On top of the world you get nothing done
Talk is cold and burns like the sun
Can't you see these skies are breaking?
Cause the top of the world is where I'm from
The back of the class is where I was
Keeping quiet, playing dumb
Can't you see these skies are breaking?
Cause the back of the class is where I'm from
I am one
I am, I am one
I am, I am, I am, I am
I'm on a race and it's killing time
I don't need yours I'll keep it with mine
Can't you see these skies are breaking?
Cause I'm on a race and I'm doing fine
Thank you
Two of a kind and no one home
I'm in a crowd and I'm still alone
Can't you see these skies are breaking?
Cause one of a kind is all I own
I am one
I am
I am one
I am I am I am I am I am
Out of the womb and into the void
I wanna try but I get annoyed
Can't you see these skies are breaking?
So out of the womb and into the void
I am one
I am
I am one
I am I am I am I am
I am one
I am
I am one
I am I am I am I am I am
On top of the world you get nothing done.
Talk is cold and burns like the sun
Can't you see these skies are breaking?
Cause the top of the world is where I'm from
The back of the class is where I was
Keeping quiet, playing dumb
Can't you see these skies are breaking?
Cause the back of the class is where I'm from
I am one
I am, I am one
I am, I am, I am, I am
I'm on a race and it's killing time
I don't need yours I'll keep it with mine
Can't you see these skies are breaking?
Cause I'm on a race and I'm doing fine
Thank you
Two of a kind and no one home
I'm in a crowd and I'm still alone
Can't you see these skies are breaking?
Cause one of a kind is all I own
I am one
I am
I am one
I am I am I am I am I am
Out of the womb and into the void
I wanna try but I get annoyed
Can't you see these skies are breaking?
So out of the womb and into the void
I am one
I am
I am one
I am I am I am I am
I am one
I am
I am one
I am I am I am I am I am
On top of the world you get nothing done.
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!
He's from "top of the world" - he's good, or special or superior to others in some way - but he "gets nothing done", at least can't reach his targets.
"back of the class is where I was" - keeping a low profile, "keeping quiet, playing dumb" - trying not to attract attention. although the image of school is suggesting itself, it could also be a metaphor for life in general and him hiding.
"I'm on a race, it's killing time" - referring to the race of life, he has no goals. there's no goal, no finish, just the race he got to race without the prospect of some sort of fulfillment.
"I don't need yours, I keep it with mine" - he doesn't want pity. He came to accept his existence and life as it is, an he doesn't want any compassion.
"Two of a kind and no one home" - this could either point to a needlessness of relationships or to a bipolar disorder, as implied in "Meds".
"I'm in a crowd and I'm all alone" - whether there are people around or not, there's still no one able to understand him, to give him the feeling of being understood, bcs he's one of a kind.
"into the void" - life doesn't really make much sense to him. and all the things that normally make life worth living just make him "annoyed".
"I am one" - He is ONE. he doesn't fit into a collective. he doesn't blend in with others. there's nobody comparable to him. He is one of a kind, unique, special.
but he is. It's no coincident that the chorus repeats the words "I am" that often. He is. He exists. It may not be the best of all existing. It may not be the best life possible. But it is. He is. And this is to acknowledge. Whether it's good or bad, he's on that "race and doing fine"
The protagonist has reached the top of where he always wanted to be, but 'these skies are breaking' are referring to how far he can fall.
He was once in a place where he felt more comfortable, but now he's up there on top of the world where there's only the 'void' around him.
And he has reached some level of success, but the people around him are only thinking about profit (cold) and if he does not comply or flies too high, either the people around him will burn him or he will burn out.
I'm thinking of the Ikarus story, but in this song, the protagonist has reached a better level of understanding before getting burned. So he's able to act as a mentor figure to others telling them what he has achieved.
And he will keep doing what he does best, even if that means being alone.
He won't trade goals 'I don't need yours I'll keep it with mine,' because he knows he has to stay true to himself. 'I wanna try but I get annoyed' means he wants to go on but there are many people around who wanna tell him what is best for him that it gets really hard to continue doing their own thing. Because they are one of a kind and only they can achieve their goal.
I can't believe no one has commented on this truly awesome song!
If anyone could tell me the meaning that would be great
"On top of the world and you get nothing done" is a sentence defining how there are people that looks more for a group belonging for not being labeled even when they could feel empty inside than be faithful to their own desires. The kind of person that is surrendered by social schemes but deep inside still values and idolatre the ones who break up the rules and follow their own thoughts.Stereotypes in resume word.
"I'll Keep It With Mine" is a song by bob dylan:
bobdylan.com/songs/…