You know the feeling. Those first few jangling, crystal-clear notes of the guitar ring out and suddenly you’re in a movie montage. Maybe you’re thinking of a young Lindsay Lohan in The Parent Trap or maybe you’re back in Stars Hollow with Lorelei Gilmore. The song is "There She Goes" by The La’s. But if you’ve ever found yourself humming along to song lyrics there she goes there she goes again, you’ve probably stumbled into one of the longest-running debates in Britpop history.
It’s a simple tune. Catchy. Heartbreakingly melodic. Yet, behind that breezy 1980s jangle pop exterior lies a lyrical mystery that has kept fans arguing for over three decades.
The Story Behind the Lyrics Everyone Knows
Lee Mavers, the enigmatic frontman of the Liverpool band The La’s, wrote the track in the late 1980s. It was released in 1988, then again in 1990. It’s a short song. Under three minutes. It doesn't waste time. The lyrics are repetitive, almost like a nursery rhyme or a circular thought that you just can't shake out of your head.
There she goes... there she goes again... pulsing through my veins.
That’s the line. That is the specific moment where the "innocent love song" theory starts to fall apart for a lot of people. When you look at song lyrics there she goes there she goes again, you’re seeing a masterclass in ambiguity. Mavers has always been notoriously difficult with the press. He’s a perfectionist who famously hated the finished version of the album because he claimed the vintage mixing desk didn't have the "right dust" on it.
Because of his silence, the song became a blank canvas. People painted their own meanings onto it. To some, it’s the ultimate ode to unrequited love—the sight of a girl walking by who makes your heart skip. To others, it’s something much darker.
Is it Actually About Heroin?
This is the big one. The "heroin" theory has followed this song like a shadow since the early 90s.
If you look at the phrase "pulsing through my veins" and "racing through my brain," it’s not a huge leap. In the context of the Liverpool music scene in the late 80s, drug references weren't exactly rare. Many rock historians and critics, including those who covered the band during their brief peak, have pointed out that the song’s structure mimics the "rush" and "come down" of a high.
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But here’s the thing: the band has denied it. Or at least, they’ve been extremely vague about it.
Ex-guitarist John Power, who later went on to form Cast, has been asked about this countless times. He usually pivots. He talks about the "feeling" of the music. Honestly, though, does it matter? The beauty of a song like this is that it functions on two levels simultaneously. It can be a bright, sunny afternoon in a romantic comedy, and it can be a gritty, desperate confession in a back alley. That duality is why we are still talking about it in 2026.
The Sixpence None the Richer Effect
Most people under a certain age actually think this is a Sixpence None the Richer song. They covered it in 1999, and it became a massive hit all over again.
The Sixpence version stripped away the gritty Liverpool edges and replaced them with Leigh Nash’s ethereal, breathy vocals. It turned the track into a definitive "lifestyle" song. It was used in commercials, teen dramas, and wedding playlists. By the time the 2000s rolled around, the original 1988 version by The La’s felt like a cult classic, while the cover was the global standard.
Interestingly, Sixpence None the Richer is a band with Christian roots. This adds another layer of irony to the "heroin" rumors. When they sang song lyrics there she goes there she goes again, they were likely leaning into the "innocent love" or even a "spiritual longing" interpretation. It’s a perfect example of how the same words can mean completely different things depending on who is standing behind the microphone.
Why the Melody Sticks Like Glue
Technically speaking, the song is a feat of engineering. It’s written in the key of G major, which is traditionally the "happy" key. But there’s a wistfulness to the chord progression—moving from G to D to C—that feels nostalgic before the song is even over.
It’s "jangle pop" at its finest. This genre, pioneered by The Byrds and later refined by R.E.M. and The Smiths, relies on clean electric guitars and bright melodies. Mavers was obsessed with the 1960s sound. He wanted something that sounded like it had always existed.
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And he succeeded.
When you hear those lyrics, you feel like you’ve known them your whole life. There is no bridge. There is no complicated solo. It’s just the hook, over and over, mirroring the obsession described in the words. Whether the "she" is a woman or a substance, the singer is trapped in a loop. He’s watching her go, watching her return, and he can’t break the cycle.
Real-World Impact and Pop Culture Legacy
You can't talk about these lyrics without mentioning Gilmore Girls. The song appears in the pilot episode. It sets the entire tone for the show—charming, slightly caffeinated, and deeply rooted in a specific kind of indie-pop aesthetic.
It’s also appeared in:
- The Parent Trap (1998)
- Fever Pitch
- Girl, Interrupted (fittingly, given the darker themes)
- Cold Case
It’s a "needle drop" favorite for directors because it immediately establishes a mood of transition. Someone is moving, someone is leaving, or someone is being watched from afar.
The Mystery of Lee Mavers
The story of the lyrics is also the story of a man who walked away. After The La's released their one and only self-titled album in 1990, Lee Mavers basically vanished from the public eye. He became one of rock’s greatest "what ifs."
There are stories of him spent years trying to re-record the same songs, obsessed with a specific sound he could never quite capture again. Some say he’s a genius; others say he was paralyzed by his own perfectionism. This adds a layer of "lost art" to the song. When we listen to the track today, we’re listening to the only bit of magic he ever let us keep.
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How to Correctly Interpret the Lyrics Today
If you’re looking for a definitive answer on what the song means, you aren't going to find one from the source. Mavers isn't talking. But we can look at the evidence.
The phrase "there she goes" is an idiom for something happening again—a recurring pattern. If you view the song through the lens of addiction, it’s a song about the inability to stop. If you view it as a love song, it’s about the torture of a crush that won't go away.
The most expert take? It’s both.
Great art is rarely about just one thing. Mavers wrote a song so simple and so pure that it could contain two opposite realities at the same time. It’s a summer anthem and a dark confession. It’s a radio hit and an indie masterpiece.
What to Do Next with Your Playlist
If you’ve been stuck on the song lyrics there she goes there she goes again, don't just stop at the radio edit. To really appreciate the depth of this track, you need to hear the different iterations.
- Listen to the 1988 single version: It has a slightly different energy than the 1990 album version.
- Compare the Sixpence None the Richer cover: Notice how the change in vocal tone shifts the perceived meaning of the "veins" line.
- Check out "Timeless Melody": This is another La’s track that explores similar themes of repetitive, haunting beauty.
- Look up the "The La’s" BBC sessions: These live versions show the raw, less polished side of Mavers’ songwriting.
The best way to understand the song is to let it play in the background of your own life. Whether you’re walking through a city or sitting in a quiet room, the lyrics will eventually tell you what they mean to you. That’s the only interpretation that actually matters in the end. Just don't be surprised if you find yourself hitting the repeat button—after all, "there she goes again" is a loop for a reason.