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.
This is my time, this is my tear
I can see clearly now that this is not a place
For playing solitaire
Tell me where you want me
This is my time, this is my tear
Coming on strong, Baudelaire
Seems to me like all the world gets high
When you take a dare
Let it rise before you
This is my crime
All in all and I'm loving every rise and fall
The sun will make and I will take breath to be sure of this
In the end and then all will be forgiven when
Surrender rises high and I gave what I came to give
Say it now because you never know
Devil may cry, Devil may care
Distiller's got a scream and now I know just why
When she's movin' air
Can you feel the voltage?
This is my time
California skies got room to spare
This is my time
All in all and I'm loving every rise and fall
The sun will make and I will take breath to be sure of this
In the end and then all will be forgiven when
Surrender rises high and I gave what I came to give
Say it now because you never know
Oh, never know
Take it outside, take it out there
Seems to me like all the world gets high when you take a dare
In the final moment
This is my time
All in all and I'm loving every rise and fall
The sun will make and I will take breath to be sure of this
In the end and then all will be forgiven when
Surrender rises high and I gave what I came to give
Say it now because you never know
Oh, never know
I can see clearly now that this is not a place
For playing solitaire
Tell me where you want me
This is my time, this is my tear
Coming on strong, Baudelaire
Seems to me like all the world gets high
When you take a dare
Let it rise before you
This is my crime
All in all and I'm loving every rise and fall
The sun will make and I will take breath to be sure of this
In the end and then all will be forgiven when
Surrender rises high and I gave what I came to give
Say it now because you never know
Devil may cry, Devil may care
Distiller's got a scream and now I know just why
When she's movin' air
Can you feel the voltage?
This is my time
California skies got room to spare
This is my time
All in all and I'm loving every rise and fall
The sun will make and I will take breath to be sure of this
In the end and then all will be forgiven when
Surrender rises high and I gave what I came to give
Say it now because you never know
Oh, never know
Take it outside, take it out there
Seems to me like all the world gets high when you take a dare
In the final moment
This is my time
All in all and I'm loving every rise and fall
The sun will make and I will take breath to be sure of this
In the end and then all will be forgiven when
Surrender rises high and I gave what I came to give
Say it now because you never know
Oh, never know
Lyrics submitted by on_a_plain_11
Tear Lyrics as written by John Frusciante Michael Balzary
Lyrics © Hipgnosis Songs Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think it is a meant to be about a fictional 'awakening' at the point of realising you are going to die. There are a lot of spiritual references, not necessarily religious, just spiritual. Although wether the RHCP knew it or not... "tear" When used in this context overall, is mentioned a lot in various religious texts... In the Tibetan book of the dead it states that only when a man truly accepts the nature of his finite existence (that he will one day die!) may he be granted the priviledge to "tear" evil from his existence through humility. Likewise in the bible we find 2Corinthians : "...our spiritual weapons are there to discover, and use to 'tear' down the strongholds of the mind." (strongholds being unhealthy ways of thinking due to a feeling of incompleteness in our lives). Maybe Anthony Keidis had such an 'awakening' or realisation, and decided to share it with the world with the subtlest of points, In the last five lines of the chorus... ??
why fictional? he did get sober right before and there are a lot of 12 step refrences:)