This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Give me a word
Give me a sign
Show me where to look
Tell me what will I find (What will I find?)
Lay me on the ground
Fly me in the sky
Show me where to look
Tell me what will I find (What will I find?)
Chorus
Yeah, yeah, yea
Oh, Heaven let your light shine down (x4)
Love is in the water
Love is in the air
Show me where to look
Tell me will love be there (Will love be there?)
Teach me how to speak
Teach me how to share
Teach me where to go
Tell me will love be there (Will love be there?)
Chorus
(Amazing Guitar Solo)
Give me a word
Give me a sign
Show me where to look
Tell me what will I find (What will I find?)
Lay me on the ground
Fly me in the sky
Show me where to look
Tell me what will I find (What will I find?)
Chorus
I'm going to let it shine (x2)
Heaven's little light gonna shine on me
Yeah yeah
Heaven's little light gonna shine on me
Shine, shine on me
Shine, come on and shine
Give me a sign
Show me where to look
Tell me what will I find (What will I find?)
Lay me on the ground
Fly me in the sky
Show me where to look
Tell me what will I find (What will I find?)
Chorus
Yeah, yeah, yea
Oh, Heaven let your light shine down (x4)
Love is in the water
Love is in the air
Show me where to look
Tell me will love be there (Will love be there?)
Teach me how to speak
Teach me how to share
Teach me where to go
Tell me will love be there (Will love be there?)
Chorus
(Amazing Guitar Solo)
Give me a word
Give me a sign
Show me where to look
Tell me what will I find (What will I find?)
Lay me on the ground
Fly me in the sky
Show me where to look
Tell me what will I find (What will I find?)
Chorus
I'm going to let it shine (x2)
Heaven's little light gonna shine on me
Yeah yeah
Heaven's little light gonna shine on me
Shine, shine on me
Shine, come on and shine
Lyrics submitted by Demau Senae, edited by Groot
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The Night We Met
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@[Diderik:33655] "Your a holiday!" Was a popular term used in the 50s/60s to compliment someone on their all around. For example, not only are they beautiful, but they are fun and kind too ... just an all around "holiday".
I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
Mountain Song
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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."
I Can't Go To Sleep
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Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
No Surprises
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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.
This song is about finding guidance. Looking for love in the world, asking where to find it, and ultimately finding that love in God from heaven above. And when you do find it, Heaven's light shines down. My whole life i listened to Collective Soul, but only as a recently saved Christian do i realize what alot of their songs are about. Great song by a great band.
Btw, i have to say this song has an absolutely amazing solo in it. To me, there are alot of songs with rather simple guitar in it, and this was the guitarist having his chance to show the amount of talent he truly has. never seen them live myself, but my dad said they were the best live show with the best sound of any band he'd ever seen.
Good post, and ditto on the guitar solo.
@Jimbrown AMEN brother in Christ!! You nailed it. We will never find true guidance or satisfaction from this world... that comes only from our Heavenly Father:)
I hate to think a song this awesome is religious. I kinda saw it as being a searching song... maybe trying to find beauty in a world that doesnt always let it's light shine... or hoping that someone would let their light shine... maybe finding beauty in nature?
@Tig45 <br /> <br /> It's religious. :o) Let it shine.
@Tig45 <br /> <br /> It's religious. :o) Let it shine.
@Tig45 <br /> <br /> It's religious. :o) Let it shine.
@Tig45 Why would you hate to think this song is about God and heaven???!!! Hate is a very strong word. Since when, and why, do people hate on God? Because someone they loved died, or perhaps something bad happened to you? We all die. All of us. Whether young or old. That’s the only guarantee in this world. Do you honestly think that when we die, we cease to exist?! I’m a Christian so I believe the Bible and God and Jesus. That is the only hope I have done here. It’s very, extremely comforting to believe that when I die, my ETERNITY is in heaven with God! So if I’m wrong, and we just stay under ground for ever and ever, at least I lived my life with hopes that o would’ve skeet all eternity with God. I will have lost absolutely nothing. But, buuuut, what if God does exist? And heaven? Do people really want to risk their afterlife by not believing in Him??!! I will never understand why millions, billions, of people risk eternity. Makes me very sad.
Seem pretty accurate to me, but instead of cussing like an idiot, you could try posting corrections.
I thought I heard that the boy who shot people at Virginia Tech and then took his own life listened to this song a lot...
He did. Perhaps he was looking for something he couldn't find. He didn't know what to do, where to go, to find fulfillment. He didn't know how to give/receive love. He didn't know how to feel the way he should be feeling. He didn't know how to bond, how to join. There was a disconnect between himself and others and it grew and grew and grew until he exploded with rage. It is a very sad thing. What a beautiful insight, though, into his world.
i agree with wezer1007. i think this is collective soul's best song overall. the sing sounds so musically beautiful and it works so well. collective soul are a very good band, i don't think enough people realize that. a shame, really.
Yeah, way to give new meaning to the song.
Why did Cho's roommates call it "Shine down" multiple times?
I feel its about someone who is dying or has died... and their scared, and asking, what will I find...will love be there, give me sign, show me where to look..heaven let your light shine down.. This is my all time fav song, and is in my will to be played at my funeral.
What a guitar riff in this song. Its definitely has christian lyrics to a point in it. But religion aside this song is all about shining yourself into the world. Everyone has a look, a voice, thoughts, and a opinion. Its about sharing that with the world. We have too many people my age who dont let their light shine.
Heard this song on the radio today, and the lyrics broke my heart, in light of what's going on with Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370.