Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve.
The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future.
Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere"
The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Take off
I was told a million times
Of all the troubles in my way
Mind you grow a little wiser
Little better every day
But if I crossed a million rivers
And I rode a million miles
Then I'd still be where I started
Bread and butter for a smile
Well I sold a million mirrors
In a shopping alley way
But I never saw my face
In any window any day
Now they say your folks are telling you
Be a super star
But I tell you just be satisfied
Stay right where you are
Keep yourself alive, yeah
Keep yourself alive
Ooh, it'll take you all your time and money
Honey you'll survive
Ow
Well I've loved a million women
In a belladonic haze
And I ate a million dinners
Brought to me on silver trays
Give me everything I need
To feed my body and my soul
And I'll grow a little bigger
Maybe that can be my goal
I was told a million times
Of all the people in my way
How I had to keep on trying
And get better every day
But if I crossed a million rivers
And I rode a million miles
Then I'd still be where I started
Same as when I started
Keep yourself alive, come on
Keep yourself alive
Ooh, it'll take you all your time and money honey
You'll survive, shake
Ow
Keep yourself alive, wow
Keep yourself alive
Oh, it'll take you all your time and money
To keep me satisfied
Do you think you're better every day?
No, I just think I'm two steps nearer to my grave
Keep yourself alive, c'mon
Keep yourself alive
Mm, you take your time and take more money
Keep yourself alive
Keep yourself alive
C'mon keep yourself alive
All you people keep yourself alive
Keep yourself alive
C'mon c'mon keep yourself alive
It'll take you all your time and a money
To keep me satisfied
Keep yourself alive
Keep yourself alive
All you people keep yourself alive
Take you all your time and money honey
You will survive
Keep you satisfied
I was told a million times
Of all the troubles in my way
Mind you grow a little wiser
Little better every day
But if I crossed a million rivers
And I rode a million miles
Then I'd still be where I started
Bread and butter for a smile
Well I sold a million mirrors
In a shopping alley way
But I never saw my face
In any window any day
Now they say your folks are telling you
Be a super star
But I tell you just be satisfied
Stay right where you are
Keep yourself alive, yeah
Keep yourself alive
Ooh, it'll take you all your time and money
Honey you'll survive
Ow
Well I've loved a million women
In a belladonic haze
And I ate a million dinners
Brought to me on silver trays
Give me everything I need
To feed my body and my soul
And I'll grow a little bigger
Maybe that can be my goal
I was told a million times
Of all the people in my way
How I had to keep on trying
And get better every day
But if I crossed a million rivers
And I rode a million miles
Then I'd still be where I started
Same as when I started
Keep yourself alive, come on
Keep yourself alive
Ooh, it'll take you all your time and money honey
You'll survive, shake
Ow
Keep yourself alive, wow
Keep yourself alive
Oh, it'll take you all your time and money
To keep me satisfied
Do you think you're better every day?
No, I just think I'm two steps nearer to my grave
Keep yourself alive, c'mon
Keep yourself alive
Mm, you take your time and take more money
Keep yourself alive
Keep yourself alive
C'mon keep yourself alive
All you people keep yourself alive
Keep yourself alive
C'mon c'mon keep yourself alive
It'll take you all your time and a money
To keep me satisfied
Keep yourself alive
Keep yourself alive
All you people keep yourself alive
Take you all your time and money honey
You will survive
Keep you satisfied
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I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
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Hey, I like it. I think the idea isn't that you can't change, but that there's no real point. No matter what you do, no matter how much "better" you become, you're still the same person. So what's the point in going through all that work to get ahead in the competition, when you're competing for something that doesn't really matter? The only thing that really does matter is the basic things, or rather, basic thing, which is, in the end, keeping yourself alive. So live simply, because nothing you achieve is going to make you any better. So it's not that you can't change, but that you don't have to.
It's a simple song conveying the complicated philosophy of living simply. Or maybe I'm completely wrong, and it's the opposite...
I asked BM about this in an email and this what he said:
"Keep yourself Alive ? well, I don't think we thought success would be easy. When the record struggled to be heard, we just thought ... it'll take a bit more work until people understand what we have to offer. We were not offering normal "Pop" music of the time, so it was not going to be easy to turn the attention of Radio around. We believed!!! Also the whole hit record thing was not perceived by us as the only important thing , or indeed a thing of much importance at all. Our heroes were Led Zeppelin, after all, who NEVER had a hit single!! I think we wondered if having a hit would disqualify us from being taken seriously! By some stroke of good fortune, we were able to have hits later, but still develop ourselves as an Album-Oriented touring band ..... we carved out our own destiny, by great persistence and much work, and some good tunes, I think! But I feel we were very fortunate too."
so this is how Queen kept going through the early days. Now we know...
how exactly did you email him? i wanna email him too ^_^ his guitar skillz own
Got to his website - brianmay.com
I am sooooooooooo happy no one (incorrectly) linked this to AIDS... Almost all of the other Queen songs I have seen have a mention somewhere. All this song is saying is, "Do what you want to, and become better at it!"
I read somewhere that when Brian originally penned "Keep Yourself Alive", he had intended it to be kind of negative and ironic, but when the band actually played the song it took on a whole new atmosphere. Maybe Brian was frustrated with people telling him over and over again about how important it was that he and his band get famous, when what he really wanted to focus on was making good music. I heard that Queen released it as their very first single, but it was a total failiure in that respect and never got any airplay. Brilliant song regardless, especially the surreal, "fantasy-ish" air about it.
I love this song with reservations. Maybe I'm misunderstanding it but it seems to be an essentially negative thread running through the lyrics here
Something erie....
Similar to in "We Will Rock You", when after the first stomp stomp clap we can hear freddy (or someone) moan, in "keep yourself alive", exactly 27 seconds into the song after the rift, you can hear him say something fairly quick which sounds like "single" or "signu" or something. i suggest slowing it down
I like this song... it just means that no matter what you do, it doesn't really matter anyway, so just do what you want. It's a "what's the point?" kind of song.
He is saying "Sing it!"