Moving does not always have to be a physical motion; while that seems to be implied within the chorus, I think that it has a double-meaning in being representative of a "moving forward" aspect / mindset. It's clear that there is a conflict of some sort within the song, and the only way to get past an obstacle or hindrance in one's way is to do just that - move forward, don't give up even if life itself is putting daunting challenges in your way.
There is a lot of movement presented in the song, not just the idea of moving forward. "Stop, look, listen to my voice" shows that we could be moving in the wrong direction, and need to readjust our course to the correct destination. "Back up, you don't know if you've never been here" reinforces this, that maybe we are moving too quickly, and need to take a step back to get our bearings, and take a closer look at the scenario, and think deeper than merely plowing straight on ahead with little thought or consideration.
Whatever the case, it seems like stopping completely, halting in progression, or not achieving growth is the last advised action - "Either move or we will all be destroyed." Move - if you need to move forward, move on, let go, then do so. Move - if you need to change direction, then do so. But whatever you do, don't stay at an area where you are ceasing to move. If you fail to move, you fail to keep up with time itself; for time itself implies change, and ever-constant flow that everything in this world is caught up in. If a child refuses to grow up, they will never mature, and learn, and become better. If a person refuses to stop holding onto the past, and look to the future, and what may lie ahead, they will never get anywhere in their life, save for regret and clinging to broken memories of a time no longer current. Life itself is the ebb and flow of this very process of moving; a constant fluctuation.
"When you step into the circle and shake like we do" - Here, I think that the circle represents that flow of life. When you make the choice to move forward with the rest of time, you are putting your voice out there, putting yourself out there to be heard, and to influence others, and to allow them to influence you in turn, in the grand scheme of everything that is interconnected to each other.
"Move when you just can't take it / And move if you just feel like breaking it." Even if you feel lost and cannot see your future, don't lose hope, or give up, or fall victim to a static existence of never-changing. Whether you despair, or are consumed in anger, keep moving forward, keep striving to improve, to be the best you can be, even though it's a difficult and daunting path, and sometimes seems easier to give up rather than continue.
Now - that having been said, I want to discuss an even deeper meaning that I see in this song beyond just this idea of moving. I feel that it is addressing both an overall, general theme, and then something more specific. Let us take a look at these lines, for instance -
"Can you hear me?
Stop, look, listen to my voice,
It was never my choice to feel all alone.
This is my home.
Back up, you don't know if you've never been here,
You've never been to the place inside,
I face my fears.
It takes everything I am."
Can you hear me? If you can't, you're plowing ahead too quickly. Slow down, and think for a moment, and actually look - truly look - and listen. Don't presume to know something that you do not... which includes the motives and choices of another individual. Do you know their circumstance? Do you know what's going on in their lives? If you don't, don't assume - it is best to never assume. The singer clearly states that he feels lonely, but not by choice - therefore, it is expressing that some kind of outside influence is the cause of this feeling. The fact that "This is my home" is the very next line leads me to believe this is tied to a familial issue of some sort - occurring within his home. It's what he knows, and was born into, and cannot change, is out of his control.
You don't know if you've never been here... you cannot fathom or empathize if you have not experienced it for yourself. What, then, is the speaker referring to? You've never been to the place inside... where his feelings are, the core of his being, everything that he is made of, it takes everything, all of this, to face the fear and loneliness he is expressing within the song. You cannot know what he is going through, he says, if you have not been in the same situation.
Now, assuming this is on familial ground, it could be a relationship problem. I do not think, however, that it is what probably first comes to mind - the usual problems of a girlfriend or boyfriend, or whatever may be their love interest. No, because that is something done by choice, and it was already mentioned it was "never my choice to feel all alone." One could argue it is the case of the love interesting leaving or "dumping" the singer, but to me, that rings false, and it will become more apparent as to why the more I explain.
If it is a fear that takes everything that he is to face it, it is a deeply rooted fear. If this was a love interest relationship problem, the only way it could be deeply rooted is if the love interest in question was in a long-standing relationship with the individual. Either that, or hurt the singer in such a way that it touched on something more personal - but even if that was the case, it is not the relationship itself, but another source, that is the cause of this fear and loneliness. So what, then, would another familial issue be that is the most likely?
