This song is about Pluto, a massive body in our solar system which fell into hard times. Discovered in 1930, Pluto was initially classified as the 9th planet of our solar system but later on got reclassified as 134340, a dwarf planet. Pluto or 134340, here in this song is used as a metaphor for alienation of an individual from the community.
Listen to the song here
If only I could, I wanted to ask you
Why did you do that back then? Why did you kick me out?
The International Astronomical Union (IAU) stripped Pluto of its planet status as it did not meet one of the criteria that were used to define a full-sized planet.
This can be interpreted as a situation where the speaker is asking their significant other on why they decided to break off things.
Without a name to myself, I still revolve around you
Our goodbye is colorless, that unchanging color
Pluto did not have its name anymore and was labelled with a mere number. Even though Pluto does not have a name anymore, it is still revolving around the sun.
In this song, the speaker refers to themselves as the Pluto and the sun is their lover or someone who is very important to them but has left them. Even though their significant other had decided to end things, the speaker feels that their life still revolves around that person.
There’s no name allowed for me
I, too, used to be your star
You must feel nice to be the light
All I did was to receive you
Pluto received light from the sun and hence the sun is very important to Pluto.
Star symbolizes something eternal which has always been constantly present. The speaker once used to be someone that was important to the person who had left them. Light can signify life, energy, warmth and comfort. The speaker had received all these from their loved one who is gone now.
What meaning is left of the fallen planet’s remaining life
I’ll receive it til I die, your stifling stare
I still orbit you, and nothing’s changed
If love has no name, everything has changed
Pluto is embarrassed for its loss in status and dignity. Regardless of all the incidents that had occurred, Pluto would still continue to revolve around the sun.
Could it be really that you’ve found Eris
Tell me, how am I not as good as that moon
Eris is dwarf planet discovered that was discovered in 2005 and its was upon its discovery that led to the demotion of Pluto. Eris was named after the Greek goddess, Eris who is a goddess of discord.
The speaker thinks that their significant other has found someone else and is questioning how are they not as good as that someone else.
Us is the plural form of U
Maybe I wasn’t there from the start
The speaker had always selflessly put their lover above themselves. Even though they might not been there for them since the beginning, they have dedicated so much for them after they were together.
Someday, you’ll also understand my words
My seasons were always you
My cold heart is 248 degrees below zero
It stopped the day you erased me
Damn
Minus 248 degrees is the coldest temperature of Pluto. It refers to how extremely hurt the speaker was when they were abandoned.
The speaker feels that some day their loved one will understand how much they mean to them. They have dedicated everything to their lover and their feelings became numb the day their lover left them.
I’m just orbiting you
(I missed you, I lost you)
I’m just going in circles
(You erased me, you forgot me)
However, in spite of all the heartbreak , the speaker still misses their lover and their world still revolves around them.
I once belonged in a world under the sun
(The song paused, the song stopped)
A smoky layer of mist in the heart of the stars
(You erased me, you forgot me)
The speaker reminisces the time when them and their lover were together.
It’s not much different from yesterday ay
Same old days, except you’re not here
We were together just up until yesterday ay
But it’s to the point where it’s scary, same days but no you
Everything is still the same but their lover is not with them. But it is so different because their lover is not with them.
I’ll be honest, even up until one year without you
I was fine, I didn’t have any feelings left
The last day I had forgotten
I don’t even remember your scent
But wait, I’ve smelled this perfume somewhere, ay
Just when my memory was about to come back
I turned my head around and saw you
You’re smiling brightly, but beside you there’s
Finally, as time passed, Pluto or the speaker thought that they were doing better and has forgotten about their sun. But, suddenly they come across their sun and all of their repressed feelings comes back flooding. Their lover however, has moved on to someone else.
Ah (Hello?) Hello
How are you? I’m doing okay
Unlike my heart, that feels like it’ll explode
The temperature right now is -248 degrees
The speaker interacts with their lover, tell them they are doing fine. On the contrary, they are feeling deep inside and it hurts the same as the day when they were left behind.
I’m just going in circles
(I’m just a hard number to remember
And the Pluto of darkness
But I’ll continue to orbit around you forever, damn)
Pluto is just a number now and not everyone even knows or remembers that number. Since, Pluto is very far from the sun, it is also very dark over there.
Similarly, the speaker feels that their lover has forgotten about them. Even though they are very distant from their love they would still hold on them.
Note: I have referred to Pluto as the main protagonist or the speaker and the sun as their lover but it does not necessarily has to be a lover. It can be someone or something that the protagonist holds very dear to them but has been abandoned by them.
Song lyrics English translation from Genie Translations
134340 is a song from BTS’ Love Yourself: Tear album and you can listen to the songs here:
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