He could've tuned in, tuned in
But he tuned out
A bad time nothing could save him
Alone in a corridor waiting locked out
He got up outta there ran for hundreds of miles
He made it to the ocean, had a smoke in a tree
The wind rose up set him down on his knee

A wave came crashing like a fist to the jaw
Delivered him wings "hey look at me now"
Arms wide open with the sea as his floor
Oh power oh

He's flying
Whole, high wide, oh

He floated back down 'cause he wanted to share
His key to the locks on the chains he saw everywhere
But first he was stripped and then he was stabbed
By faceless men, well, fuckers
He still stands

And he still gives his love, he just gives it away
The love he receives is the love that is saved
And sometimes is seen a strange spot in the sky
A human being that was given to fly

Flying
Oh, oh
High flying
Oh, oh
He's flying
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh


Lyrics submitted by Trent, edited by Mellow_Harsher

Given to Fly Lyrics as written by Mike Mccready Eddie Vedder

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Given to Fly song meanings
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  • +2
    General Comment

    I don't think the song is necessarily about Jesus (or any God figure, for that matter). I think, symbolically, the song is just referring to someone who overcomes whatever obstacles he may be facing. The character in the song was being repressed by his life and he found a way to escape that. He was able to "fly" and be free. And then he was able to see the chains that were everywhere, and wanted people to be free like he was (he was enlightened to the fact that everyone goes through struggles). But people just kept putting him down and rejecting him (that would be the "faceless" people). And so now all that is seen of him is this "spot in the sky"... A figure that seems so high above them, so free. Something they can only admire from afar, because they aren't there with him. I'm not sure how to explain it. It's kind of like a legend, a thing that no one believes can really happen. Can they really break free like he did?

    I can see where people make the connection to a God-like figure... People often say that until they found Jesus, they had never really been happy. They had never been "free".

    AboveThePainon December 08, 2009   Link

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