“A Thousand Years” (1000 Years) is a song by Christina Perri, an American singer and songwriter. She co-wrote it with David Hodges for The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 movie.
This song is a tribute to the enduring love story of Edward and Bella from the Twilight series. The song’s portrayal of a love beyond time aligns with the characters’ immortality.
In this article, we’ll explore the deeper meaning behind the song’s lyrics.
“A Thousand Years” Lyrics Meaning
[Verse 1]
Heart beats fast, colors and promises
How to be brave? How can I love when I’m afraid to fall?
But watching you stand alone
All of my doubt suddenly goes away somehow
In verse 1 of the song, the lyrics describe a moment from Bella and Edward’s wedding in the Twilight series.
It portrays Bella’s heart beating fast and her feeling nervous as she prepares to walk down the aisle to join Edward at the wedding altar.
She’s grappling with her fear of love and falling in love, but as she sees Edward waiting for her alone at the altar, her doubts start to disappear, and she becomes more confident.
[Verse 2]
Time stands still, beauty in all she is
I will be brave, I will not let anything take away
What’s standing in front of me
Every breath, every hour has come to this
In verse 2, the lyrics depict Edward admiring Bella’s beauty during their wedding in the Twilight series. In the line “Time stands still, beauty in all she is,” Edward expresses his admiration for Bella’s beauty and inner qualities.
He makes a commitment to be brave and not let anything take away what he sees in front of him, referring to his love for Bella.
[Pre-Chorus]
One step closer
In pre-chorus, the lyrics depict a scene where Bella is only a step away from Edward, who’s standing on their wedding altar.
[Chorus]
I have died every day waiting for you
Darling, don’t be afraid
I have loved you for a thousand years
I’ll love you for a thousand more
And all along I believed I would find you
Time has brought your heart to me
I have loved you for a thousand years
I’ll love you for a thousand more
In the chorus, Edward is passionately expressing his love for Bella during their wedding ceremony in the Twilight series. When he sings “I have loved you for a thousand years, I’ll love you for a thousand more,” he’s conveying that his love for Bella is eternal and timeless. This aligns with his character as a vampire who is immortal.
When Edward says, “I have died every day waiting for you,” in the lyrics, he is expressing the intense longing and anticipation he felt while waiting for Bella to be a part of his life. It’s a metaphorical way of saying that the time he spent without her felt like a kind of emotional death or emptiness.
Deeper Meaning Behind “A Thousand Years”
“A Thousand Years” is a heartfelt song written for the enduring love story of Edward Cullen and Bella Swan in the Twilight series.
At its core, the song conveys the idea of a love that transcends time and overcomes all obstacles. The title itself, “A Thousand Years,” speaks to the timeless nature of their love.
The lyrics depict Bella’s initial apprehension about falling in love with Edward, who is a vampire, and her fear of the unknown. However, as she walks down the aisle towards him during their wedding ceremony, her doubts dissipate, and she realizes that their love is worth the risk.
Edward’s pledge to love Bella for a thousand years reflects his immortal nature as a vampire. He promises to be with her not just in this lifetime but for eternity.
In the context of Twilight’s supernatural themes, the song’s portrayal of a love beyond time aligns with the characters’ immortality. Edward, a vampire, possesses eternal life, and Bella eventually joins him after her transformation. This time-transcending love in the song mirrors the supernatural aspects of their relationship and the lasting power of true love.
Overall, “A Thousand Years” portrays the idea that true love can conquer any challenges and last forever. It’s a tribute to the power of love, even in the face of extraordinary circumstances, and it resonates with fans of the Twilight series who have been captivated by the timeless romance of Edward and Bella.

Jacob Carter is a lyricist. He created the lyrics writing course to teach people how to analyze and write lyrics. He graduated from the University of Oxford with a degree in English Literature, so he’s skilled at playing with words.
He’s also an amateur guitarist, which means he knows music and melody very well. With this background, he’s a great lyricist you can rely on to learn writing lyrics.