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Traffic In The Sky Lyrics
There's traffic in the sky
and it doesn't seem to be getting much better
there's kids playing games on the pavement
drawing waves on the pavement
shadows of the planes on the pavement
it's enough to make me cry
but that don't seem like it would make it feel better
maybe it's a dream and if I scream
it will burst at the seams
this whole place will fall into pieces
and then they'd say...
Well how could we have known?
I'll tell them it's not so hard to tell
if you keep adding stones
soon the water will be lost in the well
Puzzle pieces in the ground
But no one ever seems to be digging
instead they're looking up towards the heavens
with their eyes on the heavens
the shadows on the way to the heavens
it's enough to make me cry
but that don't seem like it would make it feel better
the answers could be found
we could learn from digging down
but no one ever seems to be digging
instead they'll say
Well how could we have known?
I'll tell them it's not so hard to tell
if you keep adding stones
soon the water will be lost in the well
Words of wisdom all around
but no one ever seems to listen
they're talking about their plans on the paper
building up from the pavement
there are shadows from the skyscrapers on the pavement
it's enough to make me sigh
but that don't seem like it would make it feel better
the words are all around
but the words are only sounds
and no one ever seems to listen
instead they'll say
Well how could we have known?
I'll tell them it's really not so hard to tell
if you keep adding stones
soon the water will be lost in the well,
lost in the well...
and it doesn't seem to be getting much better
there's kids playing games on the pavement
drawing waves on the pavement
shadows of the planes on the pavement
it's enough to make me cry
but that don't seem like it would make it feel better
maybe it's a dream and if I scream
it will burst at the seams
this whole place will fall into pieces
and then they'd say...
I'll tell them it's not so hard to tell
if you keep adding stones
soon the water will be lost in the well
But no one ever seems to be digging
instead they're looking up towards the heavens
with their eyes on the heavens
the shadows on the way to the heavens
it's enough to make me cry
but that don't seem like it would make it feel better
the answers could be found
we could learn from digging down
but no one ever seems to be digging
instead they'll say
I'll tell them it's not so hard to tell
if you keep adding stones
soon the water will be lost in the well
but no one ever seems to listen
they're talking about their plans on the paper
building up from the pavement
there are shadows from the skyscrapers on the pavement
it's enough to make me sigh
but that don't seem like it would make it feel better
the words are all around
but the words are only sounds
and no one ever seems to listen
instead they'll say
I'll tell them it's really not so hard to tell
if you keep adding stones
soon the water will be lost in the well,
lost in the well...
Add your song meanings, interpretations, facts, memories & more to the community.
This is a definitely beautiful song. Jack explains in an iTunes session record that he was in NYC on that fateful day, with his bass player who comes from brooklyn. His buddies were playing b-ball while he was drawing waves on the pavement (the only thing he can draw from when he lived in hawaii) with some kids around. He saw shadows on his drawings and that's when he saw all the planes that were circling in the sky waiting for being able to land... and then everything knows what happens. He also said that he only recorded the song a year or so later out of respect for everything that happened. Definitely a beautifully crafted song lyrically and musically. Bravo again to mr Jack Johnson.
this is my favorite jack johnson song.
::Puzzle pieces in the ground But no one ever seems to be digging instead they're looking up towards the heavens with their eyes on the heavens :: people look to god instead of within.
People look to god instead of within? No. If you look within- then you'll see nothing, we are nothing but an empty well. God fills us with water. We build our walls of pride by adding stones. If you look within and see truth- then God has blessed you.
People look to god instead of within? No. If you look within- then you'll see nothing, we are nothing but an empty well. God fills us with water. We build our walls of pride by adding stones. If you look within and see truth- then God has blessed you.
What I believe when JJ says "instead they're looking up towards the heavens..." - these heavens are not real- they are false. The heavens are here- we must dig.
