The Blues Lyrics
Jon Foreman: "Drew's feedback on this track was so great. he had two combos cranked with different pedals chained to each. Noise never sounded so beautiful! But the true hero for me on this tune was Tim. Don't tell him I said this but he's a freaking genius when it comes to parts like this. I walked back into the control room and there was Paul Mc- I mean Tim- making things happen. I tend to write some of my favorite songs on significant days in my life- birthdays and such. Anyhow, here's a tune that was written on new years day 2004. I pulled an acoustic demo of the song together and threw it on the pile of songs we had for the record. We loved the way the vocal sounded on the demo- raw and honest so we kept it. To sing a song about the new year in march just wouldn't sound quite right, so the vocal on the record is the first time I ever sang the song: 1/1/04. This one means a lot to me, like our modern day Psalm of sorts. This would be the next step from the beautiful letdown lyrically and musically- a long meandering song about how the end of the world might actually be a beautiful day. It will be a day like this one when the world caves in."
Sick
Sick
No one seems to have mentioned the line "and nothing is OK 'till the world caves in". That's my favourite line of the song, and I think it just about sums up the meaning. This world as we know it is fallen, and although we can do our best to make it better, things will never be truly OK until the world caves in. After that, everything will be OK. This is possibly Switchfoot's best song ever.
@GorkoOrooji I completely agree!! I think that this song would be the most depressing song in the whole entire world unless that line was there. It is the only hope in the whole song, otherwise we are all doomed.
@GorkoOrooji I completely agree!! I think that this song would be the most depressing song in the whole entire world unless that line was there. It is the only hope in the whole song, otherwise we are all doomed.
I think Switchfoot does an amazing job intentionally weaving in meaning into their rockin'-out songs. Take "Blues" for instance. It's about the end of the world, as we know it. John Foreman wrote it at a New Year’s Party. The song is titled ‘blues’, and it sounds like a depressing song. Slow and melancholy. I think it’s a pretty accurate reflection of life. Any words that says, "Line #:..." is commentary. Mind you, this is coming from a strong Christian perspective.
1 Is this the New Year, or just another night? 2 Is this the new fear, or just another fright? 3 Is this the new tear, or just another desperation?
Line 1: What’s makes a night (or day) special? Is it when you’re partying? Line 2: Scary movies, terrorism, economic downfall, break-ups, etc. Line 3: Depression, anxiety, desperate situations leading to desperate people.
4 Is this the finger, or just another fist? 5 Is the kingdom, or just a hit and miss? 6 I've missed direction, most in all this desperation
Line 4: When people point their fingers in accusation, or shake their fist in anger. Line 5: For all those people who live in this earthly world thinking that it’s the final destination. It’s not. Line 6: When you act out desperately, you are prone to bad decisions, taking you down the wrong path.
7 Is this what they call freedom? 8 Is this what you call pain? 9 Is this what they call discontented fame?
Line 7: Living a life with no rules; anarchy; legalism; promiscuity; socialism; etc The world’s philosophies have their notions of freedom. I wonder if they leave us in even more bondage. Line 8: For all of us who live in middle-class suburbia, fake friendships, thinking that the world has ended if they can’t buy that 60” HDTV. The truth is, we don’t know what true pain is if we don’t live sacrificial lives. Line 9: Maybe this is the point at which we realize that all we’ve put our hope in, is unfulfilling.
10 It'll be a day like this one, 11 When the world caves in 12 When the world caves in 13 When the world caves in
Line 10: This day, is Judgment Day; the day when Jesus will come back; when the world will be remade. God doesn’t discard the world like trash. He remakes it. Heaven descends to earth. We will be given new bodies, because God respects and dignifies every part of our being. Line 11: It will be a disaster...but a disaster of the best kind.
14 I'm singing this one, like a broken piece of glass, 15 For broken arms and broken noses in the back 16 Is this the new year, or just another desperation?
Line 15: I don’t really know what he’s referring to, but I can guess that whatever it is, it’s not whole, complete, or healthy. There’s something lacking, injured. It’s raises doubts.
17 You push until you're shoving, 18 You bend until you break, 19 Do you stand on the broken fields where your fathers lay?
Line 17: The university curve, the corporate world, all those people who strive for success. Line 18: It’s talking to all those who cut corners, let things slide, sweep it under the rug; in essence, you lose your integrity, bending the rules, until they’re broken. Bending over backwards under social peer-pressure. Line 19: For all those who stand on the graves of their ancestors, possibly in depression or fear. Either they miss their parents, or they want to honor them too much.
It'll be a day like this one, When the world caves in When the world caves in When the world caves in
When the world caves in, (ah,) When the world caves in, When the world caves in
20 There's nothing here worth saving, 21 There's no one here at all, 22 Is there any net left, that could break our fall?
Line 20: Riches, furniture, nice cars, a nice job; if you truly look at it, the only thing worth saving is your soul, and the souls of others. Line 22: Like a circus act, we’re walking on a tight rope. We trust in certain safety-nets to catch us if we fall.
23 It'll be a day like this one, 24 When the sky falls down, 25 And the hungry and poor and deserted are found
Line 23: A Christian’s safety-net is our eschatological hope, the Parousia. Line 24: When Heaven comes to earth. Line 25: When all of God’s people are revealed. All three of these could apply to physical and spiritual realms.
