I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
Things are getting just too cozy for me
And I see people as they see me
Gonna break away and gain control
You free your mind
You free your soul
I was the type who knocked at old men
(History's easy)
Who together at tables sit and drink beer
(Somewhere is really)
Then I saw that I was really the same
So this link's breaking away from the chain
Away from the numbers
Away from the numbers
Is where I'm gonna be
Away from the numbers
Away from the numbers
Is where I am free
Away from the numbers (away from the numbers)
Away from the numbers
Is where I'm gonna be
I was sick and tired of my little niche
Was gonna break away and find where life is
And all those fools I thought were my friends
(Coaching is easy)
They now stare at me and don't see a thing
(Reality's so hard)
'Till their life is over and they start to moan
How they never had the chance to make good
Away from the numbers
Away from the numbers
Is where I'm gonna be
Away from the numbers (away from the numbers)
Away from the numbers
Is where I am free
Is where I am free
Is where I'm gonna be
Is reality
Reality's so hard, reality's so hard
Reality's so hard, reality's so hard
Reality's so hard, reality's so hard
And I see people as they see me
Gonna break away and gain control
You free your mind
You free your soul
I was the type who knocked at old men
(History's easy)
Who together at tables sit and drink beer
(Somewhere is really)
Then I saw that I was really the same
So this link's breaking away from the chain
Away from the numbers
Away from the numbers
Is where I'm gonna be
Away from the numbers
Away from the numbers
Is where I am free
Away from the numbers (away from the numbers)
Away from the numbers
Is where I'm gonna be
I was sick and tired of my little niche
Was gonna break away and find where life is
And all those fools I thought were my friends
(Coaching is easy)
They now stare at me and don't see a thing
(Reality's so hard)
'Till their life is over and they start to moan
How they never had the chance to make good
Away from the numbers
Away from the numbers
Is where I'm gonna be
Away from the numbers (away from the numbers)
Away from the numbers
Is where I am free
Is where I am free
Is where I'm gonna be
Is reality
Reality's so hard, reality's so hard
Reality's so hard, reality's so hard
Reality's so hard, reality's so hard
Lyrics submitted by planetearth
Away from the Numbers Lyrics as written by Paul John Weller
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Paul Weller hated the popular afternoon tv programme "countdown" especially the "numbers" game, hence Away from the numbers! Simple but effective.Genius!
TO be a bit more serious, it's basically about individuality and 'finding yourself'. Which I think is farily obvious anyway.
The thing about Countdown can't be true because the programme didn't start until 1982, but the song Away From The Numbers is from the 1977 album In The City.