Heaven Troye Sivan

The truth runs wild

Like a tear down a cheek

The truth is like crying in the sense that one can only suppress or hide it for so long, before eventually it
all escapes. Troye tried to hide the fact that he was gay, but eventually he had to be honest about who
he was. And like a tear running down a cheek, once it was out it was impossible to hide or take back and
was open for everyone to see.

This line also creates the connotation that coming out was a difficult experience for him, and that it was
emotionally taxing in many ways.

Personification: truth is personified to emphasise its nature

Simile: emphasises the melancholic-ness of the situation

Trying to save face, and daddy heart break

This is about trying to keep your pride. The motivation for staying in the close is to try to save face and
not embarrass yourself. Questioning what your parents would think and what would they would say to
their friends etc.

Metaphor: face has multiple meanings. Could be his lovers face or his face

Colloquial Language: Emphasises his childish nature

Im lying through my teeth

Hes lying to everyone, even himself, about his sexuality.

The voice inside

Has been eating at me

Theres three meanings to this. First, its either that hes questioning his sexuality and slowly feels that
its driving him insane. It could be that he wants to open up to people but is too afraid and keeps it
inside, or that question that lingers in his head about if God still loves him or not makes him afraid.

Symbolism: voice has multiple meaning. Holy spirit, his true self

Symbolism: eating at me, he is slowly dying from the inside

Trying to replace the love that I fake

With what we both need

Troye has been faking love with other girls, trying to push back the idea of himself being gay. Finally,
he is trying to accept himself.
 The truth runs wild

Like kids on concrete

Negative connotation: Adults always tell kids to not run on concrete because its dangerous

Trying to sedate, my mind in its cage

And numb what I see

He wants to keep his true self, his thoughts, hidden, contained. The line numb what I see could also
indicate that he tries to push back the thoughts of looking at boys and/or finding them attractive.

Metaphor: The idea of his mind being in a cage could indicate that his mind needs taming and that
keeping the truth about him being gay should be locked away like an animal would be in a cage. This
implies that he is trying to hide his true self.

Awake, wide eyes

Im screaming at me

Emotive language: Troye has lost sleep over the thought of being gay, and its been hard for him to
accept himself. The line, Im screaming at me, indicates the inner conflict that he feels.

Trying to keep faith and picture his face

Staring up at me

Hes trying to reconcile how he feels about his faith, and his need to be true to himself.

Without losing a piece of me

How do I get to heaven?

Without changing a part of me

How do I get to heaven?

All my time is wasted

Feeling like my hearts mistaken, oh

So if Im losing a piece of me

Maybe I dont want heaven?

Recognising he cant change who he is, and he needs the self-confidence to accept himself that loving
himself is more important than going to heaven.

Metaphor: not a literal piece. Part of his soul, identity

The truth runs wild

 Like the rain to the sea

Trying to set straight the lines that I trace

To find some release/relief

This voice inside

Has been eating at me

Metaphor: Set straight, is a pun for him trying to change his sexuality.

Negative imagery and Symbolism: Once the rain falls into the sea, it blends in and becomes part of the
widespread ocean, you cannot reverse this. Similarly, once the truth is out about his sexuality, he
couldnt take it back.

Trying to embrace the picture I paint

And colour me free

Hes trying to embrace who he is and set himself free to be that person that he was meant to be.
Metaphor: Colours symbolise the freedom to be our true authentic self.

Structure: is isolated to show the importance of this particular line.

So Im counting to fifteen

Counting to fifteen, counting to fifteen

So Im counting to fifteen

Counting to fifteen, counting to fifteen

Ambiguity: The lyric has a bit of a double meaning in play. First, its a mantra for when you feel anxious,
counting to fifteen in order to calm himself down. The anxiety stems from the fear/the consequences of
coming out. Its also notable that Troye came out to his family when he was 15. Counting to fifteen,
then, also refers to when he finally came out to his family.

Throughout the song

Enjambment: creates rhythm and flow, emphasises how the artist wanted the responders just flow
continuously through his thoughts without break

Stream of consciousness: Grants the responders a first hand experience on what they are feeling

Repetition: the meaning and tone in the repeated words and phrases changes as the song goes on,
showcasing Troyes change in view and growth as a person.

1st person narration: Builds a direct relationship between the artist and responder