Don't Give Up

what a lovely song. to me its about someone who is disenchanted with society and the conformity of the people around him/her. it could also apply to a relationship, esp. the part about the making a move and the ignoring and such.... oh hell i dont really know what im talking about. but i do love this song.

The hymn of someone not wanting to leave some other person. So beautiful

Why did you change the lyrics to "You want to live when life is sakenly unfair"? It should be "You want to live when life is achingly unfair" both times. This song is absolutely amazing.

the typical feelings of a confused teenager in love.

I’ve listened to this song many, many times since it came out. It’s still in my rotations.

For awhile, I too gravitated towards the idea that the song was about young love, courage to act on that love, and the self doubt that comes with debating doing so.

But the more I listened, I started to see a different portrait painted. I think it could also be about someone exploring their existentialism, and whether or not the inevitable stuffing that comes with life is worth it - maybe even dealing with a mental illness or taboo secret. It’s a self conscious struggle all free thinking humans contemplate - whether to live and endure, or die and avoid suffering. By the end, they choose to live and endure - to “not give up.” It is also the plead of the author for anyone resonating with these feelings that life is worth not giving up. Let me explain:

“Give me a reason to stay constantly ignored” - this person seems to be dealing with feeling voiceless and insignificant in the world, whether as a social outcast, new to the area, over contemplative, etc. This is often the first stage of existential contemplation and/or depression - am I insignificant, and if so, why continue if I am just one of the billions?

“Give me an angle that I haven't tried before” the person is openly asking for another way of looking at the world, but in a self defeated way, given the last line, they feel voiceless and unheard, so expect no answer. Young people are also often unwilling or unable to find different perspectives - I don’t mean this as an insult, but just the fact that they’ve had limited experiences and time to mature emotionally.

“A guarantee for being honestly compared” - when compared to all the others humans, do I stand out at all, or am I just another one going through the biological motions? I need a guarantee that will be judged honestly, not as a “crazy person”.

“You want to live when life is achingly unfair?” - if I don’t receive the guarantee, why would I want to live in an unfair world, that is full of pain, suffering, anxiety? The person asking themselves, hoping they can come up with a reason for continuing to live in an world where outcomes and happiness are not guaranteed.

“Don't make a move you'll look ridiculous again” - this seems to be simply self doubt. The excuse we tell ourselves to avoid risk and speaking out about how we feel - in this case, maybe afraid of admitting depression, anxiety, and fear.

“You share no interest but it's easy to pretend” it’s difficult to relate to your peers, especially when dealing with existential angst, depression, or simply being constrained to one pool of peers. That being said, it’s “easy” to pretend to be “normal”, to pretend to be happy, to pretend nothing is wrong - when in fact there is.

“Don't start the action it will turn against you soon” - more self doubt and fear of the unknown reaction and outcome of speaking out about their feelings. Maybe I’ll be put back on medication I hate, maybe I’ll be further outcasted, made fun of, pitied.

“No one is going to follow and you'll stand there like a fool“ - if I admit the way I feel, no one will admit they feel the same, and I will simply be the fool - the laughing stock - the basket case.

“You left the people when the people left you out” - when they started being a downer, whether because of over contemplating their existence, or in the throes of depression, their friends left them out of their doings, so the person in crisis gave up trying to keep their friends - they gave up on their peers like they were given up on.

“Back in the suburbs you're craving for the crowd” - they wish that they were more “normal” and crave connection to their peers again.

“Only minded now with defeats of yesterday” - they can only focus on their failures, their being defeated by their angst and/or depression. They no longer see silver linings, and are falling deeper into depression, and maybe blame themselves for not “being normal”, losing friends, or having the thoughts they have.

“The mantra spinning in your head will keep it raised” - they blame themselves, and their obsession over their failure at normality is like a repeated mantra in their thoughts, refusing to let in any positivity to counter the despair.

The person then repeats various questions and sparks of hope, but is met with self doubt. It seems the mantra is “there is no reason to stay ignored,” “ there is no other way to look at it, you’re not normal” “there is no guarantee that your feeling will be validated, or that happiness is guaranteed” “why stick around in this unfair world” - although here, the person shows much needed resistance to their crisis, despite the mantra, they tell themselves to “stick around”.

And then they repeat “Don’t give up”. I suspect this is also a plead by the song writer for those who recognize this depressive mantra to not give up either.

Depression is a serious illness that affects adolescents just as it does adults. The existentialism of human existence is a heavy contemplation, and I think the song writer is addressing a mental illness often unseen, unaddressed, and heartbreakingly common.

This just my interpretation, I could be very much wrong, but the seeming ambiguity is what makes it such a well written, hauntingly beautiful song.

That being said, if anyone who reads this resonates too closely to what I described, needs emotional support, is worried about a friend or loved one, or has any thoughts of suicide, please Don’t Give Up, and call 1-800-273-8255 to talk to someone 24 hours every day