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.
I am pain
I am real. I'm not a dream
I'm the chain around your neck as you scream
Surrender now
You can't beat death at his ruthless game
Make your bow
Hang your head in shame
I can't believe there is no way out...
You'll I find you are wrong
You fill me with doubt...
You were never that strong
I am pain
I am the wound that never heals
It's all in vain
No compromise, no deals...
I can't believe this is the end
It's written in stone
Where are my friends?
You have always been alone!
(Pain!) We lead
We hide as the pain leaves the rage inside
(Motion personified alpha)
Being here, welcomed by...a sane mind
A travelled lie
I am pain
I am the end, I am your wraith
Nothing remains
I'm the loss of hope and faith
I can't believe there is no way out...
You'll I find you are wrong
You fill me with doubt...
You were never that strong
We lead, we hide as the pain leaves the rage inside
(Motion personified alpha)
Being here, welcomed by...a sane mind
A travelled lie
All the time, I had waited with rage
All the time, I was promised my salvation
I can't accept this, we will find a way
Out of this cesspool of doom and dismay
Beyond this dejection there's beauty and grace
A glorious future we long to embrace
(Pain!) All the time, I have waited with rage
(Motion personified alpha)
All the time, I was promised my salvation
I am real. I'm not a dream
I'm the chain around your neck as you scream
Surrender now
You can't beat death at his ruthless game
Make your bow
Hang your head in shame
I can't believe there is no way out...
You'll I find you are wrong
You fill me with doubt...
You were never that strong
I am pain
I am the wound that never heals
It's all in vain
No compromise, no deals...
I can't believe this is the end
It's written in stone
Where are my friends?
You have always been alone!
(Pain!) We lead
We hide as the pain leaves the rage inside
(Motion personified alpha)
Being here, welcomed by...a sane mind
A travelled lie
I am pain
I am the end, I am your wraith
Nothing remains
I'm the loss of hope and faith
I can't believe there is no way out...
You'll I find you are wrong
You fill me with doubt...
You were never that strong
We lead, we hide as the pain leaves the rage inside
(Motion personified alpha)
Being here, welcomed by...a sane mind
A travelled lie
All the time, I had waited with rage
All the time, I was promised my salvation
I can't accept this, we will find a way
Out of this cesspool of doom and dismay
Beyond this dejection there's beauty and grace
A glorious future we long to embrace
(Pain!) All the time, I have waited with rage
(Motion personified alpha)
All the time, I was promised my salvation
Lyrics submitted by llowell, edited by Octavarium64
Day Three: Pain Lyrics as written by Devin Garrett Townsend Arjen Lucassen
Lyrics © Reservoir Media Management, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
When We Were Young
Blink-182
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
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/
Head > Heels
Ed Sheeran
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.
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
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.
I still don't understand why he randomly says the "Motion personified alpha" line. Did Devin write that? I remember Arjen saying that Devin wrote all of his own lines, and that one happens to be in the midst of his growls.
Yeah, it's a Townshend line.
Apparently, even arjen doesn't know what "Motion personified Alpha" means, and Devin wouldn't tell him. I guess it's just a way to keep people wondering. He'll be the only one with the answer to this mystery that haunts the song.
Emotion personified alpha atleast leaves you with some room to interpret, but i don't even worry about it anymore.
Motion personified alpha...I have to say, I hope he revisits this line in one of his next four albums coming out this year.
What does Labrie yell during the chorus? I can't make it out, it sounds like "pain [something something]" but yeah, I'd like to know what exactly he's saying.