“Brighter” was written about Hayley William’s friend Lanie Kealhofer, who fell overboard in a boating accident in Mississippi when she was sixteen. The liner notes of All We Know is Falling include:
In memory of Lanie Kealhofer – You shine brighter than anyone – 11.24.88 / 5.22.05
[Verse 1]
So this is how it goes
Well, I, I would have never known
And if it ends today
Well, I'll still say that you shine brighter than anyone
[Chorus]
Now I think we're taking this too far
Don't you know that
It's not this hard?
Well, it's not this hard
But if you take what's yours and I take mine
Must we go there?
Please, not this time
No, not this time
[Verse 2]
Well, this is not your fault
But if I'm without you, then I will feel so small
And if you have to go
Well, always know that you shine brighter than anyone does
[Chorus]
Now I think we're taking this too far
Don't you know that
It's not this hard?
Well, it's not this hard
But if you take what's yours and I take mine
Must we go there?
Please, not this time
No, not this time
[Bridge]
If you run away now
Will you come back around?
[Verse 3]
And if you ran away
I'd still wave goodbye, watching you shine bright
[Chorus]
Now I think we're taking this too far
Don't you know that
It's not this hard?
Well, it's not this hard
But if you take what's yours and I take mine
Must we go there?
Please, not this time
No, not this time
[Outro]
And I'll wave goodbye (You shine bright)
Watching you shine bright (You shine bright)
And I'll wave goodbye (You shine bright)
Tonight
Brighter was written by Hayley Williams & Josh Farro.
Brighter was produced by Mike Green.