In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
He stands alone outside the blooming yard
All is calm there on the street
The shadows pass him hung right over
The pain on his face he knew he'd keep
His hair is long, and it's twisted, it's twisted
Around the smile spread cheek to cheek
Another child, another soul, grabs a hold
To the metal that will end his misery
One by one
We stand beneath the sun
With arms high open wide
Two by two
He's getting you
To watch him as he leaves this life he knew
How much anger is set aside
As each one of us cries?
Red light they come and they take him away
In the thoughts, he'll be better some day
Tied tight, can't see out your eyes
That he's sure to shine, sure to shine
In this deep dark, fucked up, played out, reality show
So, who's the man with the plan
Eating up all that he can?
Don't you see, don't you see
One by one
We stand beneath the sun
With arms high open wide
Two by two
He's getting you
To watch him as he leaves this life he knew
Do you ever think that things are meant to be?
I know we all have our reasons why
And now the power of one human being
Has gone and changed so many lives
One by one
We stand beneath the sun
With arms high open wide
Two by two
He's getting you
To watch him as he leaves this life he knew
One by one
We start to come, ohh yea
Two by two
He's getting through to, ohh
One by one we stand, we stand
Yea we stand, over, over, you
All is calm there on the street
The shadows pass him hung right over
The pain on his face he knew he'd keep
His hair is long, and it's twisted, it's twisted
Around the smile spread cheek to cheek
Another child, another soul, grabs a hold
To the metal that will end his misery
One by one
We stand beneath the sun
With arms high open wide
Two by two
He's getting you
To watch him as he leaves this life he knew
How much anger is set aside
As each one of us cries?
Red light they come and they take him away
In the thoughts, he'll be better some day
Tied tight, can't see out your eyes
That he's sure to shine, sure to shine
In this deep dark, fucked up, played out, reality show
So, who's the man with the plan
Eating up all that he can?
Don't you see, don't you see
One by one
We stand beneath the sun
With arms high open wide
Two by two
He's getting you
To watch him as he leaves this life he knew
Do you ever think that things are meant to be?
I know we all have our reasons why
And now the power of one human being
Has gone and changed so many lives
One by one
We stand beneath the sun
With arms high open wide
Two by two
He's getting you
To watch him as he leaves this life he knew
One by one
We start to come, ohh yea
Two by two
He's getting through to, ohh
One by one we stand, we stand
Yea we stand, over, over, you
Lyrics submitted by FreakishJunk
One By One Lyrics as written by Alex Band Aaron Kamin
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Does anyone else think this song is religious? I thought it referenced Jesus too much
i agree, some parts of it deff. at least hint of some relgiious undertone. great song tho!
I don't really think it's religous. I think it's about a guy that kills himself and makes a deal about it before he kills himself...and he sort of starts a trend. I think that's why he says "two by two, he's getting you to watch him as he leaves this life he knew". So i think it's about even though there's so much pressure just to give up and take the easy way out, just hang in there. At the end it says, "one by one, we stand over you" meaning everyone has gotten through whatever it is they're going through and they are glad they stuck it out and didn't try to end their own lives.
Alex Band (vocals on the track) who wrote this song said in an interview it was written about the shootings in Columbine High School.
well, being written about the shootings of some students in a school makes sense. When I listen to it, it reminds me of death or sth. I think the first part refers to the boy/man who did the killings and the second refers to the victims that are going to be remembered forever by their friend and relatives. Generally speaking I love this song because it is not the typical lovesong the Calling sing (they seem to have grown more mature in their recent album), it speaks about a fact that is a shame to happen, but it happens nonetheless and quite frequently. Apart from the meaning/lyrics part, it has also a great tune and Alex's voice rocks!
i thought alex didn't swear
Bobo_bob : YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. That kid swears all the time. haha His tour journals are the best.
has anyone noticed that in the booklet it doesn't say "fucked up". i thought that was funny. anyway love the song. and i finally understand wha it's about!! THANK YOU! and i agree. his journals are the greatest. full of laughs!
first ever post! woo hoo!!
so why say "deep dark, fucked up, played out reality show".. and not comprise it in the lyrics of... really anywhere? its not really something that just "slips out" or gets forgotten.
this songs just simply amazing. its definately about columbine or school shootings in general.
"hes sure to shine in his deep dark, fucked up, played out reality show" i think this lines just awesome.