Released: 2022
“Skyline” by Khalid is a dreamlike narration of fleeting moments and youthful adventures. Through the prism of a car ride, the song delves into the theme of transient youth, freedom, and escapism. Khalid’s lyricism uses the allure of the urban skyline and the metaphorical concept of a car ride to symbolize the beauty, intensity, and impermanence of youthful experiences.
The song kicks off with “It’s a Wednesday night and we’re running out of time/Won’t you take my hand, hop into my skyline?”. This verse sets the stage for Khalid’s lyrical journey, tapping into the restless energy of youth. The day of the week implies a break from routine, while the notion of running out of time stirs the urgency to seize the moment. The invite to hop into his skyline isn’t just about a car ride, it’s an invitation to join him on this adventure through life, laden with uncertainties, thrills, and fleeting moments.
When Khalid mentions “It’s only just a rebuild, but I swear it feels real”, he dives deeper into the metaphor, proposing that his skyline isn’t just a physical car, but a symbol of his life’s journey. As a ‘rebuild’, it might not be flashy or brand new, but it’s genuine, it’s real, and it exemplifies his life experiences.
The chorus “All lights, all on you/City lights fall on you/Such a beautiful world” creates a visual spectacle, highlighting the beauty and luminance of the city night scene. With “We’re so high, I’m with you/Hypnotized, I’m with you/Such a beautiful world”, Khalid captures the dizzying, intoxicating feeling of youth, amplified by the company of a companion and the allure of the city. It’s an enchantment, both by the cityscape and the companionship he’s sharing it with.
“Feels like we’re on LSD, all day out, yeah” is perhaps the boldest lyric in the song. Here, Khalid draws a parallel between the hallucinatory effects of LSD and the surreal, dreamlike experiences of youth. It’s not necessarily a promotion of drug use, but rather a nod to the heightened sensations and altered perceptions often associated with our formative years. The repeated lines “It’s a Wednesday night and we’re running out of time/Won’t you take my hand, hop into my skyline?” underline the urgency and transience of the moment, making the listener feel both the thrill and the impermanence of youth.
“Leave it all in our rearview as we pass the finish line” further accentuates the notion of youth as a race against time. Khalid encourages us to leave our worries behind, to move forward, to embrace the rush of life. Again, his call to “Take my hand” at the end of the song isn’t just about physical touch—it’s a plea for companionship, for shared experiences, and the comfort of not journeying alone.
Overall, “Skyline” is Khalid’s lyrical journey through the cityscape of youth—bold, bright, intoxicating yet fleeting. It pushes us to remember that each moment is transient, urging us to capture it before it’s gone. It’s an anthem for living in the present, for appreciating the ride, as much as the destination. What a ride, Khalid.
