This entire song is about his former band mate Sam Means and his mixed emotions about leaving the Format and Sam behind for fame with fun.
Let's forget the video for this first analysis, and see it as an interpretation from a video maker's perspective instead of Nate's intentions.
Some nights I stay up cashing in my bad luck
Some nights I call it a draw
Some nights I wish that my lips could build a castle,
Some nights I wish that they would just fall off

I think the first verse is similar to others, where they state Nate flips back and forth about leaving the Format and Sam for fun. Some nights he looks back and thinks it was the wrong choice, and others he is glad he made the decision to move on.

But I still wake up,
I still see your ghost,
Oh Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for, oh
What do I stand for? What do I stand for?
Most nights, I don't know anymore.

He is saying, "was I happier when I was back making music with my best friend Sam, not "famous", but having fun making music with Sam and friends. He wants Sam to know he has not forgotten him, and sometimes wishes he stayed with the Format.

This is it, boys, this is war what are we waiting for?
Why don't we break the rules already?
I was never one to believe the hype, save that for the black and white,
I try twice as hard and I'm half as liked, but here they come again to jack my style.

He is saying that being with fun. and being famous is not always what it is cracked up to be. Once becoming famous, everybody wants to write articles about you, and they are not always complimentary or true. He is is telling the fun-band members that they with the fame comes a "war" between the public and the band. He wants to break the rules and make a statement before someone asks what their statement is. He does not want people to believe the hype "save that for the black and white" black and white being magazines and rags in the music industry and gossip columns. He says he is trying twice as hard with fun, but has not been as liked from the greater publicas when he was doing local gigs in frontof his adoring fans in and around his home town. But strangely, for all the criticism from the public, the competition is mimicking his style, and "some nights" and other songs are influencing new music in the industry.

And that's alright, I found a matyr in my bed tonight
She stops my bones from wondering just who I am
Who am I?

Nate met a long time girlfriend when he joined fun., someone he probably would never meet if he was still at the Format. She was part of the reason he moved to the New York/New Jersey area and form fun. Nate had a

to be contd...

long relationship with one of his fun. bandmate's sister. He is telling Sam he had to leave Arizona and persue his dream. Sam was not interested in touring or moving out of Arizona. Nate felt he needed to.
Well, some nights I wish that this all would end,
Cause I could use some friends for a change.
And some nights I am scared you'll forget me again
Some nights I always win, I always win.
Once again, his indecision about leaving the Format for fun. He misses Sam and what they had. In a way, he wants his old life back, his best friend, his local band, his local friends. Some nights he is afraid Sam will forget him and what theyhad, and other nights he is very content with his new life.
But I still wake up, I still see your ghost,
Oh Lord, I'm still not sure what I stand for
What do I stand for, what do I stand for,
most nights, I don't know anymore.
He still is thinking about Sam and the old days. He is not sure if his life now is his destiny or if he would rather be home with a local band making music.
So this is it? I sold my soul for this?
Washed my hands of that for this?
I miss my mom and dad for this?
This is when Nate becomes introspectiveand he is thinking over his choices. He is thinking he is not completely happy being famous. He "sold his soul" and "washed his hands" of the Format and Sam and his other band mates for fame and fortune. He is traveling all over and misses his family. He is wondering if it was worth it.
When I see stars, when I see stars, that's all they are
When I hear songs, they sound like this one, so come on!
Now when he see stars (famous people) he realizes they are just people like him, and being famous is not what he thought it would be. When he hears hit songs, they are a lot like his, so he is not finding fame as challenging as he thought it would be. As described in the next verse, he is finding it somewhat boring but they retracts that it is only sometimes like that and other times it is great, and he wants fans to know he appreciates the fame, but not all the time.
Well this is it, guys, that is all, five minutesin and I'm bored again
Ten years of this, I'm not sure if anybodyunderstands (I do!)
This is not one ofr the folks at hom, sorryto leave, but I had to go
Who wants to die alone all dried up in the desert sun?
As stated in the last one, he is saying thatsometimes he starts singing, the same songs, over and over, and he is thinking "what am I doing here", why aren't I back at home with Sam just writing new music and playing what I want to play. The crowd is demanding 'some nights' again? Can't we just fool around on something else and have fun. No, they are paying good money to see this concert. We have to play what they want to hear. Maybe Sam was right staying home".
He is saying that some nights is not for the local crowd at home, it is for the greater public, who pay good money to attend concert and join the fan base. He says sorry that he had to leave Arizona but he felt he did not want to shrivel up and die there. He wanted to move to New York/New Jersey area, be with his NY girl friend full time and hit the tour circuit and become famous.
My heart breaks for my sister, and the con that she called "love"
But when I look into my nephew's eyes
Man, you wouldn't believe the most amazing things that come from some terrible lies (some people think this is theword night, but in fact it is lies, you can see and hear it clearly in the video)
This is when Nate again goes deviates from his thoughts of Sam, and says he is thinking of his sister. No second level, just exactly what the lyrics say. His sister was fooled into thinking a guy really loved her, believed his lies and became pregnant. Only later she realized that he was not true to her or their baby. Nate's family embraced her baby and Nate is amazed that such a great nephew came out of such a horrible time in his sister's life. Nate's sister is/was married and is living in Portland with her son and attended Nate's concert when he "made it big" with their parents also in attendance.
The other night,you wouldn't believe the dream
I just had about you and me
I called you up, but we both agree
It's for the best you didn't listen
Its for the best we keep our distance
Nate changes back to thoughts of Sam and he is not thinking of a lost girl, but his frienship with Sam and the Format and all the freedom he once had. He is telling Sam he still thinks of calling him up, turning in the towel and coming back home.
But then he thinks again how Sam has always been supportive of his decision to move away and develop fun. and live out his dream. Nate states that he knowsthat Sam would agree that he should notlisten to talk of coming back home and giving up his dream. He is a true friend and Nate knows it!

