Borrow Your Night (빌려온 밤) by 10cm: Lyrics and Meaning
"Borrow Your Night" (빌려온 밤), a song by the popular South Korean indie band 10cm, is a beautiful and relatable ballad about longing and unrequited love. The lyrics, written by the band's vocalist and songwriter Kwon Jung-yeol, are full of poignant imagery and heartfelt emotion.
Here's a breakdown of the lyrics and their meaning:
Verse 1:
너의 밤을 빌려 잠시 널 생각해 봐
I borrow your night and think about you for a while아침이 오기 전 잠깐
Just for a moment, before dawn arrives네 꿈속에 잠시 들어가 볼게
I’ll slip into your dreams for a moment혹시 날 꿈에라도 만나
If you meet me even in your dreams웃어줄 수 있을까
Could you smile at me?
The first verse sets the tone of the song. The speaker, longing for someone they can't be with, wishes to borrow their loved one's night to think about them and imagine being in their dreams. This desperate desire to be close to the object of their affection, even in a dream, highlights the pain of unrequited love.
Chorus:
빌려온 밤은 너무 짧아
The borrowed night is too short잠시 뿐인 너와의 시간
A fleeting moment of time with you아침이 오면 다시 멀어져
When morning comes, we’ll be apart again빌려온 밤은 너무 짧아
The borrowed night is too short
The chorus repeats the theme of the borrowed night, emphasizing the fleeting nature of their connection. The singer acknowledges the painful reality that their time together is limited and the distance between them will soon return.
Verse 2:
짙어진 어둠 속에서
In the deepening darkness너의 목소리를 듣는 듯해
I feel like I hear your voice꿈결 같은 밤
A dreamlike night나에게 너무나 소중해
You’re so precious to me
The second verse continues the longing and yearning for the person they love. The speaker imagines hearing their loved one's voice in the darkness, illustrating the power of their presence even in their absence. This verse emphasizes the importance of their connection and the preciousness of their time together, however short it may be.
Bridge:
네 곁을 떠나
I’ll leave your side다시 현실로 돌아가야 해
I must return to reality빌려온 밤이
The borrowed night이제 끝나가
Is now ending
The bridge marks the end of the borrowed night, highlighting the bittersweet nature of their connection. The speaker must return to reality, leaving behind the dream of being with their loved one.
Chorus:
빌려온 밤은 너무 짧아
The borrowed night is too short잠시 뿐인 너와의 시간
A fleeting moment of time with you아침이 오면 다시 멀어져
When morning comes, we’ll be apart again빌려온 밤은 너무 짧아
The borrowed night is too short
The final chorus echoes the sentiment of the song, leaving the listener with a sense of longing and sadness. The borrowed night, a precious moment of connection, is over, and the speaker is left to face the reality of their distance from the person they love.
Overall Meaning:
"Borrow Your Night" is a poignant and melancholic song about the pain of unrequited love and the fleeting nature of longing. The lyrics are full of longing and desire, highlighting the speaker's desperate need to be close to the person they love, even if only in their dreams. The song's title, "Borrow Your Night," perfectly encapsulates the theme of the song: a temporary, borrowed moment of connection that is soon over, leaving the speaker with a bittersweet ache. The song resonates with anyone who has ever experienced the heartache of unrequited love, leaving a lasting impression of sadness and longing.
