Barely Listening

I don't see the 'barely listening' part of this song referring to a past lover or something- I see that aspect of the song referring to God. Things are, for lack of a better phrase, sucking, and God is apparently 'barely listening' to the prayers, because nothing's changing, and it all just keeps sucking. It's about losing faith and the closure that you used to get from prayer that just doesn't come anymore, because the prayers have stopped being answered. Amazing song, and one I can definitely relate to more than any other.

im not absolutly certain, but i think that this song is about how people put too much faith in religion. "Was it faith that paid the rent?" that line means that when people pray (for example to make rent) that its not religion that makes that happen, its them. people make their own miracles and it has nothing to do with their religion or faith. its almost kind of anti religion to me...but im not sure.

I love this song. Video scared me a bit @_@. can someone tell me what the meaning of this song is??

From checking other lyrics sites, I think the lyrics of the last verse submitted here are wrong. The last verse should be:

You can't shape love with a hammer You can't shape love with a will What horror lies in knowing There's no fate that chaos can't kill.

-- With those lyrics, I think the song is saying that while religion ultimately cannot provide any answers about life in a universe which in truth we all know to be horrifyingly chaotic, prayer is necessary because it fulfills the need of providing temporary solace and relief ("smiles and looks the other way") until we die (or until the afterlife in a different universe where prayers are answered). The reasons answers to prayers are illusive now is because even if a godlike entity is listening, it has no powers in this universe other than the inner strength that faith provides to help you get through life, e.g., for Christians part of that strength is provided by belief in the afterlife.

this song is great, but i think their other songs off the new album are even better, like "hold the line" and "i won't blame you". if anyone has the lyrics to them, please post 'em!

this song is absolutely haunting... to me, it means my ex now puts his life in God's hands, which is fine and of course his choice, but my flowers lie on the counter and remind me of better days when he used to pay attention to ME. i know he was barely listening.
the album is spectacular in its entirety.

i think this song is about religion mostly since in the first it describes how she says a prayer but faith never paid the rent in a sense that it's like we ask god for all this help and strength but he ignores us.. which leads to the chorus "i know you're barely listening"

and then the second verse is like god runs away from our problems leaving it all up to us and kinda abandoning us in a way that makes you think god is laughing at you thinking that he will help you. at least from mypoint of view