There's a plane, and I am flying
There's a mountain waiting for me
Oh, these years have been so trying

I don't know if I can use them
Am I strong enough
To be the one?
Will I live to have some children?

Help me get down
I can make it
Help me get down
Help me get down
I can make it
Help me get down

If I only knew the answer
I wouldn't be bothering you

Father
Help me get down
I can make it
Help me get down
Help me get down
I can make it
Help me get down

If I only knew the answer
And if all our days are numbered
Then why do I keep counting?

My sugar sweet
Is so attainable
This behavior so unexplainable
The days just slip and slide
Like they always did
The trouble is my head
Won't let me forget

I took one last good look around
So many unusual sounds
I gotta get my feet on the ground

Help me get down
I can make it

Help me get down
I can make it
Help me get down
Help me get down
I can make it
Help me get down

If I only knew the answer
I wouldn't be bothering you

Father
Help me get down
I can make
Help me get down
Help me get down
I can make it
Help me get down

If I only knew the answer
And if all our days are numbered
I wouldn't be bothering you

Would you help me get down?

If I only knew the answer
If I change my way of living
And if I pave my streets with good times
Will the mountain keep on giving?

And if all of our days are numbered
Then why do I keep counting?


Lyrics submitted by ultradirrty

Why Do I Keep Counting? Lyrics as written by Dave Brent Keuning Brandon Flowers

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Why Do I Keep Counting? song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

46 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    I really admire this song. I got the cd the day it came out and I fell in love with song first, even if I did hear 'If you were young' first.

    I think that this song is just about someone who is too deep into something that haunts them that they were desperate enough to call out for help, something that they weren't planning on doing in the first place, but then they started doubting themself--

    There’s a plane and I am flying/ He's in the middle of something he can't turn back from. There’s a mountain waiting for me/ There's gotta be standard ground at the end of this. Oh these years have been so trying/ self explainatory =P I don’t know if I can use them/ just can't live anymore with this Am I strong enough to be the one?/ can I actually live through this? Will I live to have some children?/ Can I live long enough to find someone else and have children.

    Help me get down, I can make it. Help me get down 2x/ crying out for help If I only knew the answer/ If I knew why I was stuck on this I wouldn’t be bothering you/ I wouldn't be asking for help Father, help me get down, I can make it. Help me get down 2x/ Actually begging God to help them If I only knew the answer/ If I knew why I wasn't letting this go and if all our days are numbered/ If well obviously never be together then why do I keep counting?/ then why am I still counting down the days to be with you?

    My sugar’s sweet, and so obtainable/ My kiss is sweet and in reach This behavior’s so unexplainable/ I don't even know why I did it The days just slip and slide like they always did/ We never charish our days, still don't The trouble is my head won’t let me forget/ I still can't forget you for the life of me I took one last good look around/ I'm not gonna stay in the past (So many unusual sounds.)/ I can still hear you I gotta get my feet on the ground/ I gotta keep my sanity

    Help me get down, I can make it, Help me get down 3x/ I think I might be able to make it if you help me If I only knew the answer/ If I knew why I was staying in the past I wouldn’t be bothering you/ I wouldn't be asking for help in the first place Father, help me get down, I can make it. Help me get down. Help me get down, I can make it. Help me get down/ God, help me forget If I only knew the answer/ If I knew why I wasn't forgetting and if all our days are numbered/ And If I know we'll never be together would you help me get down?/ Just PLEASE help me (pleading)

    If I only knew the answer/ If I only knew why I wasn't forgetting! If I change my way of living/ If I forced myself to forget and if I pave my streets with good times/ If I made more good memories (new ones) than bad will the mountain keep on giving?/ Would I continue living on? And if all of our days are numbered/ And If we'll never be together then why do I keep counting? / Why am I still hoping?

    remainder.of.youon October 08, 2006   Link

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

Album art
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version. Great version of a great song,
Album art
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Album art
When We Were Young
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Album art
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
Album art
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it. “I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.