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.
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
Live my life the way I want to
For real, 'cause it's your pain
When you feel it
It's your blood when you bleed it
It's your loss when you lose
Agree or disagree
That's why when you talk it
It's through your own teeth
And when you gota to walk it
It's with your own feet
Remember that when it's your grief
And it's you who feels the heat
Infestation of fleas
People itching to critique
About success, they stress
And sneer at your defeats
Don't need no raised eye-brows
Or looks of disbelief
Fuck all the deceit
That they all got up in 'em
Nobody fights your battles
It's you who gots to win 'em
When you feel everybody
Wants to see you in ruin
Don't pay no nevermind
Keep on doing what you're doing
I'm the one who's gonna have to die
When it's time for them to die
So if you don't like the way I live
You can kiss my ass
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
Live my life the way I want to
They're your boots you gonna stand in
It's your skin that you're stranded
No one else has a hand
In what fate has commanded
It's your soul that is crammed in
And your brain is rammed in
Your life, you have to plan it
No one else will do the program
So imagine, why people
Want in your soap opera, improper
How best friends will
Always try to stop ya
Sit back and relax
In your lazy-boy rocker
Make them the ones to ponder
On how they're gonna stop ya
Well it's a shame
When it's time to pass the blame
You take it frame by frame
When it's time to play the game
And no it's never the same
When it's them that's in the rain
When it's you who gets the cane
It's you who feels the pain
Or the stain
When you are faced down in the grass
So everybody gather around
And raise your glass
'Cause no one's gonna die your death
When it's time to pass
So live like you feel
And tell em to kiss your ass
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
Live my life the way I want to
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
Live my life the way I want to
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
Live my life the way I want to
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
Live my life the way I want to
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
Live my life the way I want to
When it's time for me to die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
Live my life the way I want to
For real, 'cause it's your pain
When you feel it
It's your blood when you bleed it
It's your loss when you lose
Agree or disagree
That's why when you talk it
It's through your own teeth
And when you gota to walk it
It's with your own feet
Remember that when it's your grief
And it's you who feels the heat
Infestation of fleas
People itching to critique
About success, they stress
And sneer at your defeats
Don't need no raised eye-brows
Or looks of disbelief
Fuck all the deceit
That they all got up in 'em
Nobody fights your battles
It's you who gots to win 'em
When you feel everybody
Wants to see you in ruin
Don't pay no nevermind
Keep on doing what you're doing
I'm the one who's gonna have to die
When it's time for them to die
So if you don't like the way I live
You can kiss my ass
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
Live my life the way I want to
They're your boots you gonna stand in
It's your skin that you're stranded
No one else has a hand
In what fate has commanded
It's your soul that is crammed in
And your brain is rammed in
Your life, you have to plan it
No one else will do the program
So imagine, why people
Want in your soap opera, improper
How best friends will
Always try to stop ya
Sit back and relax
In your lazy-boy rocker
Make them the ones to ponder
On how they're gonna stop ya
Well it's a shame
When it's time to pass the blame
You take it frame by frame
When it's time to play the game
And no it's never the same
When it's them that's in the rain
When it's you who gets the cane
It's you who feels the pain
Or the stain
When you are faced down in the grass
So everybody gather around
And raise your glass
'Cause no one's gonna die your death
When it's time to pass
So live like you feel
And tell em to kiss your ass
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
Live my life the way I want to
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
Live my life the way I want to
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
Live my life the way I want to
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
Live my life the way I want to
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
I'm the one who's gonna die
When it's time for me to die
Live my life the way I want to
Lyrics submitted by inverse_paradise
I'm the One Lyrics as written by Randy Clifford Ebright Wideman
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
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.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
How would you describe the feeling of being in love? For Ed Sheeran, the word is “Magical.” in HIS three-minute album opener, he makes an attempt to capture the beauty and delicacy of true love with words. He describes the magic of it all over a bright Pop song produced by Aaron Dessner.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
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.