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This Is Not a Test Lyrics
For those of you who tried but didn't make it
Settle down, it's never what you think
The summit doesn't differ from the big, dark valley
And the valley doesn't differ from the kitchen sink
For those of who you thought you'd be forgotten
The friends you've made will try their best to make it so
Think of all the beauty that you've left behind you
You can take it if you want it
And then let it go
And this is not a test
No, this is not a test
Taking numbers never made sense anyways
No this is not a test
No this is not a test
Because you can have it if you want it anyways
For those of us who try to keep remembering
Try to do our better-than-our-best
Think of all the children and the drifts of snow
Winners never quit, but winters never rest
And this is not a test
No this is not a test
Taking numbers never made sense anyways
No this is not a test
No this is not a test
Because you can have it if you want it anyways
No this is not a test
No this is not a test
Taking numbers never made sense anyways
Settle down, it's never what you think
And the valley doesn't differ from the kitchen sink
The friends you've made will try their best to make it so
Think of all the beauty that you've left behind you
And then let it go
No, this is not a test
Taking numbers never made sense anyways
No this is not a test
Because you can have it if you want it anyways
Try to do our better-than-our-best
Think of all the children and the drifts of snow
No this is not a test
Taking numbers never made sense anyways
No this is not a test
Because you can have it if you want it anyways
No this is not a test
Taking numbers never made sense anyways
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I love this song! I think it's about the fact that your relationships and your life are not test runs.
I LOVE THIS SONG!
I would love to find She & Him talking about what this song means to them. It's my favorite song of theirs because it's about living your life to the fullest no matter where you are because "the summit doesn't differ from the big, dark valley And the valley doesn't differ from the kitchen sink." "For those of you who tried but didn't make it," is referring to people who didn't show up for life in much the same way someone might wimp out for a test. Ah ha, but this is not a test! And I take that analogy further because I don't have faith in an afterlife: You are not going to be graded on your life. There is no one supreme being who will be judging your life, so just experience your life the best you can - feel free to experiment and improvise because it's okay to be wrong a lot in order to discover what's right. But let's say you do show up to what you think is a test, but you're nervous and wasting time on biting you're nails, overthinking what the best thing is to do, berating yourself for not having all the answers. Stop it. This is not a test. A percent of how much you got right in life does not show up on your tombstone. If you try doing better than your best, you don't enjoy the joy children have in drifts of snow. I have to say, though, I'm kinda stuck on what "Winters never quit, but winters never rest," means.
@MaloryV She introduces the image of kids being carefree and fun in the snow "We think of all the children in the drifts of snow" ...while others might be preoccupied shoveling snow or lamenting the inconveniences it may pose - you know grown up thoughts. "Winners never quit but winters never rest" - I think she just point out it is ok to be kind to yourself and enjoy things for their own sake, mere fact that you are here. Winter will return but you may not... so what are you really trying to win? Is there something to win?...
@MaloryV She introduces the image of kids being carefree and fun in the snow "We think of all the children in the drifts of snow" ...while others might be preoccupied shoveling snow or lamenting the inconveniences it may pose - you know grown up thoughts. "Winners never quit but winters never rest" - I think she just point out it is ok to be kind to yourself and enjoy things for their own sake, mere fact that you are here. Winter will return but you may not... so what are you really trying to win? Is there something to win?
With Zooey being a famous actress, I've taken this song to be talking about her experiences after reaching success.
"For those of you who tried but didn't make it, settle down it's never what you think" referring to aspiring actors who never made it big, and have an idealistic image of what it means to succeed in the acting world.
"The summit doesn't differ from the big dark valley" as in, even though she's working on big films, it's no different from working at the bottom.
"The valley doesn't differ from the kitchen sink" - I thought about the idea of singing by the kitchen sink, versus singing in a band. People think of it as being quite glorified, to be a successful singer, but in the end, it's the same as doing it alone.
For the chorus, I was thinking it relates to the idea of only having one go, and there's no point waiting around for your name to be called–just go for it.
The summit doesn't differ from the deep dark valley
The difficult part of the lyrics is when she says:
"For those of who you thought you'd be forgotten The friends you've made will try their best to make it so"
I wonder what she had in mind there.