I Need A Life

I think the narrator feels like he needs something to believe in. It sounds like he's tired of partying all night and sleeping all day. And just wants to be self-actualized- whether that's being defined by a religion or a belief system or having a goal; because he wants to proceed with life and make something of himself. that's my BASIC interpretation of it :D

They're young and brilliant songwriters.

i dont know if this song is as transparent as it seems. it does seem that he is saying that he found god and a purpose in life but the line "I'm turning in my old sinful ways For a dull new life so I can pray, pray, pray" makes me think that it might all be sarcastic, especially when you look at some of their other lyrics about searching for a purpose in life.

I halfway agree with SinkFloridaSink. But the final lyrics of the song seem to say something different to me. After he finds his God and prays and what else, the chorus comes back. This implies, to me, that he thought he found what religion was right for him, but then reverted back to his old sinful ways. He partied and lived his old life again. But then the final verse:

I need a life I've never had I need so much more good, lord & much less bad

So this is his thought pattern AFTER he partied again and lost touch with his found God and religion. I think the most important lyric here is "I need so much more good, lord." This shows he still is leaning on God. Even though he dropped the pursuit of religion, the previous search left him with a belief that he still has. A belief that SOME God presence exists.

This is why I think thevan is incorrect. I don't think he's being sarcastic about it. He's battling with the desire to be young and enjoy life as young people do, while still yearning for a higher order.

this is all imho.

I agree that this song is being sarcastic and criticizing religion. First, because of the lyrics "I'm turning in my old sinful ways/For a dull new life so I can pray, pray, pray," which are saying religion is boring. Also, another song from this album, "Kurt Vonnegut" uses a quotation from the book Cat's Cradle, which is a satire of religion and Kurt Vonnegut criticizes religion in his other books too. It would be weird if one song on the album referenced a book that is anti religion, and then this song was supporting religion, so it's more likely that this song is also being critical.

I can't believe nobody else has commented on here. I loved the song the first time I heard it.

awesome. at the beginning the narrorator is looking for meaning in his life, and by the end he found God.

this song describes my current situation almost too well....

<3 these guys

i also agree with ThingsIHaventToldU, i sense the sarcasm in this song as well

I also agree with ThingsIHaventToldU. It seems like at the beginning he is looking for something to steer him the right way, and he finds religion which he thinks is the answer to his problems. However, after a while, he realizes how his life has become so incredibly boring and he wants to go back to his old way of life, which is why: I need a life I've never had I need so much more good, lord & much less bad

comes back in.