A family often comes to mind the ideal scenario of two parents and their children, in a picture-perfect scene where everything is fine and open as it should be. However, with divorce cropping up so common nowadays, this ideal family isn't one that is experienced often at all anymore - it is so much more common for someone to grow up in a dysfunctional household, of which I am sure many of you, myself included, can relate to. Now, a dysfunctional household can range in a variety of problems, but many of them stem from the parents themselves. After all, if a parent does not care and love their children as they should, how can that child ever feel truly loved and accepted in their home, if it is quality lacking? There are problematic children, for sure, but why do problems spring up on the first place? If everything went as it should - where a child feels loved, with a healthy relationship with his or her parents - there is not much cause for unhappiness, because that is where the issues begin to occur, is the lack thereof.
"It was never my choice to feel all alone... this is my home..." Imagine that, within your own home - the very place you should be the most accepted for who you are, you are not. That instead, you feel rejected and unloved - that wasn't your choice. Nor is it your fault. In a familial scenario especially, it would only amplify the feeling of being alone. Why would you feel "alone" or unaccepted in a location that you were not supposed to belong in the first place? It is what you should expect - whereas, if it does not meet the expectations, that is when there is a lack.
Let's take this concept a step further. Perhaps there isn't just a "lack of feeling accepted," but literally, the opposite of love - hatred. Violence. Physical abuse, even. Would that... not be a thing to fear? "You've never been to the place inside, I face my fears, it takes everything I am." That would be so much more of a deeply rooted problem, that it takes literally who you are - the essence of the memories and the experiences you've shared in your lifetime, that is who you are, and it takes all of that to overcome. Does that not make more sense?
"I come crashing to the floor / And I know there must be more like me..." This could be a metaphorical fall, but thus far we've had some fairly specific concepts - a familial issue at the heart of it. I think that these lines within the song could also be taken literally. Crashing to the floor brings to mind a very specific, physical scenario of a heavily-induced collision with a hard object / impact. Again, there could be a metaphorical meaning to that, but what if the singer actually means it in the very true sense of what it expresses? For me, the scenario of a child being physically abused by their parent comes to mind. That surely, they are not alone in experiencing such uncalled for cruelty.
"I've seen this all before, I can't carry this anymore, break free." I've seen it all before - I've seen too many cases of this happening - and I cannot bear to watch it happen to yet another person, is what this seems to be saying. That the singer expresses empathy for those going through the very same scenario that he himself has had to deal with. Now, I don't know the actual history of said singer, again, merely trying to express a possible meaning to this song, one of many.
"Breath, and leave until the storm is over." A storm is something we have no control over, and must simply wait it out. You have no control over the actions of, say, your parent deciding to inflict violence on your person. A storm also gives a very good impression of a raging, uncontrollable, angry factor - something that dwarfs you in its might and power - and the idea of a parent, much stronger than the child, still comes to mind. Breathing implies movement; you're still alive, no matter what is happening. You are still breathing. Do not lose hope.
" 'Cause underneath, there's a diamond passing over" - a diamond is a gemstone, a valuable material, something that we place worth on. There is a phrase that states gold is purified by flame, and it means that we become better for the trials and challenges that life puts in our path, that we learn to overcome, move forward, grow stronger, learn from our mistakes and experiences. Underneath implies "within" or beyond the surface of something - could that not be referring to "within yourself"? A diamond is passing over - within yourself, you will grow stronger for overcoming this, and surviving, and not breaking / crumbling under the pressure of the scenario set before you.
"Because I want to take you away" is a given. The singer wishes to save everyone from this same predicament that he himself has faced, now that he has overcome it himself, and grown, and survived. And so, because he cannot intervene in every situation, tells us to move, to have hope, to not give up despite it all. It is essentially meant to be an incredibly encouraging song, specific meaning or no. And with that, I conclude my obnoxiously long post on the interpretation of these lyrics.
