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People Get Ready Lyrics
People all get ready
'Cos we're tearing down the stand
Rebuild what's gone unsteady
And see it through with newer hands
And what has gone between us
Is a lot, is a lot
And who'll be there to clean us
If you're not, if you're not
People all get ready
'Cos we're breaking down again
Rebuild what's gone unsteady
And see it through with wiser hands
And what has gone between us
Is a lot, is a lot
And who'll be there to ignore us
When you're not, when you're not
We have all the time in the world
To get it right, to get it right
We have all the time in the world
To set alight, to set alight
People all get ready
'Cos we're breaking down the band
Rewrite what's gone already
And see it through with wiser hands
And what has gone between us
Is a lot, is a lot
And who'll be there to ignore us
When you're not, when you're not
And we have all the time in the world
To get it right, to get it right
And we have all the love in the world
To set alight, to set alight
Just look up, just look up
We have all the time in the world
To get it right, to get it right
And we have all the love in the world
To set alight, to set alight
Just look up, just look up
We have all the time in the world
To get it right, to get it right
And we have all the love in the world
To set alight, to set alight
People all get ready
'Cause we're coming to a stop
'Cos we're tearing down the stand
Rebuild what's gone unsteady
And see it through with newer hands
And what has gone between us
Is a lot, is a lot
And who'll be there to clean us
If you're not, if you're not
'Cos we're breaking down again
Rebuild what's gone unsteady
And see it through with wiser hands
And what has gone between us
Is a lot, is a lot
And who'll be there to ignore us
When you're not, when you're not
To get it right, to get it right
We have all the time in the world
To set alight, to set alight
'Cos we're breaking down the band
Rewrite what's gone already
And see it through with wiser hands
And what has gone between us
Is a lot, is a lot
And who'll be there to ignore us
When you're not, when you're not
To get it right, to get it right
And we have all the love in the world
To set alight, to set alight
Just look up, just look up
To get it right, to get it right
And we have all the love in the world
To set alight, to set alight
Just look up, just look up
To get it right, to get it right
And we have all the love in the world
To set alight, to set alight
'Cause we're coming to a stop
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Glen explains that this song is about that feeling whereby you know everything is wrong, completely. But one day you kind of see through that, and realise "yeah it's all wrong now - but you know, it'll all be alright in the end.."
It's about making peace with your demons.
There's also a few lines relating to the criticism the band get at times from the media :
"People all get ready 'Cos we're breaking down the band Rewrite what's gone already And see it through with wiser hands And what has gone between us Is a lot, is a lot And who'll be there to ignore us When you're not, when you're not"
That verse deals with the changes to the band's sound and attitude. That now they're doing things the way they want to do them, and that they have learnt from the mistakes of the past.
Alternatively, in the past Glen has explained that he wrote this song after picking up The Old Testament in a hotel room, and reading through it. He got to the Book of Luke and though that Luke was the coolest of the disciples. Whilst everyone was fawning over Jesus, Luke was the one who'd be like "Yeah, that Jesus....he was alright like.....".
Glen also explained that when Jesus stormed the Temple, he has more in common with a Michael Collins or Ché Guevara sort of figure, a revolutionary, far removed from a supposed "perfect being".
In additon to niteflites second explanation: Glen said at Lowlands-Festival that the song is not meant in any religious way, but that he wrote the song after reading a part of the bible, the Book of Luke. He said that it's this part in the Bible where Jesus goes and distroys the temple because they're doing business in the House of God. And he thought that that was an interesting part and that Luke was the one guy of all the apostles who didn't take Jesus too seriously. You can listen to the part where he explains it at: http://3voor12.vpro.nl/3voor12/festivals/media/index.jsp?portal=2534202&event=29080997&episode=29686258
Jesus didn't destroy the temple, but he turned over the tables of the money changers and drove the merchants out of the temple. Saying: My Father's house is to be a house of prayer. But you have turned it into a den of thieves.
I love this song, especially the drums in it. During Lollapalooza, Glen at one point just sort of shouted an incomprehensible chant during the chorus that reminded me of some native American singers. I think they might have been inspired by Native American drumming when they did the percussion for this song, and I think Glen was sort of channeling that (although, Native American singers are actually singing in a recognizable language and not just sort of chanting nonsense like Glen does.)
Every time I hear this song...I swear, it just gives me so much hope and strength...Glen Hansard is one of the most incredible songwriters today...
i dont neccesarily feel like explaining the meaning of this song but it is freaking amazing.you havnt lived until youve seen it preformed live.seriously man.at the swell season concert eveyone just started to sing along with the chorus and it was so beautiful with everyones voice together like one...