This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
You feel buried, you feel bored
No one takes you seriously when you're 24
So shut off your days
And turn on your nights
'Cause the chance is for the taking
And the taking's right
No you really haven't lived life yet
No you really haven't lived life
If you ain't got no regrets
What I did last night
Is none of your concern
You know I feel right
But that's none of your concern
No you really haven't lived life yet
No you really haven't lived life yet
If you ain't got no regrets
If you ain't got no regrets
Don't be mistaken
For someone who cares
Oh no,
Oh no you wouldn't dare
Your the path here,
The pawn I took,
The sacrificial lamb,
The spineless book
Oh no you really haven't lived life yet
Oh no you really haven't lived life yet
If you ain't got no regrets
If you ain't got no regrets
No one takes you seriously when you're 24
So shut off your days
And turn on your nights
'Cause the chance is for the taking
And the taking's right
No you really haven't lived life yet
No you really haven't lived life
If you ain't got no regrets
What I did last night
Is none of your concern
You know I feel right
But that's none of your concern
No you really haven't lived life yet
No you really haven't lived life yet
If you ain't got no regrets
If you ain't got no regrets
Don't be mistaken
For someone who cares
Oh no,
Oh no you wouldn't dare
Your the path here,
The pawn I took,
The sacrificial lamb,
The spineless book
Oh no you really haven't lived life yet
Oh no you really haven't lived life yet
If you ain't got no regrets
If you ain't got no regrets
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No Surprises
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Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Magical
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
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Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.
God, I fucking love this song. I used to regret a lot of stuff I did, but now I feel free from all of that and this song has helped me recognize that I can't really live life until I let go and really -live-. The song is basically telling you to let go and live as you want to live ("So shut off your days / and turn on your nights / 'cause the chance is for the taking / and the taking's right") and do what feels good and right to you. Go party up the town, drink and have fun without caring what other people think about what you're doing or what you've done. In the end, it's not really their business anyway and what they think doesn't really matter ("What I did last night / is none of your concern / You know I feel all right / but that's none of your concern"). Generally, people don't really care about what you've done anway when it comes to drinking and partying ("Don't be mistaken / for someone who cares") and if they're talking to you about it and trying to find out what you did last night, they want it for gossip or just to see how wild you really get. Anyway, that's what I get from it and, once again, this song is fucking amazing! ^0^
I always thought this song was basically saying that he's screwed up his life so much he doesnt care what happens to him anymore - he's too busy thinking, remembering, regretting etc. There's the whole thing of being fed up with everything as well "you feel buried you feel bored/no one takes you seriously when you're 24) etc
this song is simply about just living life like screw it yeh i have regrets but im fucking living life the fullest and i fuking love it!!!