What I believe when JJ says "instead they're looking up towards the heavens..." - these heavens are not real- they are false. The heavens are here- we must dig.
it's not a statement about looking for God, it's a statement about people not seeing what's going on right in plain view, right in their faces, and not asking questions and digging for the truth about what's really going on in their world. In some ways it like the parable about the flood victim who, when stranded on his rooftop prayed to God and asked that he be rescued. Then a large truck came by and offered to help the man but he said, "No, I prayed and God is going to help me" then a boat came by some time later and offered...
it's not a statement about looking for God, it's a statement about people not seeing what's going on right in plain view, right in their faces, and not asking questions and digging for the truth about what's really going on in their world. In some ways it like the parable about the flood victim who, when stranded on his rooftop prayed to God and asked that he be rescued. Then a large truck came by and offered to help the man but he said, "No, I prayed and God is going to help me" then a boat came by some time later and offered to bring the man to safety but again he said, "no thank you...I'm beleiving that God will rescue me" Meanwhile the water kept rising higher and higher and the man was getting more and more desperate and he prayed again asking God to help him. Just then a helicopter appeared overhead and the stranded man waved it off, yelling that he didn't need any help..."God is on my side", he said, "He will come to my rescue" The water eventually overcame the rooftop and washed the man away. When the man got to heaven he asked God why He didn't rescue him from the flood and God told him, "I sent you a big truck, a boat and a helicopter, what else do you want?" Don't ignore what is happening in front of you. Make a choice to do something about it.
I think sanscosm is right but it also has a broader meaning. This song doesn't only question the U.S. government for its inhumane policies but also the world in general for basically forgetting what it means to be human. Commercialism and quick pleasures are more important than real human bonds and communities now. If people weren't all out for themselves, the world could be a better place; it's this charge forward with blinders on that creates the sorts of problems that manifest in events like 9/11.
Bananapancakes is also right, that line demonstrates forgetting community as well. We no longer grow in nurturing communities but live for ourselves and try to rely on a book describing an abstract god to fit in all of our spirituality. The soul can be satisfied in more ways than one.
I always took this track to be saying, "look, were putting so much crap in our atmosphere, plane emissions etc, its killing our world. If we dug down and looked at the evidence of our former climates then we would know where were heading" I'm no tree hugger and i can understand everyone mentioning september 11th, but i think there's a deeper vein in this song.
Oh and nina - the meaning is, not was, whatever you take from listening to it as an individual :-)
this is just a truly beautiful and amazing song. the lyrics are so clever and illistrutive.
amazing.
LONG LIVE JACK JOHNSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
any comment on what the song is talking about???
uhmm im really not sure, but i can take a stab at it. "shadows of the planes on the pavement "
uhmmm, im not actually sure when this song was recorded.. however! planes and stuff? maybe it's about el 9/11 stuff. and like people saying "well how could we have known", but really the government was doing all this badass stuff that led to it so it could have been avoided.. and if you "keep adding stones"..err if the US keeps fucking shit up then the "water will be lost in the well".. meaning something along the lines of the US is burying themselves...
thats my interpretation at first glance. common,more feedback!
Sanscosm- I'll tell you what this song is about. It's about us. We live in a world of falsehood and we are tempted by false glory. The true glory is in the well, but the water will surely be lost if we keep adding stones. If you're religious- this could mean that the water is God. Instead of adding stones- i.e. building skyscrapers- flying planes so high in the sky- remember that we are weak, no matter how high we go wer'e still human and our shadows NEVER leave the ground. This is...
Sanscosm- I'll tell you what this song is about. It's about us. We live in a world of falsehood and we are tempted by false glory. The true glory is in the well, but the water will surely be lost if we keep adding stones. If you're religious- this could mean that the water is God. Instead of adding stones- i.e. building skyscrapers- flying planes so high in the sky- remember that we are weak, no matter how high we go wer'e still human and our shadows NEVER leave the ground. This is why we dig. We dig for the truth, not for our own glory. For who's glory do you dig for?
To me, this song means like.. it's about how people are always just looking and worrying about what's happening after death, about when they're dying and how.
"Puzzle pieces in the ground, but no one ever seems to be digging" meaning people just aren't digging for whats HERE now, for what's in life.
"instead they're looking up towards the heavens, with their eyes on the heavens, the shadows on the way to the heavens" -- meaning they're just thinking about.. like.. heaven. whats after life here on earth.
"Words of wisdom all around, but no one ever seems to listen.. they're talking about their plans on the paper, building up from the pavement.." i think this means people are just planning for whats after. again.
lets get a "HELL YES" for Jack and his down to earth style. I think there is so much to be learned from people like this. Live in the moment RIGHT NOW! remember what it is to be priveliged with human life. Get in touch with the goods
HELL YES!
HELL YES!