In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Did you ever see the faces of the children
They get so excited
Waking up on Christmas morning
Hours before the winter sun's ignited
They believe in dreams and all they mean
Including heaven's generosity
Peeping round the door
To see what parcels are for free
In curiosity
And Tommy doesn't know what day it is
He doesn't know who Jesus was
Or what praying is
How can he be saved
From the eternal grave?
Surrounded by his friends
He sits so silently
And unaware of anything
Playing poxy pinball,
Picks his nose and smiles and
Pokes his tongue at everything
I believe in love
But how can men who've never seen
Light be enlightened
Only if he's cured
Will his spirits future level ever heighten
And Tommy doesn't know what day it is
He doesn't know who Jesus was
Or what praying is
How can he be saved
From the eternal grave?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
How can he be saved?
See me, feel me, touch me, heal me!
See me, feel me, touch me, heal me!
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Can you, can you, can you hear me?
How can he be saved?
Did you ever see the faces of the children
They get so excited
Waking up on Christmas morning
Hours before the winter sun's ignited
They believe in dreams and all they mean
Including heaven's generosity
Peeping round the door
To see what parcels are for free
In curiosity
And Tommy doesn't know what day it is
He doesn't know who Jesus was
Or what praying is
How can he be saved
From the eternal grave?
They get so excited
Waking up on Christmas morning
Hours before the winter sun's ignited
They believe in dreams and all they mean
Including heaven's generosity
Peeping round the door
To see what parcels are for free
In curiosity
And Tommy doesn't know what day it is
He doesn't know who Jesus was
Or what praying is
How can he be saved
From the eternal grave?
Surrounded by his friends
He sits so silently
And unaware of anything
Playing poxy pinball,
Picks his nose and smiles and
Pokes his tongue at everything
I believe in love
But how can men who've never seen
Light be enlightened
Only if he's cured
Will his spirits future level ever heighten
And Tommy doesn't know what day it is
He doesn't know who Jesus was
Or what praying is
How can he be saved
From the eternal grave?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
How can he be saved?
See me, feel me, touch me, heal me!
See me, feel me, touch me, heal me!
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Tommy, can you hear me?
Can you, can you, can you hear me?
How can he be saved?
Did you ever see the faces of the children
They get so excited
Waking up on Christmas morning
Hours before the winter sun's ignited
They believe in dreams and all they mean
Including heaven's generosity
Peeping round the door
To see what parcels are for free
In curiosity
And Tommy doesn't know what day it is
He doesn't know who Jesus was
Or what praying is
How can he be saved
From the eternal grave?
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Son Şansın - Şarkı Sözleri
Hayalperest
Hayalperest
This song seemingly tackles the methods of deception those who manipulate others use to get victims to follow their demands, as well as diverting attention away from important issues. They'll also use it as a means to convince people to hate or kill others by pretending acts of terrorism were committed by the enemy when the acts themselves were done by the masters of control to promote discrimination and hate. It also reinforces the idea that these manipulative forces operate in various locations, infiltrating everyday life without detection, and propagate any and everywhere.
In general, it highlights the danger of hidden agendas, manipulation, and distraction, serving as a critique of those who exploit chaos and confusion to control and gain power, depicting a cautionary tale against falling into their traps. It encourages us to question the narratives presented to us and remain vigilant against manipulation in various parts of society.
No Surprises
Radiohead
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
Such a sad song ...
I think Townshend is sending up the Christian notion that only the "chosen" are saved.
The song is about how Tommy's parents don't understand him. They think he is doomed to hell, because he doesn't know what Christmas is. Tommy doesn't need to know who Jesus is or pray or any of that to be saved. He had a spiritual journey into his mind in "Amazing Journey". His parents don't understand this. They think he needs to pray to be saved.
Is this a poke at organized religeon? It definately could be. If you listen to any Jethro Tull songs, Ian anderson was very adamant that praying all the time and going to church and acknowledging that you are a Christian are not necessary to get you salvation.
Also, the hypocracy of Christmas is key in this song. The children aren't getting excited because of Jesus, they are excited about the presents. They don't necessarily even believe in heaven. Most kids don't know what Christmas is really about at that age. They just want presents.
In conclusion, Tommy's parents are worried about him because he can't pray, and therefore, in thier opinions, he won't be saved. Tommy, however, has already had his spiritual journey and will be saved.(More likely him than his parents, who killed The man that Mrs. Walker was sleeping with while Cap'n Walker was missing.)
I LOVE THIS SONG ALTHOUGH I HATE CRISTMAS( BAH HUMBUG)
how weird would it be not knowing what day it is, or what was going on, i couldnt bear it, also to have people bully and push you around just because of your disabilites by people such as Cousin Kevin and Uncle Ernie in the rest of "Tommy"? that is such bullshit, people should seriously think about what they say and do to poeple, why cant we all just get along?
love the tune, if you didnt listen to the songs before this on "Tommy" it wouldnt make much sence. and mingoesbueno, thar would be weird, and kinda sad to not know what day christmas was..
And yet if you listen to Amazing Journey, it's all okay to Tommy since he's in his musical world.
Heh.
I think this points out something that is a question one would start to wonder though... how can he be saved?
Some could say Townshend is making fun of Christianity and religion in general (it seems obvious throughout the movie), though I don't see that so much in this song.. my friend is convinced he's questioning God's power to save people - but I don't really see it that way.
I don't agree Child of Music, i think this is a rant against organized religon, such as many U2 songs.
Tommy connects to God, etc, through his dreams.
I think the main point in this song is to emphasise that Tommy's parents are genuinely concerned about him (an idea that could get lost because of 1921) rather than a comment on religion. With regard to not knowing what day it is, that shouldn't really matter to someone who was deaf, dumb and blind. He wouldn't know that he was missing anything, yet he still cries out for help ("See me, feel me" etc). That suggests that although he is "unaware of everything", he still feels that he is missing something spiritual.
Tommy's parents show concern for him in this song because they think that he can't go to Heaven without knowing Jesus, but Tommy can't learn about Him for obvious reasons.
Even though Tommy is having fun playing pinball, his parents wish that they could have fun with him. His parents, unhappy that they can't have a normal family Christmas begin to think that they should seek a miracle cure for Tommy.
I think they want to know how he can be saved because he cannot speak or hear, and thus cannot repent for his sins before he dies, consigning him to hell.
It's like in colonial america, when dyptheria ripped through Puritan New England, killing unbaptised babies (because Puritans didn't do infant baptism), and these babies were thought to be consigned to Hell (it is interesting to note that this helped lead to the prevalence of Methodism and the Baptist faith in America).