In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
Sweet life I know
How we give it all
Hold me up
Hold me up into the sun and watch me burn
Come undone
It can come apart when everything seems lost
Its insane
How I try to find what to believe in
Its a mad life that we know
Won't give it up with the beauty all around
Its a mad life that we know
Still we give it all
Hold me up
When I try to give and all I get is hurt
Its okay
That I feel faded today
And lord I know
That I can find some peace
In this world
In this world
Its a mad life that we know
Still inside is beauty all around
Its a mad life that we know
Will we give it all away
Sweet life I know
Will it fade away
Sweet life I know
Can we give enough before we come undone
Before we come undone
I'm waiting for the love to come around
And save us from ourselves
Its a mad life that we know
Can I see only beauty all around
Its a mad life that we know
Still we give it all
See the pain and beauty all around
See it try so hard to take me down
Hold me up into the sun and watch me burn and watch me heal
How I need someone to know that I feel faded today
How we give it all
Hold me up
Hold me up into the sun and watch me burn
Come undone
It can come apart when everything seems lost
Its insane
How I try to find what to believe in
Its a mad life that we know
Won't give it up with the beauty all around
Its a mad life that we know
Still we give it all
Hold me up
When I try to give and all I get is hurt
Its okay
That I feel faded today
And lord I know
That I can find some peace
In this world
In this world
Its a mad life that we know
Still inside is beauty all around
Its a mad life that we know
Will we give it all away
Sweet life I know
Will it fade away
Sweet life I know
Can we give enough before we come undone
Before we come undone
I'm waiting for the love to come around
And save us from ourselves
Its a mad life that we know
Can I see only beauty all around
Its a mad life that we know
Still we give it all
See the pain and beauty all around
See it try so hard to take me down
Hold me up into the sun and watch me burn and watch me heal
How I need someone to know that I feel faded today
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Silentsailor, while I understand the sentiment of gratitude regardless of good or bad, I think that philosophy is extremely dangerous and often just makes for what has been called "anesthetized egos."
Even the lyrics here talks about GIVING, from what I've seen this kind of hip modern spiritual philosophy tends to have people NOT be concerned about that. Not to be preachy about that but it IS a part of the meaning of the song, and I've just seen way too much of it.
The angst expressed here is clearly over whether we can "give enough" and the frustration that results in "feeling faded" and the question of whether we can give enough before we come undone. In contrast to this kind of living in the moment and being grateful for the experience kind of philosophy, it is active and not so passive, it is concerned about others and not just your own experience.
Besides, that kind of appreciate the experience of life as if you're a bystander IS a belief - and the song very clearly says in the beginning that it's insane how we try to find what to believe in. It's a fairly simple point and has some truth to it, but the people who are into it latch on to it and repeat it far too often when the situation (which is always different) calls for something specific to THAT moment. All the people that preach this kind of understanding of the "be here now" philosophy can learn a lot just from this song.