(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)

Somethin' filled up
My heart with nothin'
Someone told me not to cry

Now that I'm older
My heart's colder
And I can see that it's a lie

(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)

Children, wake up
Hold your mistake up
Before they turn the summer into dust

If the children don't grow up
Our bodies get bigger but our hearts get torn up
We're just a million little god's causin' rain storms
Turnin' every good thing to rust
I guess we'll just have to adjust

(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)

With my lightnin' bolts a-glowin
I can see where I am goin' to be
When the reaper he reaches and touches my hand

(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh-oh-oh)
(Oh-oh-oh-oh)

With my lightnin' bolts a-glowin'
I can see where I am goin'
With my lightnin' bolts a-glowin'
I can see where I am go, goin'

You better look out below


Lyrics submitted by drinkmilk, edited by shinylib

Wake Up Lyrics as written by Win Butler William Butler

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Wake Up song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

104 Comments

sort form View by:
  • +31
    General Comment

    To me it's about lost innocence and those things you bury inside just to carry on, the things which slowly eat you up, leaving you unfeeling and cold. It's urging the innocents to be honest with themselves and confront those things which, if ignored, could leave them bottled up and emotionless. But the end of the song seems to be about the explosion of emotion that comes when the unfeeling ones come to life again.

    Idedaluson October 20, 2004   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Album art
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example: "'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Album art
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
“Head > Heels” is a track that aims to capture what it feels like to experience romance that exceeds expectations. Ed Sheeran dedicates his album outro to a lover who has blessed him with a unique experience that he seeks to describe through the song’s nuanced lyrics.
Album art
Page
Ed Sheeran
There aren’t many things that’ll hurt more than giving love a chance against your better judgement only to have your heart crushed yet again. Ed Sheeran tells such a story on “Page.” On this track, he is devastated to have lost his lover and even more saddened by the feeling that he may never move on from this.
Album art
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it. “I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.