Back To Where I Was

I think he's talking about how he's grown and matured, and he's learned over time about who he is and what life is about. And he's only started to learn now because he's always tried to see life in ways that it isn't. And he's always sort of been youthful and naive, but now he's actually thinking and things are making sense.

And the second verse where he says, "New life decides, we never had a clue," I think it means you always grow up thinking you know everything, but whenever he experiences new life, he realizes that what he knew wasn't the entire picture.

He goes on to talk about, "The two of us." Maybe he's talking about a relationship, or maybe he's talking about him and anyone else he comes across in life. I think the song is about feeling like life is all figured out, then coming across some snags and bad times in life, but continuing to try hard and growing.

It's like you grow up thinking life is awesome and easy, then realize it's not all that easy, and then figuring out that even though it's hard, you live and you learn, and you make the best of everything. I don't know. I could be way off. But that's just what it made me feel. And I love the song.

Sounds like he might be just reflecting on how he contemplates change, but never really truly welcomes it and even resists it ("makes us wish we'd paid respects before") He's finding that although he tries new things, and puts himself in new situations, he always feels like he winds up "back to where he was". He says too that "I'm getting older but I'm still the same"

This is just how I see it because this is how I view change. It never seems to change me. I'm never moved in ways that make me feel like "Gee, I am SOO different than I was x number of years ago." I actually had a friend's parent tell me that I was exactly the same, but she said it in a good way. Basically, change is ovverrated is what I get from this song. <3

Deciding on abortion, to get life back to normal.

Just discovered Eric Hutchinson three weeks ago, and I've been playing his music incessantly ever since, but today I really thought about what he is singing about here.

Sounds like it's about abortion. He never thought about it until she got pregnant, and he really has no say about anything when it comes down to the wire. Seems like he's against it and starts to change his mind, but then goes back to his original stance, "Back to where I was." The lyric "So I can say at least I tried" is really sad.

Reminds me of "Brick" by Ben Folds 5. I must have heard that song a hundred times and then a friend and I were talking about it one day and she said, "Oh, that abortion song," and I went back and REALLY listened to it. Ben Folds was kinda goofy and funny and it struck me as unlikely he'd write a song about abortion. But I wasn't big on lyrics back then. Went back and lead the lyrics. Yeah, that's about abortion too.

Yep. Sounds like a guy who doesn't want a baby (or is not ready) and is trying to convince himself it will be okay, but to no avail. By the end, he seems a bit defiant - "Long as I'm allowed, I'll change my mind... that's what it's for!"