I got myself a new axe
For chopping all this wood that's
Goin' in that fire
It's gonna keep us warm tonight
Tonight
Tonight

It's cold out that window
There's cards on this table
The kids are making magic and
Only thing that matters tonight
Is tonight
Is tonight

And all our loved ones all around us
All our loved ones watching down on us
On us

It's warm in that window
I'm outside in the morning glow
And just before the sunrise
Morning bird sings a song
Just for the light
For the light
For the light
For the light
For the light
For the light

And all our loved ones all around us
All our loved ones watching down on us
On us


Lyrics submitted by omoyaw

New Axe Lyrics as written by Jack Johnson

Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

The News song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

60 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +1
    Song Meaning

    its 'diegetic'. and he didn't make it up. diegesis is a film term, and it means a narration or recitation, as opposed to the action taking place.

    i guess what jack johnson means when he says 'the diegetic world is so unclear' is that events dont really have meaning until they are represented/reported. it's not about the actual events, but the way theyre delivered, which makes sense since hes talking about newscasters.

    diamondprincss02on May 14, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is so sad...but it is so true.

    metina808on April 18, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "Why don't the newscasters cry when they read about people who die" ---- good question. why does it seem like all news is bad news.

    SpecialKon May 04, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    so true. it seems that theres no good news today. i mean all thats on the news is murders, car wrecks, war, and the list goes on. whats happening to the world? is there no more good news to report?i dunno. but its all screwed. zach

    dispatchrockson May 12, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    ya'll are only scratching the surface... there is truth in ya'lls statments, but this song goes so much deeper. its a critique of not only the newscasters but all people. we dismiss what we see on the news off hand, we hardly notice when death is reported. I have a question though, does anyone know what diagetic mean?

    pablo_joe_jingyon May 16, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i have come to the conclusion that jack johnson made up the word diagetic. i looked in two dictionaries. lol but anyhoo... pablo- you are SO right. i love the line at the end "why don't the newscasters cry when they read about people who die? at least they could be decent enough to put just a tear in their eye" it's SO powerful when he sings it. sometimes i just skip to that part of the song cause it's so amazing. i think everyone should hear that line because it's kind of a slap in the face when he sings it. it makes ya go yeah why not? jack is a genious (except for the diagetic part).

    pomegranatesROCKon May 26, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    From the internet: DIAGETIC sound: Sound that is produced by the narrative such as dialogue, as opposed to non-diagetic sound such as background mood music

    BigEdon June 12, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Diagetic / Diegetic - As a follow up to BigEd's comment, a good resource would be the following site: ncte.org/lists/ncte-talk/mar99/msg02034.html. It's just another example of Jack's film background.

    t-dub22on June 13, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i think that this is a great song. it has a lot of meaning in it. i dont get it either, y dont the newscasters cry when they read about people who die? even on 9.11.01 i didnt see 1 crying, i even cryed.

    IlOvEjAcKjOhNsOnon June 30, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i really liked this song because my whole life i've hated the news since it's just so depressing. it's always bothered me how all the stories are so sickening, and i feel like jack johson understands that too. i think it's great that he made a point to write a song about what the world has come to, because it is a really interesting and important subject.

    kmb13on July 09, 2002   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
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
Mountain Song
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."
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
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example: "'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
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.