This has been said so many times that I'm not sure if it matters
But we never stood a chance
And I'm not sure if it matters
If you are the shores, I am the waves begging for big moons
I'm mailing letters to addresses in a ghost town
(Your secret's out)

I know this hurts, it was meant to (it was meant to)
Your secret's out and the best part is it isn't even a good one
And it's mind over you don't, don't matter

This has been said so many times that I'm not sure if it matters
But it must be said again that all us boys are just screaming
Into microphones for attention
Because we're just so bored
We never knew that you would pick it apart, oh
I'm falling apart to songs about hips and hearts
(Your secret's out)

I know this hurts, it was meant to (it was meant to)
Your secret's out and the best part is it isn't even a good one
And it's mind over you don't, don't matter

I used to obsess over living,
Now I only obsess over you
Tell me you'd like boys like me better
In the dark lying on top of you

(This has been said so many times that I'm not sure if it matters)

I know this hurts, it was meant to (it was meant to)
Your secret's out and the best part is it isn't even a good one
And it's mind over you don't, don't, don't, don't matter

From day one I talked about getting out
But not forgetting about how my worst fears are letting out
He said why put a new address
On the same old loneliness
When breathing just passes the time
Until we all just get old and die
Now talking's just a waste of breath and living's just a waste of death
And why put a new address on the same old loneliness
And this is you and me
And me and you until we've got nothing left


Lyrics submitted by BrandNew1208, edited by Mellow_Harsher

Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part to Save the Scene and S Lyrics as written by Andrew John Hurley Andrew Hurley

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

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Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying (Do Your Part to Save the Scene and Stop Going to Shows) song meanings
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95 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment

    This song's a shot at the scene, and how they seriously hate it and the idea of scenes. They're open about it, too. If you've preordered their new CD, go watch the interview on their site.

    mcm1610on April 12, 2005   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i love that you get to hear pete more in this album. especially the spoken word. cause it's pete, at the end,right? ...

    anywho this is a grrrreat song... and the whole album is excellent from the first song to the last. i like how it kinda flows into XO !!

    dosedxbyyouon May 14, 2005   Link
  • +1
    My Interpretation

    So the speaker in love with someone and they never stood a chance but they knew it in the first place, so saying it doesn't even seem to matter. Waves are attracted to the moon by gravity so the begging for big moons is likely about boobs. Hes sending letters to "adresses in a ghost town", or people who wont get it, so he feels hes expressing his feelings for no reason. The ex-bae of this story had a secret that was revealed that wasnt even a good one and their obsession or discomfort with the secret was trival in the first place. Saying this was intended to hurt their feelings. The "we're all screaming into microphones" part seems to talk about how people view singers now and how they expect the lyrics to be meaningless. The speaker is tired of songs about sex and romance. The speaker used to obsess worry about normal things but now only on the person the song adresses. The person is a good flirt. "Tell me you like boys like me better in the dark lying on top of you" Petes poem is a nice note about how meaningless things can be.

    lesbifobfanson March 28, 2015   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is called "you're a concrete boy (do your part to save the scene and stop going to shows)" ...

    xifihadonewishxon April 13, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    No it's not. It's called this. People seriously need to stop using leaked cd's to get information from.

    Songs awesome. Like the spoken word ending too.

    exthuseon April 29, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    if you are the shores, i am the waves begging for big moons

    that's a really great line.

    trastaon May 03, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    From day one I talked about getting out, but not forgetting about, how my worst fears are letting out. He said why put a new address on the same old lonelyness, when breathing just passes the time, until we all just get old and die. Now talkings just a waste of breath, and livings just a waste of death, and why put a new address on the same old lonlelyness, and this is you and me, and me and you, UNTILL WE GOT NOTHING LEFT.

    MeAndOnlyMeon May 07, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    From day one I talked about getting out, but not forgetting about, how my worst fears are letting out. He said why put a new address on the same old lonelyness, when breathing just passes the time, until we all just get old and die. Now talkings just a waste of breath, and livings just a waste of death, and why put a new address on the same old lonlelyness, and this is you and me, and me and you, UNTILL WE GOT NOTHING LEFT.

    MeAndOnlyMeon May 07, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    "I comb the crowd and pick you out"

    Haha I just love it, straight from an awesome spoken word right into XO. Love it.

    exthuseon May 07, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    ah too good, fall out boy fucking rock, love the spoken bits too! another great album from fall out boy, these guys have so much talent i mean OMG their lyrics... no band can ever match them. WOOOO! xxx

    prettyinpunk8177on June 04, 2005   Link

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