[Khalid:]
Uh
Yeah, yeah
When I was young, I fell in love
We used to hold hands, man, that was enough (yeah)
Then we grew up, started to touch
Used to kiss underneath the light on the back of the bus (yeah)
I know your daddy didn’t like me much
And he didn’t believe me when I said you were the one
Oh, every day, she found a way out of the window to sneak out late
She used to meet me on the Eastside
In the city where the sun don’t set
And every day, you know that we ride
Through the backstreets in a blue Corvette
Baby, you know I just wanna leave tonight
We can go anywhere we want
Drive down to the coast, jump in the sea
Just take my hand and come with me, yeah
We can do anything if we put our minds to it
Take your whole life, then you put a line through it
My love is yours if you’re willing to take it
Give me your heart ’cause I ain’t gonna break it
So come away, starting today
Start a new life together in a different place
We know that love is how all these ideas came to be
So baby, run away with me
[Halsey:]
Seventeen and we got a dream to have a family
A house, and everything in between
And then, oh, suddenly, we turned twenty-three
And now we got pressure for taking our life more seriously
We got our dead-end jobs and got bills to pay
Half our old friends are now our enemies
And now I, I’m thinking back to when I was young
Back to the day when I was falling in love
He used to meet me on the Eastside
In the city where the sun don’t set
And every day, you know where we’d ride
Through the backstreets in a blue Corvette
And baby, you know I just wanna leave tonight
We can go anywhere we want
Drive down to the coast, jump in the sea
Just take my hand and come with me, singing
[Halsey & Khalid:]
We can do anything if we put our minds to it
Take your whole life, then you put a line through it
My love is yours if you’re willing to take it
Give me your heart ’cause I ain’t gonna break it
So come away, starting today
Start a new life together in a different place
We know that love is how all these ideas came to be
So baby, run away with me
Run away, now
Run away, now
Run away, now
Run away, now
Run away, now
Run away, now
He used to meet me on the Eastside
She used to meet me on the Eastside
He used to meet me on the Eastside
She used to meet me on the Eastside
In the city where the sun don’t set
Nostalgia and Young Love in “Eastside”
“Eastside” by benny blanco, featuring Khalid and Halsey, beautifully captures the innocence and thrill of young love. The lyrics reminisce about sneaking out, summer nights, and the excitement of first relationships. Both vocalists reflect on how carefree dreams eventually collide with adult realities, like jobs and responsibilities, but the longing to escape together never fades. The recurring imagery of meeting on the Eastside and driving through the city highlights the freedom and possibility that love brings, even as life changes.
Hope and Escapism
The song’s chorus emphasizes the belief that love can conquer all obstacles. The invitation to “run away” is not just a physical journey, but a metaphor for starting anew and leaving behind the pressures of adulthood. This universal desire to break free and chase happiness resonates deeply with listeners, making “Eastside” a modern anthem for young hearts everywhere.
Song Credits
- Songwriters: benny blanco, Khalid, Halsey
- Release Year: 2018
- Label: Friends Keep Secrets, Interscope Records