The Blast writers analyze the lyrics to SHAED’s “Trampoline.”

Here at over the weekend The explosion We decided to work on a small group project: analyzing the lyrics of SHAED’s “Trampoline”. It’s an incredibly popular song and is often used in social media content, especially on TikTok. But what does it mean? Our writers put on their thinking caps and picked the song apart line by line. Read on to see each author’s interpretation of the song! If you don’t know the song, check it out below:

“When I listened to the full lyrics, my first thought was that she might be talking about an abusive relationship in which she is deeply in love (the fire is the feeling of being in love) and the trampolining is a metaphor for the roller coaster ride of is emotions that come with being in love with someone who causes you pain, be it emotional or physical.
“Wait, if I’m on fire, how am I so in love?” Asking how can I feel so tormented in a relationship that also brings me love.  “When I dream of dying, I never feel so loved” could be the feeling of escaping the relationship and breaking a trauma bond.
I know… I dug a little deep and I’m SURE that wasn’t what the actual lyrics were supposed to be about, but trying to read between the lines a bit brought that out to me.  Maybe I need to stop watching Lifetime movies haha!”
“When I heard SHAED’s ‘Trampoline’ a handful of thoughts immediately went through my head.  I remember hearing it on the radio and knowing it was going to be a hit, but then I didn’t think about it anymore.  But then I was asked along with other writers here at The Blast to listen to it again and see how we all interpret it.
I was careful at first not to google the song or look into any interviews SHAED might have done talking about the song.  I wanted to go into it completely blindly and actually let it be my interpretation.  I’m sure that with a song called “Trampoline” people would immediately think of going through ups and downs in a very low key place.  Where you can go as high as you can and reach as many things, and you can also fall in so many different ways.  That speaks volumes about what life can be like, but the opening lyrics took me away from that interpretation as well.  These lyrics read: “I have had dreams.  Jump on a trampoline.  Flippin in the air.  I never land, just float there.”
That immediately made me think this song means everything.  This song means everything you need.  This song means exactly what you personally want it to mean.  Thoughts from the eye of the beholder.  Now I didn’t get emotional or think morbidly about the lyrics, but I didn’t feel elated either and after listening I wanted a parade for myself too.  I was starting to think that this song would be used as a transition or storytelling device in future film and TV shows, both good and bad, especially reality shows like the ones you’d see on Bravo or even The Bachelor.
I really see this song being commercialized and used at sporting events and when an athlete is going through adversity to come out better and the other side.  Almost what we see during the Olympics.  Since they often have a plethora of video packs that they produce for this, they always add songs of this nature to button it all up.
I feel like my interpretation will change the more I listen to this song and I think it would be fun to come back to it in a year and see my thoughts and everyone else’s thoughts.  This is due to the mastery of the lyrics and the catchy melody.  It catches you and lets you feel how you are feeling in that moment.  And as we all know, that can be great and it can also be devastating.”
“The protagonist in the story is already in a confused situation and seems to be dealing with turbulent relationship issues.  She can’t get out of her head.  She is in limbo.  The trampoline represents her confusion, her mood swings – she can’t get herself into a stable state of gravity and lucidity.  What started out as a serious psychological situation only got worse when “suddenly the sky erupted”.  The barely there stability she had already accomplished imploded.
When she finally feels the semblance of a stable relationship, she feels oppressed again.  What feels like life is looking up is actually that she is falling down a sheer incline again – “my body is turning to ice, crushing weight of paradise.”
This song is an example of what so many people deal with.  They are in a relationship and don’t know whether to stay or leave, make up or start over.  Your perception of the situation changes daily.  What can be good one day can be bad the next.  The deep passion for both scenarios and the uncertainty that sets in makes the “fire” swing on the pendulum.”
“Trampoline” has a unique melody and beat that pulls you in immediately the song and slowly guides you through this euphoric, but at the same time frightening environment that the lyrics conjure up.
The first verse immediately reminds you of a dream sequence, a setting for you are not yet so familiar, but feel safe in it.  But then it quickly turns into fun terrible.
With lyrics like “Jumpin’ on a trampoline/flipping’ in the air/I never land just floating there”, that feels very exciting.  That excitement turns to terror as SHAED sings: “Suddenly the sky erupts / Flames ignite the trees / … now they are right about me.”
To me, this could allude to real-life situations where things aren’t going well and exciting to bad in no time.  But if you look at the refrain SHAED isn’t trying to escape the terror they’ve suddenly found themselves in; Instead, they seem to embrace and enjoy it.
The second verse also paints the same scenario as the first of where things are going from good to bad, and just like the chorus, SHAED sings about allowing and embrace the inevitable terror.
In summary, the song as a whole is about giving up in the face of one hopeless condition.  Something you have no control over, and instead You fight the oncoming evil and let it devour and consume you.
I know it’s a dark meaning, but the energy and lyrics of the song make up for it I remember those scary dreams where I’m partying and happy, but then I suddenly fall into an endless pit and can no longer save myself.  So, I endure and embrace the jump until I wake up.”