Really touching right?

http://www.songmeanings.net/m/songs/view/3530822107859425130/

wow

texanomaly: wow

Interesting right? )

Very. I love this kind of stuff.

let me reserve my comment till I read it.

amiskurie: let me reserve my comment till I read it.

alright...

I just like the spirit with which the guy sings!.

Reading this now makes me love the song more. I liked d song before, without knowing what its even talking about. Very deep thinking, well its not really thinking, its what he feels, so the inspiration has a root.

amiskurie: I just like the spirit with which the guy sings!.

same here...i can always relate to his songs...

Chanchit: Reading this now makes me love the song more. I liked d song before, without knowing what its even talking about. Very deep thinking, well its not really thinking, its what he feels, so the inspiration has a root.

excellent!
Have always listened to the song too, without knowing the moral behind the song...so decided to look it up on d internet.

I love dis song to death.......OP can u edit d lyrics? The first part is " some night i wish that my lips could build a castle"

one of my top 5 music for this year

Dopefiend: I love dis song to death.......OP can u edit d lyrics? The first part is " some night i wish that my lips could build a castle"

same here o!
Ok thanks, i have done that.

4peace: one of my top 5 music for this year

have been trying to get over this song since last year...bt it has been so impossible!

Pdizzle: Best music thread ever..i ve always known derz sometin about dis guy, he has dis native look, buh he should know wat he stand 4 n choose wat makes him happy. The part i like is 'wen i see stars they re just stars' n even stardom gets boring

Thanks dear.

Yea that part is also my favourite, he's kinda tryin to let us know that, being a celebrity aint a big deal after all.

its about war and warfare.


good song though, rather reminiscent of Cecilia from 1970 ( I saw this somewhere) in a way but not quite.

Pdizzle:
I had to come back to this thread, spicymimi have you heard Lukas Graham_Seven Years, it's like a reincarnation of 'some nights'. Good and true story, amazing talent!

Hummmmm.....just seeing this...thanks a lot, I'll check it out.

the length of this thread shows how shallow minded most nigerians are;its pathetic

felaismyhero:
the length of this thread shows how shallow minded most nigerians are;its pathetic

Kinda harsh statement there.

Each to his own.

Whatever rocks your boat.

Live and let live.

Hoping you get the gist.