26 Are you discontented? 27 Have you been pushing hard? 28 Have you been throwing down, this broken house of cards?
Line 26: There should always be a godly discontentment. We don’t belong in this world. All those men and women who did the most service in this world were people who hoped most fervently for the next. Line 27: Are you studying and working until exhaustion, pressured by the system, and you don’t know why? Line 28: Have you been building up a dream that you found was so fragile and shaky?
29 It'll be a day like this one, 30 When the world caves in, 31 When the world caves in,
Line 29: The Parousia, the Second Coming, will be like the New Year’s Party that Switchfoot was at. It’s not going to be solely a catastrophe; it’s going to be a celebration! Isn’t that a revolutionary thought?
32 Is there nothing left now? 33 Nothing left to sing? 34 Are there any left now, who haven't kissed The Enemy?
Line 34: No sure clue what he’s talking about here.
35 Is this the new year, or just another desperation?
Ah...
36 Does justice ever find you? 37 Do the wicked ever lose? 38 Is there any other song, to sing beside these Blues?
Line 36: Yes. Line 37: Yes. Line 38: See, you thought this song was a depressing blues song. It sounds like one. The lyrics are introspective and deceptively melancholy.
39 And nothing is okay, 40 Till' the world caves in, Till' the world caves in, Till' the world caves in, Till' the world caves in, Till' the world caves in,
Until the world caves in, Until the world caves in, Until the world caves in, Until the world caves in, Until the world caves in, Until the world caves in... Line 40: The song is deceptive because it’s NOT depressing. It’s actually very hopeful. Injustice will meet its end. The righteous will be victorious over the wicked. The end will be glorious, and our Lord will be our Glory. “Blues” is a masterpiece. Most of the song is asking questions; except when they’re talking about the Hope...when the world caves in. The song’s lyrics and even its monotonous rhythm imitate everyday-life. All of its questions, doubts, and frustrations; day-in, day-out. But in the midst of all that, Switchfoot offers us another safety-net, another destination, another freedom.
Yeah, wow, you're uhhhh...
Yeah, wow, you're uhhhh...
right.
right.
@jal007 Nice analysis I like it. Just wanted to say for line 34; "Are there any left now, who haven't kissed The Enemy? " I’d say it's a rhetorical question like they all are, asking if there are any left who haven't had anything to do with the devil. Are there any of us left that haven't sinned? Are there any of us left that don’t need Jesus? There is obviously none, because all have fallen short. This line just shows all of us (again) how we can’t live this life thinking that it’s all there is....
@jal007 Nice analysis I like it. Just wanted to say for line 34; "Are there any left now, who haven't kissed The Enemy? " I’d say it's a rhetorical question like they all are, asking if there are any left who haven't had anything to do with the devil. Are there any of us left that haven't sinned? Are there any of us left that don’t need Jesus? There is obviously none, because all have fallen short. This line just shows all of us (again) how we can’t live this life thinking that it’s all there is.
This song really sneaks up on you. If you really follow the lyrics, they fit perfectly with the music. Also, the nice subtle crescendo through the whole thing makes it seem more "epic."
Also, the title adds so much to the meaning... but the awesome part is that when you listen to it, it still seems hopeful. Switchfoot's really good with hopeful songs.
before anything else, I was so glad I have read each of these interpretation..
Now, the album, Nothing is sound, is probably the most pessimistic album of Switchfoot, as its clearly referenced to Ecclesiastes, w/c is also one of the Bibles pessimistic chapters, in fact you will stumble upon some lyrics w/c is indeed from Ecclesistes..
Ok, so when we look at the lyrics, it was really not a hopeful song, but a very sad one, this came to the point of view of a man, w/c is already awakened (spiritually) who's having disappointments in the world, war, poverty, injustice, senseless, pointless things and all that..I mean look at the lyrics, some is literal in its own might..
The message of the song, is this: nothing really matters, nothing really made sense, and nothing is headed for something good, until the world devotes to God, it is the only way for the real joy.
My favorite line is: "is there any net left that could break our fall?" from Adam to Jesus, so many prophets have come to save us from taking the fall.. but then humanity is still falling.. really sad.. Jesus is the only way brothers and sisters, it's time to cave in.
This song is beautiful. It means so much I can't even begin to put it into words. It's incredible. I didn't like it the first time I heard it, but when I /really/ listened to it, it was incredible. I think it has really nice flow to the next song, too.
I think in this song they're talking about the fact that the world is getting worse. "It'll be a day like this one when the world caves in" refers to Judgement Day and that it comes when the world is truly going to hell, it'll be a day like any other we live out now...
My favorite song on Nothing is Sound. I actually find it uplifting rather than depressing. I mean, it talks about how the world will cave in and "the hungry and poor and desserted our found."
This song is basicly saying the world has no hope. There is no net, no judgement day. The only time things will get better is when the sky falls down; when we are all dead.
Gr8 song and as everyone says it grows on u . Its good 2 c the softer side of Switchfoot . This one's for all ya leaders of the world. HOLLA