Hope when you take that jump
You don't fear the fall
Hope when the water rises
You built a wall
Hope when the crowd screams out
It's screaming your name
Hope if everybody runs
You choose to stay

I hope that you fall in love
And it hurts so bad, yeah
The only way you can know
You give it all you have
And I hope that you don't suffer
But take the pain
Hope when the moment comes
You'll say

I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second
That this world could give
I saw so many places
The things that I did
Yeah, with every broken bone
I swear I lived

Hope that you spend your days
But they all add up
Mm, and when that sun goes down
Hope you raise your cup, oh
I wish that I could witness
All your joy and all your pain
But until my moment comes
I'll say

I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second
That this world could give
I saw so many places
The things that I did
Yeah, with every broken bone
I swear I lived

(With every broken bone)
I swear I lived
(With every broken bone)
I swear I

I, I did it all
I, I did it all
I owned every second
That this world could give
I saw so many places
The things that I did
Yeah, with every broken bone
I swear I lived
I swear I lived


Lyrics submitted by SongMeanings, edited by zackfairthepuppy

I Lived Lyrics as written by Ryan B. Tedder Noel Patrick Zancanella

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

I Lived song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

9 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +4
    General Comment

    I may be taking this too seriously, but to me it sounds like going through life's ups and downs, and surviving it through every broken bone. If you stay your whole life sheltered, you won't be able to do it all, but to go out there you need to prepare yourself for the pain and heartbreak, but also the joys. "Hope that you fall in love And it hurts so bad The only way you can know Is give it all you have And I hope that you don't suffer But take the pain" This means that you need to be prepared to lose the love of your life, or something/someone very important. If you can't survive through the downs of life, then you won't be able to say: "I, I did it all I, I did it all I owned every second That this world could give I saw so many places The things that I did With every broken bone I swear I lived"

    This song has gotten me through a lot, I want to be able to say "I lived."

    Julia200012on January 31, 2014   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    this song changed my lifestyle! :)

    Eghbalion January 27, 2014   Link
  • +2
    General Comment

    this song changed my lifestyle! :)

    Eghbalion January 27, 2014   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    I think this song is about living our life to the fullest. The first verse is about his hope for someone he loves, could be his lover, best friend, or someone important to him to stay strong whatever happen in life, though heart might be broken, pain might comes.

    The second verse emphasizes that he could be with his significant other to see, to feel every happiness, every sadness together all the time, even though that is impossible, because each people have their own part of life, and only some time that fate makes their life intertwined.

    The bridge to the chorus which says: "Hope when the/my moment comes you/I say, I, I did it all"

    is talking about the final second of our life. He hopes that in the final second of their life, when they are about to die, they will not regret any single thing in life, and feels that they have lived his life to the fullest, no matter how hard the life is.

    Gilangon April 13, 2014   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    WOW this is a beautiful song!

    I believe it's a father telling his son all the wonders of life and explaining the true meaning to be alive and living every moment challenging yourself! The father is teaching his son about all the mistakes he did in his life, and everything he encountered, the good, bad and the ugly. It's about finding your inner desire. Finding truth in your existence! Finding true passion in your life. Knowing the difference between true happiness and excitement. Falling in love and treating her like a princess! It's playing your cards, and not holding back. Sounds like a cliché but this song gives me Goosebumps, hits a nerve every time! It's easy to live a mundane life and not be challenged! There will be obstacles, pain, suffering in life, but these aspects will define your character. So when it get's tough you don't quit, you press forward. The father hasn't got long to live so he's expressing everything he knows, and want's him to have a great life, like he did :)

    Hoping you take that jump But don't fear the fall (Challenge yourself everyday and eventually you'll eventually not fear it. Practise makes perfect)

    Hope when the water rises You built a wall (Never take the easy road, embrace the challenge and do the unthinkable)

    Hoping the crowd screams out Screaming your name (Have a lot of friends but they have the same values as you. Friends that will stand beside and admire you)

