Everyone who sees it puts their face in the ground
And when nobody's watching, they can tear it all down
Friend or foe? Cause I can be either one
But if they come at me, then they better all run

[Chorus]
The wood's all soaking, so fire won't burn
Now I'd keep talking, but you never learn
The cut's too deep, and so the wound won't heal
You won't keep nothing, you don't keep nothing by keepin' it real

Long-toothed time is marching on as I sing
Just cut me down the middle and count my rings
Can't keep nothing; best to leave it alone
You die naked and they burn up your bones

[Chorus]

What's the point in wishing there was somewhere to go
If when you get there, you can't let anyone know
When my time comes, I won't be leaving this Earth
And what I've done for people will determine my worth

[Chorus: x2]

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Lyrics submitted by carlalsford, edited by andrewxc

Keepin' It Real Lyrics as written by Ed Robertson

Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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Keepin' It Real song meanings

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My Interpretation
I interpret this song as Ed Robertson being more open about his atheist views.

The title, "Keepin' it Real," is a nod to ignoring supernatural notions and focusing on a naturalistic worldview.

"Everyone who sees it puts their face in the ground And when nobody's watching, they can tear it all down Friend or foe? Cause I can be either one But if they come at me, then they better all run"

The first verse notes that atheists ("everyone who sees it," or, those who realize the supernatural isn't true) tend to keep it to themselves and stay quiet ("puts their face in the ground"), but in privacy reject it all and can "tear it all down." Robertson notes that he can be friend or foe to anyone regardless of belief, but will fight back if provoked on the matter.

"Long-toothed time is marching on as I sing Just cut me down the middle and count my rings Can't keep nothing; best to leave it alone You die naked and they burn up your bones"

The second verse acknowledges his aging, and notes that nothing can be kept in the end. The last line is a nod to how temporary you are and how final (and non-glorious) your ending in this life really is.

"What's the point in wishing there was somewhere to go If when you get there, you can't let anyone know When my time comes, I won't be leaving this Earth And what I've done for people will determine my worth"

The third verse and where he gets much less subtle. "...wishing there was somewhere to go" refers to the idea of yearning for an afterlife, and how pointless such an idea is (since you can't tell anyone about it once you're there, and since, because of that fact, we have no proof it even exists). He then notes that he has no illusion of going anywhere else when he dies, and that the value of his life lies in his deeds (not beliefs or anything else).

The chorus lines are unclear to me, but I imagine the fire and the wound might just be two examples of wanting something (like an afterlife), but the facts of reality (wet wood, deep cut) preventing that from happening no matter how much it is wished.

I interpret this song as Ed Robertson being more open about his atheist views. The title, "Keepin' it Real," is a nod to ignoring supernatural notions and focusing on a naturalistic worldview. "Everyone who sees it puts their face in the ground And when nobody's watching, they can tear it all down Friend or foe? Cause I can be either one But if they come at me, then they better all run" The first verse notes that atheists ("everyone who sees it," or, those who realize the supernatural isn't true) tend to keep it to themselves and stay quiet ("puts their face in the ground"), but in privacy reject it all and can "tear it all down." Robertson notes that he can be friend or foe to anyone regardless of belief, but will fight back if provoked on the matter. "Long-toothed time is marching on as I sing Just cut me down the middle and count my rings Can't keep nothing; best to leave it alone You die naked and they burn up your bones" The second verse acknowledges his aging, and notes that nothing can be kept in the end. The last line is a nod to how temporary you are and how final (and non-glorious) your ending in this life really is. "What's the point in wishing there was somewhere to go If when you get there, you can't let anyone know When my time comes, I won't be leaving this Earth And what I've done for people will determine my worth" The third verse and where he gets much less subtle. "...wishing there was somewhere to go" refers to the idea of yearning for an afterlife, and how pointless such an idea is (since you can't tell anyone about it once you're there, and since, because of that fact, we have no proof it even exists). He then notes that he has no illusion of going anywhere else when he dies, and that the value of his life lies in his deeds (not beliefs or anything else). The chorus lines are unclear to me, but I imagine the fire and the wound might just be two examples of wanting something (like an afterlife), but the facts of reality (wet wood, deep cut) preventing that from happening no matter how much it is wished.

Reason:

Browns0286on June 30, 2013 Link
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@Browns0286

I think the first three chorus lines are all ways of saying that someone is not receptive, so there's no point in trying to explain/argue/convince them. Should be familiar to anyone who's ever argued about religion on the Internet :P. <br /> <br /> The last line of the chorus I'm not sure of. Keeping it real usually means not pretending to be something else, but maybe here it means sticking to beliefs without being willing to test or examine them?

oddsockon December 27, 2013