And it's too late to leave this life behind
Everybody's speaking using words they can't define
And it's not my choice but I embrace it nonetheless
You brag of your indecency like a monkey beats its chest
You brag of your indecency like a monkey beats its chest

And I don't care who you are or what you've done
Everybody equals out when all the songs are sung
We will sing them loud and we will sing them until we pass
You're shattering our innocence like a bullet through a glass
You're shattering our innocence like a bullet through a glass

So hey: I don't care if you go now or if you stay
Oh your back is bleeding, you're bleeding on me
That'll be the day when the sun falls down
The angels may weep but I'll hear no sounds but hey

I take that back I won't stop singing when I'm dead
I'll sing from the great beyond, I will echo in your head
And if you think taking your life will set you free
You've got something to learn, it's called humility
You've got something to learn, it's called humility

So hey: I don't care if you go now or if you stay
Oh your back is bleeding, you're bleeding on me
That'll be the day when the sun falls down
The angels may weep but I'll hear no sounds but hey

Gone! everybody's crying
Now you're gone
And everybody's missing you: from apathy to sympathy
This new found love is new to me
And I can hear you laughing in your grave
Everyone's forgiven
Now we're saved
Every single sin absolved
What's the point denying
When we all know we are lying to ourselves (and you can't keep that smile off your face)

Hey: I don't care if you go now or if you stay
Oh your back is bleeding, you're bleeding on me
That'll be the day when the sun falls down
The angels may weep but I'll hear no sounds but hey

Hey: I don't care if you go now or if you stay
Oh your back is bleeding, you're bleeding on me
That'll be the day when the sun falls down
The angels may weep but I'll hear no sounds but hey


Lyrics submitted by SlapsterMcFlash

That'll Be the Day Lyrics as written by Jerry Allison Buddy Holly

Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Word Collections Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

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That'll Be The Day song meanings
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10 Comments

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  • +1
    My Opinion

    eh not quite about Jesus. The line about having a smile on his face implies that it was a suicide or the man wanted to die at least. This would also tie in the line about thinking that taking your life will set you free and how that's just a crazy thought. oh your back is bleeding, you're bleeding on me that'll be the day when the sun falls down the angels may weep but i'll hear no sounds but hey a back bleeding is a sign of betrayal. The angels singing applies to the gates of heaven opening to let a person in. The last line would prove that this were a suicide as any person that kills themselves isn't going to heaven according to the church. you're shattering our innocence like a bullet through a glass Once again, lost innocence because of self abuse and suicide

    or maybe this is all about Julius Cesar and I'm to big into suicide.

    Zairus334on January 29, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song seems like it is on the same topic as "a better place a better time," only its from a more angry point of view

    "if you think taking your life will set you free you've got a little thing to learn its called humility" and then toward the end "gone! everybody's crying now you're gone" it seems like kind of a harsher (yet slightly less specific) way of saying "dont forget your family, reguardless what you chose to do" i hear that tom kalnoky writes more than one song about the same topic...i think that this is an example

    tomscahillIVon October 15, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Too bad the person he's singing about in this song is obviously dead, 'else maybe the two songs could be connected. They're both anti-suicide, but so is all of Tomas' work.

    stevenlelandon December 01, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Hes pissed because the person hes singing about is dead. He did all could to stop the suicide but he couldnt stop him from killing himself.

    It's cool how these following three songs from Everything Goes Numb interlock with each other, each song has the same meaning but a different situation/outcome.

    A Better Place, A Better Time - He wants to prevent someone from killing themself, and he sucessfuly stops them.

    The Saddest Song - He wants to prevent someone from killing themself, but the person successfully kills himself, the rest of the song is about how he deals with it.

    That'll be the day - The person already killed themself and he is singing about the aftermath.

    imhoterroron July 05, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    love this song

    booklover730on April 07, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "gone! everybody's crying now you're gone and everybody's missing you: from apathy to sympathy this new found love is new to me and i can hear you laughing in your grave everyone's forgiven now we're saved every single sin absolved what's the point denying when we all know we are lying to ourselves (and you can't keep that smile off your face)"

    I feel this song may be about god/jesus and how thomas feels like its a big lie. Just my thoughts but it makes sense.

    JonnyTheMohawkon April 24, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Wow, I'd never thought of it like that before, Johnny. You could be right, it certainly fits.

    Murfuson April 29, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    i believe this song is about a person who knew he or she was going to commit suicide and made no effort to be humble about it tomas respnds to him by with the same stubborness the suicidal person seems to hold "i dont care if you go now or if you stay" when the song comes to the part where tomas says "gone" the person has finally commited suicide but was laughing all the way to his grave while he or she did it the reason why because it is alluded to in that verse what the beliefs of that person believed about the after life which is it doesn't matter how you die you will be forgiven and saved in the end which is the reason they were laughing the whole time

    captain_insanoon May 18, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Jonny may be right. The next ablum (which is fantastic) has a similar anti-religious feel. I wouldn't be suprised if that were the deeper message.

    Good song.

    Kimopoon November 23, 2007   Link
  • -2
    Song Meaning

    There are a lot of recurring themes in this album. Bullets, guns, suicide, soldiers, etc. A lot of people will hate me for this, but I'm pretty sure that this whole album is weed-induced.

    qwermon August 01, 2009   Link

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