So this is what it's like to be human
And I should know
A second never felt so long
I tried to put the pieces in their place
Not a man or god,
But somewhere in between;
The body's a machine

It takes a toll too high to see another life
Flash before your eyes
The highway won't just stop itself
If you're alive
There's no more time to think of the might-have-beens
As the old ship sinks
A new horizon waits
But not today

I try to pull myself together
I'm just used to seeing the chest rise and fall
Point taken, man, just breathe again
Hitting the brakes so hard
At the sight of blood and steel
It tends to make things real

It takes a toll too high to see another life
Flash before your eyes
The highway won't just stop itself
If you're alive
There's no more time to think of the might-have-beens
As the old ship sinks
A new horizon waits

They told me I'd see angels
In their place flashing lights
I'm seeing my mirror image in pieces
No sound, but can you hear me?
I'm screaming out my lungs
I don't believe this
I hope you hear this

It takes a toll too high to see another life
Flash before your eyes
The highway won't just stop itself
If you're alive
There's no more time to think of the might-have-beens
As the old ship sinks
We have mountains to climb
This is my Everest


Lyrics submitted by VampedVixen

This Is My Everest Lyrics as written by Jonathan Adam Diener Jonathan Diener

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

This Is My Everest song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

4 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is simple to see the meaning to, there is death, and sorry, and pain, and agony. "There's no more time to think of the might-have-beens as the old ship sinks" -- after it has happened it is to late, and dont dwell on it. "We have mountains to climb, This is my Everest" -- the person(s) has this as a barrier that is holding them back, they must get past this one, Hence "Everest" they will have to climb high and long (it wont be anything that they can pass soon but something that will take a long time to recover from

    Ex3cUtIoN11on October 29, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    I think this song is just about overcoming hardships such as death, and broken relationships. The Swellers rule.

    parkermunsonon April 27, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This song is my anthem. I never thought I'd be here today due to spending the best part of 2 years in hospital.

    "It takes a toll too high to see another life flash before your eyes The highway won't just stop itself if you're alive There's no more time to think of the might have beens as the old ship sinks We have mountains to climb. This is my Everest"

    Well I've climbed my mother fucking everest and reached the summit.

    Live for today guys. Seriously.

    Oh, and these dudes fucking RULE.

    RazorSex0on October 18, 2009   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning

    Nick said something like that before a acoustic session:

    The song based on a accident, that we saw. As we have seen, it has suddenly understood how fragile the human is.

    Thus, the song will live inside the fragile and the possible death of the fast symbolize people. I think, thats a very good point to write a song and they did it well!

    heaven23810on April 02, 2012   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
Light Up The Sky
Van Halen
The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
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
No Surprises
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Album art
Blue
Ed Sheeran
“Blue” is a song about a love that is persisting in the discomfort of the person experiencing the emotion. Ed Sheeran reflects on love lost, and although he wishes his former partner find happiness, he cannot but admit his feelings are still very much there. He expresses the realization that he might never find another on this stringed instrumental by Aaron Dessner.
Album art
American Town
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran shares a short story of reconnecting with an old flame on “American Town.” The track is about a holiday Ed Sheeran spends with his countrywoman who resides in America. The two are back together after a long period apart, and get around to enjoying a bunch of fun activities while rekindling the flames of their romance.