs and the lyrics are extremely relatable, especially after I have re-written it.
“You’re leaving off to college” is the first line in the song and it repeats itself because I feel it gets the message straight to the point. Mostly everyone shares this melancholy feeling when ones sibling is leaving for college. It is a depressing time in your life; I know the feeling because right now Keola is living it up with his friends for the last few months before he leaves for college. Which means he is spending less and less time with his own family, and it absolutely crushes me. The first stanza is simply stating how much I am going to miss my older brother when he leaves.
The next verse also starts off with “You’re leaving off to college”, but it gets more in detail. “Starting over again, having a great time” is basically saying that when he enters college life, he is starting a new chapter and he is going to have a great time. The last two lines in the verse state “You know we’re all gonna miss you, especially that girl you thought you knew.” Those lines explain how his girlfriend of five months is going to miss him more than anyone. His girlfriend is also a good friend of mine, and her and my brother are devastated with the fact that he’s leaving in the fall.
Following that, the next two stanzas basically just say how I don’t know how to tell him how badly it’s going to be without him this fall. I do have another brother who I love and care for, but Keola and I have become practically inseparable this year and it makes me sad how he has to leave so soon. Even though I know he’s going to be having a great time, I know he will miss the support of his family because he knows we will always be there.
This song is very special to me. Especially the ending, which is telling him that he won’t be replaced within the years he is gone.