Moving does not always have to be a physical motion; while that seems to be implied within the chorus, I think that it has a double-meaning in being representative of a "moving forward" aspect / mindset. It's clear that there is a conflict of some sort within the song, and the only way to get past an obstacle or hindrance in one's way is to do just that - move forward, don't give up even if life itself is putting daunting challenges in your way.
There is a lot of movement presented in the song, not just the idea of moving forward. "Stop, look, listen to my voice" shows that we could be moving in the wrong direction, and need to readjust our course to the correct destination. "Back up, you don't know if you've never been here" reinforces this, that maybe we are moving too quickly, and need to take a step back to get our bearings, and take a closer look at the scenario, and think deeper than merely plowing straight on ahead with little thought or consideration.
Whatever the case, it seems like stopping completely, halting in progression, or not achieving growth is the last advised action - "Either move or we will all be destroyed." Move - if you need to move forward, move on, let go, then do so. Move - if you need to change direction, then do so. But whatever you do, don't stay at an area where you are ceasing to move. If you fail to move, you fail to keep up with time itself; for time itself implies change, and ever-constant flow that everything in this world is caught up in. If a child refuses to grow up, they will never mature, and learn, and become better. If a person refuses to stop holding onto the past, and look to the future, and what may lie ahead, they will never get anywhere in their life, save for regret and clinging to broken memories of a time no longer current. Life itself is the ebb and flow of this very process of moving; a constant fluctuation.
"When you step into the circle and shake like we do" - Here, I think that the circle represents that flow of life. When you make the choice to move forward with the rest of time, you are putting your voice out there, putting yourself out there to be heard, and to influence others, and to allow them to influence you in turn, in the grand scheme of everything that is interconnected to each other.
"Move when you just can't take it / And move if you just feel like breaking it." Even if you feel lost and cannot see your future, don't lose hope, or give up, or fall victim to a static existence of never-changing. Whether you despair, or are consumed in anger, keep moving forward, keep striving to improve, to be the best you can be, even though it's a difficult and daunting path, and sometimes seems easier to give up rather than continue.
Now - that having been said, I want to discuss an even deeper meaning that I see in this song beyond just this idea of moving. I feel that it is addressing both an overall, general theme, and then something more specific. Let us take a look at these lines, for instance -
"Can you hear me? Stop, look, listen to my voice, It was never my choice to feel all alone. This is my home. Back up, you don't know if you've never been here, You've never been to the place inside, I face my fears. It takes everything I am."
Can you hear me? If you can't, you're plowing ahead too quickly. Slow down, and think for a moment, and actually look - truly look - and listen. Don't presume to know something that you do not... which includes the motives and choices of another individual. Do you know their circumstance? Do you know what's going on in their lives? If you don't, don't assume - it is best to never assume. The singer clearly states that he feels lonely, but not by choice - therefore, it is expressing that some kind of outside influence is the cause of this feeling. The fact that "This is my home" is the very next line leads me to believe this is tied to a familial issue of some sort - occurring within his home. It's what he knows, and was born into, and cannot change, is out of his control.
You don't know if you've never been here... you cannot fathom or empathize if you have not experienced it for yourself. What, then, is the speaker referring to? You've never been to the place inside... where his feelings are, the core of his being, everything that he is made of, it takes everything, all of this, to face the fear and loneliness he is expressing within the song. You cannot know what he is going through, he says, if you have not been in the same situation.
Now, assuming this is on familial ground, it could be a relationship problem. I do not think, however, that it is what probably first comes to mind - the usual problems of a girlfriend or boyfriend, or whatever may be their love interest. No, because that is something done by choice, and it was already mentioned it was "never my choice to feel all alone." One could argue it is the case of the love interesting leaving or "dumping" the singer, but to me, that rings false, and it will become more apparent as to why the more I explain.
If it is a fear that takes everything that he is to face it, it is a deeply rooted fear. If this was a love interest relationship problem, the only way it could be deeply rooted is if the love interest in question was in a long-standing relationship with the individual. Either that, or hurt the singer in such a way that it touched on something more personal - but even if that was the case, it is not the relationship itself, but another source, that is the cause of this fear and loneliness. So what, then, would another familial issue be that is the most likely?
