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.
Set out to find a love, to live a life
To stay awake and clean and pure and never allow the burdens
And excess of this place to harm you
Like all the rest of those sent here before you
But somehow, somewhere along the way
A scar was sown inside of you
And you thought it was an isolated thing until
Life pushed on and you noticed that the scars were too many
To count and let go because hate is part of you
So what happened to the innocent face you once knew?
Now it's just a reflection of this place
And you pray and bed that someday you'd escape
What if I told you that you didn't have to stay?
What if I told you that peace is real?
What if you heard that there was a better way?
Would you come home if you knew the way?
To stay awake and clean and pure and never allow the burdens
And excess of this place to harm you
Like all the rest of those sent here before you
But somehow, somewhere along the way
A scar was sown inside of you
And you thought it was an isolated thing until
Life pushed on and you noticed that the scars were too many
To count and let go because hate is part of you
So what happened to the innocent face you once knew?
Now it's just a reflection of this place
And you pray and bed that someday you'd escape
What if I told you that you didn't have to stay?
What if I told you that peace is real?
What if you heard that there was a better way?
Would you come home if you knew the way?
Lyrics submitted by joshbert13
Twenty-Three Lyrics as written by Andrew Schwab Alexander Albert
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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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,
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Apparently it's called Twenty-Three because it's their 23rd song (if you include "Numb", which was on a compilation CD).
This seems fairly obvious, yet it is hard to pin down just what specifically it is about. I see it as describing the life of anyone ever born. You think you can do it better than all of the rest could (that you can succeed where they failed), but the truth is you can't. But you don't have to stay like that, for God is the way.
I think this song is about living. set out to find a love to live a life. means to be born spiritually and basically live a life through christ. then it goes on to say you try to live a clean and pure life but temptations of this world grab a hold of you and you don't think its that bad until you start seeign how much you've changed then you just want to get away from it all but you don't know where to go. hence the questions at the end.
Well, I hope this prompts more people to comment. Project 86 is one of the most creative, intelligent, poetic "Christian" bands out there. I put quotations around the word Christian to express the fact that while they are Christian, they don't want to be viewed--and shouldn't be viewed--as either a "secular" band or a "Christian" band. They're merely a band--musical artists like anyone else--whose lyrics and express their views and beliefs who they are. And since they're Christians, their music is of course gonna come from a Christian standpoint. All that said, I've yet to come up with an opinion of what this song is about. Perhaps later. But keep the comments coming, people!
the song sounds like a story about someone (duh). but yea, i totally agree with you with what you said about the "christian" and "secular" band comment.
reason for it being called 23..... not so sure