We've got nothing more from selling our clothes to the corner store
And our bags are locked so we can leave tonight for the war
Oh, I've got a nervous tick
And seeing them go got me feeling sick
Well it's do or die, no taking sides anymore

And we're not the least afraid of the coming storm
'Cause we've got the sound and sunshine to keep us warm

So give up, give up, give up what you're after
The day is gone and you've wasted all your time
(Give up, give up, give up)
But we've got to keep moving farther down the road that you left behind
(Oh and I'm so far behind)

We've got nothing more from selling our clothes to the corner store
And our bags are locked so we can leave tonight for the war

We're not the least afraid of the coming storm
'Cause we've got the sound and sunshine to keep us warm

So give up, give up, give up what you're after
The day is gone and you've wasted all your time
(Give up, give up, give up)
But we've got to keep moving farther down the road that you left behind
Give up, give up, give up what you're after
The day is gone and you've wasted all your time
(Give up, give up, give up)
But we've got to keep moving and I'll be proud to call you a friend of mine

All this time I've been trying to find a way
To close this chapter but nothing ever stays away
It all keeps building, the things that I would say to you

So give up, give up, give up what you're after
The day is gone and you've wasted all your time
(Give up, give up, give up)
But we've got to keep moving farther down the road that you left behind
Give up, give up, give up what you're after
The day is gone and you've wasted all your time
(Give up, give up, give up)
But we've got to keep moving and I'll be proud to call you a friend of mine

Give up, give up, give up
And I'll be proud to call you a friend of mine
Give up, give up, give up
And I'll be proud to call you a friend of mine


Lyrics submitted by fedorov1fan

Give Up! Lyrics as written by Daniel Johnston

Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Give Up! song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

5 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think this song is about a relationship that didnt go well because of the other person (the girl), and he is singing about how they need to leave it behind and that they can only be friends now because she had her chance.

    alexl53on May 13, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    When the music changes and the lyrics are "all this time I've been trying to find a way..." is so beautiful and hits really close to home. I wasted a big part of my life trying to get back with my ex and now we're just friends but we both still respect eachother. He is "proud to call me a friend of [his]. This song is amazing because it's realistic.

    DeeDeeBabyon October 12, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    IMHO, their songs are /great/.

    I haven't really got the whole meaning of the song, but it makes me think of two people who used to be together and something happened. They broke up and now have to face something together, but differently. The line "...and I'll be proud to call you a friend of mine" makes me think that they're just friends now, despite what either one of them might really want.

    part_bon February 02, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    It's brilliant how after the line "It all keeps building, the things that I would say to you" the music swells and kinda goes crazy for a bit. And I adore the lines, "We're not the least afraid of the soming storm 'cause we've got the sound of sunshine to keep us warm!" :D

    katy_47on April 09, 2008   Link
  • -1
    General Comment

    good song. but then again most of their songs are good. not great... if you want great listen to marianas trench!

    musiquenoteson August 03, 2007   Link

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!

More Featured Meanings

Album art
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him. There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
Album art
Cajun Girl
Little Feat
Overall about difficult moments of disappointment and vulnerability. Having hope and longing, while remaining optimistic for the future. Encourages the belief that with each new morning there is a chance for things to improve. The chorus offers a glimmer of optimism and a chance at a resolution and redemption in the future. Captures the rollercoaster of emotions of feeling lost while loving someone who is not there for you, feeling let down and abandoned while waiting for a lover. Lost with no direction, "Now I'm up in the air with the rain in my hair, Nowhere to go, I can go anywhere" The bridge shows signs of longing and a plea for companionship. The Lyrics express a desire for authentic connection and the importance of Loving someone just as they are. "Just in passing, I'm not asking. That you be anyone but you”
Album art
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988. "'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it." "There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Album art
Just A Little Lovin'
Dusty Springfield
I don't think it's necessarily about sex. It's about wanting to start the day with some love and affection. Maybe a warm cuddle. I'm not alone in interpreting it that way! For example: "'Just a Little Lovin’ is a timeless country song originally recorded by Eddy Arnold in 1954. The song, written by Eddie Miller and Jimmy Campbell, explores the delicate nuances of love and showcases Arnold’s emotive vocals. It delves into the universal theme of love and how even the smallest gesture of affection can have a profound impact on our lives." https://oldtimemusic.com/the-meaning-behind-the-song-just-a-little-lovin-by-eddy-arnold/
Album art
Plastic Bag
Ed Sheeran
“Plastic Bag” is a song about searching for an escape from personal problems and hoping to find it in the lively atmosphere of a Saturday night party. Ed Sheeran tells the story of his friend and the myriad of troubles he is going through. Unable to find any solutions, this friend seeks a last resort in a party and the vanity that comes with it. “I overthink and have trouble sleepin’ / All purpose gone and don’t have a reason / And there’s no doctor to stop this bleedin’ / So I left home and jumped in the deep end,” Ed Sheeran sings in verse one. He continues by adding that this person is feeling the weight of having disappointed his father and doesn’t have any friends to rely on in this difficult moment. In the second verse, Ed sings about the role of grief in his friend’s plight and his dwindling faith in prayer. “Saturday night is givin’ me a reason to rely on the strobe lights / The lifeline of a promise in a shot glass, and I’ll take that / If you’re givin’ out love from a plastic bag,” Ed sings on the chorus, as his friend turns to new vices in hopes of feeling better.