Only Human

This song is about the Green Movement. Read the lyrics again, and notice "if that's our only excuse, how do we think we'll keep on being only human." He talks about how this (the environment/planet) will outlive him, and makes references to "paving over paradise" and "planets talking about a revolution, the natural laws ain't got no constitution."

It's his commentary (with LOTS of metaphors and word play) about caring for the environment.

could be about marijuana, but looking at the lyrics of "plane" i think that one is too. It's kinda obvoius that he's had a problem with it.. i think he's fine now, idk, haha my obsessive self knows that from reading his online journal.

but i like this song a lot, he has an amazing voice, and it shows here, i thought it was about human flaws, with references to mj as an example. but the "product of a seed. the seed is sown, all alone" thats referring to the "30 meters and a foot" tree. something so huge and amazing is the product of something so little as a seed. hmmm not a marijuana plant i guess... oh yeah, and the "we're all breathing in" part... well plants do provide oxygen, not just mary jane zach. jsyk.

so maybe this song is about how we as humans have the potential to do great things, but we're flawed in nature, but we are working on those flaws, and will overcome them soon "only human, so far, so far"

it keeps referring to this "tree" (that i doubt is a marijuana plant) metaphorical?? for what? many things haha but thats part of the meaning's mystery.

Coming from someone who has smoked a lot of weed in her day and consequently tends to see weed references pretty much everywhere I can honestly say I don't think this song has any references to it... and even it does it definitely doesn't feel like weed is meant to be the overarching theme of the song.

and I also read his journal

but this is just my opinion

Read his journal from Monday, November 19, 2007 entitled "Me and the Major" and you'll read about the tree mentioned in this song and hopefully it'll all make a little more sense :)

so if its not about marijuana, then what does it mean?

I agree that it's more about the green movement. What my first impression was is that this was a sarcastic way to point out our flaws and that people are using the excuse that "we're only human" I think he's trying to say that it isnt a good excuse and we know we shouldn't be "paving over paradise" or cutting down forests or whatever, but we do it anyway because we're "only human". I think the "so far" part is saying that he thinks we as humans have much more potential and maybe in the future we'll realize our mistakes and stop using this excuse.

I agree with the green movement thing, but I was thinking about the song last night and the lines,

"They've got a right to live their own life But we keep paving over paradise"

Really stuck out to me. It made me think, overall, we say we don't care about other people or how they choose to do things yet we're constantly looking over what might make them happy. "I respect you, but not really, because I decide to screw over all your ideas."

It's like saying one is a failure for being a dropout or a fool for not living up to expectations. You said you didn't care, but it looks like you did anyway. And for what? Obviously not the person you're demeaning -- "Only human" being the excuse we use to defend our own selfishness. They might be happy with their decision, but we could care less because it's not what -we- want to see; and as a result we effectively 'pave over their paradise'. Maybe the animals are metaphors for other people going about their lives?

Eh, that's just my two cents.

Wow, I had no idea this guy had tripped until i heard this song. When I heard these lyrics, I absolutely knew he had to have been 'turned on'. So i looked around and found... http://hightimes.com/entertainment/bjahn/2501

"words are only human" - as in our existence/reality is only what we perceive.

I would have to say the strongest message in this song is the constant stuggle between "let's get green", but then realizing does it really matter? We're nothing more than a squirrel, a crow. We do what we will to survive, to live, and who knows if we'll last. (How long do we think we'll keep on being?)

Could just be me though. Take a hit and see what you think...

THIS SONG IS NOT ABOUT WEED! i'm not denying that he does it, but he said in an interview on youtube that this song is literally about a tree in his backyard. he is saying that nature has no choice when it comes to what humans do with the earth. that animals have a right to live in their homes, but humans, not caring, will destroy their homes in a heartbeat. but he's not neccesarily blaming us, as humans, because we are just trying to live our lives too.

i saw that video too.. it was pretty sweet, i totally agree with kbw8