A family often comes to mind the ideal scenario of two parents and their children, in a picture-perfect scene where everything is fine and open as it should be. However, with divorce cropping up so common nowadays, this ideal family isn't one that is experienced often at all anymore - it is so much more common for someone to grow up in a dysfunctional household, of which I am sure many of you, myself included, can relate to. Now, a dysfunctional household can range in a variety of problems, but many of them stem from the parents themselves. After all, if a parent does not care and love their children as they should, how can that child ever feel truly loved and accepted in their home, if it is quality lacking? There are problematic children, for sure, but why do problems spring up on the first place? If everything went as it should - where a child feels loved, with a healthy relationship with his or her parents - there is not much cause for unhappiness, because that is where the issues begin to occur, is the lack thereof.
"It was never my choice to feel all alone... this is my home..." Imagine that, within your own home - the very place you should be the most accepted for who you are, you are not. That instead, you feel rejected and unloved - that wasn't your choice. Nor is it your fault. In a familial scenario especially, it would only amplify the feeling of being alone. Why would you feel "alone" or unaccepted in a location that you were not supposed to belong in the first place? It is what you should expect - whereas, if it does not meet the expectations, that is when there is a lack.
Let's take this concept a step further. Perhaps there isn't just a "lack of feeling accepted," but literally, the opposite of love - hatred. Violence. Physical abuse, even. Would that... not be a thing to fear? "You've never been to the place inside, I face my fears, it takes everything I am." That would be so much more of a deeply rooted problem, that it takes literally who you are - the essence of the memories and the experiences you've shared in your lifetime, that is who you are, and it takes all of that to overcome. Does that not make more sense?
"I come crashing to the floor / And I know there must be more like me..." This could be a metaphorical fall, but thus far we've had some fairly specific concepts - a familial issue at the heart of it. I think that these lines within the song could also be taken literally. Crashing to the floor brings to mind a very specific, physical scenario of a heavily-induced collision with a hard object / impact. Again, there could be a metaphorical meaning to that, but what if the singer actually means it in the very true sense of what it expresses? For me, the scenario of a child being physically abused by their parent comes to mind. That surely, they are not alone in experiencing such uncalled for cruelty.
"I've seen this all before, I can't carry this anymore, break free." I've seen it all before - I've seen too many cases of this happening - and I cannot bear to watch it happen to yet another person, is what this seems to be saying. That the singer expresses empathy for those going through the very same scenario that he himself has had to deal with. Now, I don't know the actual history of said singer, again, merely trying to express a possible meaning to this song, one of many.
"Breath, and leave until the storm is over." A storm is something we have no control over, and must simply wait it out. You have no control over the actions of, say, your parent deciding to inflict violence on your person. A storm also gives a very good impression of a raging, uncontrollable, angry factor - something that dwarfs you in its might and power - and the idea of a parent, much stronger than the child, still comes to mind. Breathing implies movement; you're still alive, no matter what is happening. You are still breathing. Do not lose hope.
" 'Cause underneath, there's a diamond passing over" - a diamond is a gemstone, a valuable material, something that we place worth on. There is a phrase that states gold is purified by flame, and it means that we become better for the trials and challenges that life puts in our path, that we learn to overcome, move forward, grow stronger, learn from our mistakes and experiences. Underneath implies "within" or beyond the surface of something - could that not be referring to "within yourself"? A diamond is passing over - within yourself, you will grow stronger for overcoming this, and surviving, and not breaking / crumbling under the pressure of the scenario set before you.
"Because I want to take you away" is a given. The singer wishes to save everyone from this same predicament that he himself has faced, now that he has overcome it himself, and grown, and survived. And so, because he cannot intervene in every situation, tells us to move, to have hope, to not give up despite it all. It is essentially meant to be an incredibly encouraging song, specific meaning or no. And with that, I conclude my obnoxiously long post on the interpretation of these lyrics.