    Hope if everybody runs You choose to stay (I love this line! Don't follow the crowd, be independent and take your own path. Follow your own passion and no one else's)

    Hope that you fall in love And it hurts so bad (Enjoy the beauty of life which is love, passion, hurt, ect but he's saying enjoy the bad feelings as well, it's what make us human)

    The only way you can know Is give it all you have (Be grounded and face it at %100 Don't have regrets)

    And I hope that you don't suffer But take the pain (You will encounter suffering in your life but embrace the pain...it's what makes us human. Also you will make mistakes, but don't blame it on others)

    Hope when the moment comes you say

    I, I did it all I, I did it all I owned every second That this world could give I saw so many places The things that I did With every broken bone I swear I lived

    (His father is telling him, I hope you'll say these words later in your life before you die)

    Hope that you spend your days But they all add up (Everyday was a step in the right direction)

    And when that sun goes down Hope you raise your cup (Respect every day if it was your last day. Embrace the beauty around you)

    I wish that I could witness All your joy and all your pain (I wish I could watch you grow up :(

    But until my moment comes I'll say

    I, I did it all I, I did it all I owned every second That this world could give I saw so many places And things that I did With every broken bone I swear I lived

    (His father is telling him he'd lived a great life and I've got no doubts)

    With every broken bone I swear I lived With every broken bone I swear I lived

    (Reminding him it's good to have scars and every challenge will make you stronger)

    I, I did it all I, I did it all I owned every second That this world could give I saw so many places And things that I did girl With every broken bone I swear I lived

    limpbizkiton October 15, 2016   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song changed my lifestyle! :)

    Eghbalion January 27, 2014   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    well im poating from glasgow in Scotland. ...

    the song - I lived this song is amazing brought a tear to my eye its so true what this young boy says about having cf ... I have cf aswell .. knowing u have this illness slowly getting to you is very hard to accept I struggle to accept my illness and I have never admitted to this until now ..the thing is its not like cancer or anything like that .. cf cannot be cured theres a new tablet out now called kyldeco and it dosent cure my illness its just helps you live longer or put a few years on now .. I was born with and was always told by my doctor its bad asthma. . then when I was 3 I was diagnosed with having cf .. iam in and out hospital on a regular basis getting iv antibiotics. . I mean its not the hardest thing to live with but at times not the easiest either ... I try to live my life to the fullest and now after this song I will try harder knowing now peopleare aware of this illness .. when I was at scholl I wanted to be like ( normal) like every1 else ... I missed alot of school due to being sick and in hospital alot ... not in as often now because they can try new medication now .... butt yehh heres to life ???????? xx

    stephanieeKennyon October 07, 2014   Link
  • 0
    Song Fact

    Tedder noted that he wrote the song for his four-year-old son. In an interview with People magazine, he said, "The whole idea, to quote the late great Robin Williams from Dead Poets Society, is very much 'carpe diem'." He said that "it's absolutely universal and applicable to everybody." Regarding the lyric "With every broken bone, I swear I live," Tedder said, "So for every day that you're on this earth, for every minute that you have, the whole idea is doing nothing less than exactly what you feel you're supposed to do and squeezing every last drop out of life every day, regardless of the difficulties or trials that you face."

    renatomedeiroson January 27, 2015   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation

    I personally see it slightly different to others, for me it's a broken hearted person wishing the best for his ex... All the feelings he felt while in that relationship which she couldn't reciprocate..

    "Hoping you take that jump But don't fear the fall (the way he fell in the end) "Hope if everybody runs You choose to stay (the way she did not stay with him through adversity) "Hope that you fall in love And it hurts so bad The only way you can know Is give it all you have And I hope that you don't suffer But take the pain (just like how he did when he was with her).

    Maybe i'm trying to relate this song with my own personal experience :)

    shrimmyboyon August 02, 2016   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
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him. There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Album art
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Album art
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
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”
Album art
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
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.
Album art
Magical
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.