I was holding on, now I'm letting go
This is nothing more than a picture show
Everything I knew now I hardly know
Busy keeping less, never getting more

One more nickel, dime, I'm out the door
This kind of life I can't afford

[Chorus]
I want to believe
There's something to believe
I would live only
Just to believe
Oh, I'd love to believe
It's not only me that's longing
Only just to believe
So believe
'Cause I want to believe
I want to believe

Can't put my mind at ease with the words I say
Trying to get myself to get out of my way
Birds in the trees just make me depressed
Seeing sunny skies, feeling emptiness

Layers of lies just seem to fold
This kind of life is all I know

[Chorus]

Murder wears a friendly smile
Like the perfect end in a plastic vial
No pain
Sorry, I can't seem to stay
But this bird was meant to fly away
Fly away, fly away

Layers of lies just seem to fold
This kind of life is all I know

[Chorus]

I will believe
I'd love to believe
I can believe in something
I will believe
I'd love to believe
I can't believe in nothing


Lyrics submitted by Sincerity

Believe Lyrics as written by Taylor Hanson Isaac Hanson

Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

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Believe song meanings
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23 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment
    Well I like where you all are going with the deffination of the song. But Taylor Hanson himself at the concert at the moore theatre in seattle said it was about how something in your life may not feel worth it . And this song is about figuring out if its worth it. If you should keep going. Keep BELIEV(E)ing.
    Aurora_Hansonon October 01, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    Dude... if you know Hanson at all you know why they wrote this song. All the crap they went through when they were with Island Def Jam (record label) and the stress they went through. I can't wait until the "Strong Enough to Break" documentary comes out. But this is one of my all time fav. Hanson songs, Taylor is AMAZING on vocals, i wish Tay would have sang it at the concerts i went to :(
    wheredidjohnnygoon November 09, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment
    I've never laughed at this song. If you've ever been depressed you know exactly what this song is all about. Sometimes even the little things can't move you anymore and you feel like nothing means anything anymore and you just wish you could believe in something. I can't imagine laughing at it... I love Taylor's vocals on this one.
    letterstonoelleon January 14, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    Okay, I must admit. The first time I heard this song, I laughed. I couldn't help it. They were doing alright until the line "Birds in the trees just make me depressed." I couldn't take it seriously for the life of me. Then, I lost my boyfriend of three years, and suddenly I understood just what it was like to long for something to believe in and I couldn't laugh anymore. :P
    Shanion June 22, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    haha, shani, i laughed too! i was like "um taylor, stop. just stop while youre ahead. oh wait, YOU DIDNT." but it grew on me.
    thatpartydresson June 29, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    This song is about someone who just can't take it anymore, but they don't want to give up. They're thinking of alternative ways out (murder wears a friendly smile, like a perfect end in a plastic vile...) but there's still something worth holding onto for them, and they want to be able to believe in that, they're not ready to give up. Another interpretation of this song is that it can be about abortion, once again going to the murder wears a friendly smile part, that would be the easiest way out of a pregnancy that you don't want anyone to know about.
    something_vagueon October 26, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    I wonder why Hanson wrote this song in the first place?? What to they have to be depressed about that would make them feel this way anyway? I think its a sad song but I love it and its one of my favorites on the new cd.
    cheer4jen86on November 02, 2004   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    i agree with letters to noelle, if you have never been depressed before you would not understand the meaning of the song. letters to noelle stated sometimes even the little things cant move you anymore hense birds in the trees just make me depressed, i think that line is one of the best lines on the cd including "throw me a line so i can anchor my pain" and "this wrecking ball your holding could crush the heart you've stolen" the song is beautiful and way taylor sings it only adds to the songs beauty.
    nerdcorexxon January 16, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    This song is about 9/11 and losing faith.
    eyeoneshoeon August 24, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment
    eyesoneshoe, is it really about 9/11? cause I kinda thought it was about the whole record company ordeal.
    shakespeare109on August 30, 2005   Link

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