“I’ve had dreams
Jumping on a trampoline
Flip in the air
I never land, I float there.”
These lines remind me of a childhood like someone having a dream of a memory of jumping on a trampoline as a kid but never landing because “landing” would mean waking up and coming back to reality, something like Peter pan.
“As I look up
Suddenly the sky opens up
Flames illuminate the trees
Spread on falling leaves
Now they are right with me.”
Basically, these lines mean that even though you are trying to escape reality, it will always catch up with you eventually and if you don’t accept it, it will “fall” on you and possibly crush you.
“Wait while I’m on fire
How am I so in love?
When I dream of dying
I’ve never felt so loved”
I think “in love” doesn’t refer to a person.  I think it refers to the state where they are “on fire” as if they have a passion for something.  I think the “when I dream of dying I never feel loved like that” could refer to how many people she envisions coming to her funeral and saying all the things that they appreciate about her, which makes her feel feels “so loved”.
“I’ve had dreams
Splashing around in a summer stream
Trip and I fall in
I wanted it to happen
My body turns to ice
Crushing weight of paradise
Solid gold block
Lying in the cold
I feel at home”
I think the first four lines reflect the first lines of the beginning.  It’s a dream, but this time she’s immersed in the dream instead of the sky falling down on her.  Instead of just accepting reality, she embraces it.  Although reality is harsh, she feels “at home”.  Though she struggles in life, she knows that in death she will be “so loved,” which is repeated in the chorus and the rest of the song.”



“To me, this song feels like an adult’s perspective on a life-changing moment.  Similar to the death card in the tarot, the “death” portion of this song is not really about dying, but perhaps a momentous decision.  Something that will really change the way you look at life.  And the singer delves into her childhood memories, taking heart from the sheer freedom of being young.
As a child, and perhaps for some part of your teens and adolescence, fear doesn’t really matter.  A child is not afraid of falling until they actually fall and get hurt.  So the trampoline bit feels like a child pushing their limits by jumping as high as they can, much like a child on a swing.  The sheer freedom of being able to fly through the air as a child without fear is definitely euphoric.  I think that’s why the song is called Trampoline, even though it’s only in the first verse.
The rest of the song seems like the singer is trying to break free from the fears that keep her from living her life to the fullest.  It could be a fear of commitment, actual phobias, or maybe a fear of change.  She takes courage from the fearless days of her childhood and tries to channel it into her life now, manifesting a fearless future for her as well.  It also seems like she’s trying to break out of the rut she’s stuck in, and how she also finds comfort in being in a bad place.  She needs to break free, like Freddy Mercury sang years ago!”
As you can see, each author had a very unique perspective when it came to the meaning of this song.  We’d love to hear from our audience too!  Feel free to contact us on Facebook or Twitter Accounts with your thoughts in the comments!