Playing Along

Keane

At the start of the news day, the fires begin
In words and in pictures, but I'm not listening
I'm not taking it in
I'm going to go to the country, where nothing goes on
Going to bury my head, where I can't hear the sound of bombs
Playing along

Me, I'm just playing along
You and I, so many good people all
Just playing along

I'm going to go to a bar, where is the jukebox is on
Going to shut out the noise, with a rock'n'roll song
Playing along

I'm going to turn up the volume [Repeat: x3]
Till I can't even think

Tell us a tale of the proud and the free
Sing us a swing time American melody
From "Follow The Fleet"

Me, I'm just playing along
You and I, a billion people all
Just playing along

I'm going to turn up the volume [Repeat: x3]
Till I can't even think

I'm going to turn up the volume [Repeat: x3]
Till I can't even think

I'm going to turn up the volume
Till I can't even think

I'm going to turn up the volume
Till I can't even think

I'm going to turn up the volume
Till I can't even think

I'm going to turn up the volume
Till I can't even think

I'm going to turn up the volume
Till I can't even think

I'm going to turn up the volume
Till I can't even think

I'm going to turn up the volume
Till I can't even think


Lyrics submitted by MLBfreek35

Playing Along Lyrics as written by Timothy James Rice-oxley Richard David Hughes

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Playing Along song meanings
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8 Comments

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  • +2
    General CommentI don't believe this is necessarily about blocking out the "news of the world." It can be about blocking out any problem or worry we (as individuals) might have. At times we all walk through life either sad or restless or anxious and we need distractions to keep our minds off those things. It's escapism...a temporary relief. For many (I'm guessin') music is a release....a way to calm our nerves or live vicariously through it. It "speaks' for us when we are unable to voice our feelings. In that way it is like a drug. And we all do "play along" in life from time-to-time. Ever recall not feeling happy but forcing yourself to go out with friends or hang with family...pasting a smile on your face when you're dying inside. Absolutely LOVE this band (one of my top 3)!
    MaryMaryQuiteContraryon September 25, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Commentbest song from Perfect Symmetry IMO, epic masterpiece
    adaceon October 08, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Commentbest song from Perfect Symmetry IMO, epic masterpiece
    adaceon October 08, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General CommentThe "turn up the volume" is just great. We all have our ways to disconnect from our brain.

    The meaning is pretty obvious. You do all you can not to think of the news of the world (because well, it's fucked up)
    organixon October 11, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General CommentWhat's up with that super high pitch near the end of the song?

    I mean, I get that they're "turning up the volume," but did it have to be physically such that it hurts to listen to the song itself?

    Other than that, this song is fantastic. This album totally grew on me in the best way possible.
    Intaminon November 01, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Commentfunny cos i always heard the song "I'm gonna turn up the volume til I can't hear the pain". Even if my ears are decieving me it helps me to appreciate the song in terms of being about our ignorance/denial of the suffereing of others, possibly using music as a distraction or an escape instead of facing the raw facts of the reality in this world.

    Oh dear, I must be going mad!
    hanlovesjameson February 22, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General CommentI love this song so much. It's pretty self explainitory, and easy to relate to.
    spleemckeeon June 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    My InterpretationThe beginning lyrics imply escape from all the news about war, genocide, etc that we're often so bombarded with these days, and contrasts it with a bit of a 19th century Romantic era image, of escaping the big urban problems and instead favoring the beautiful countryside I think all of us have dreamed of escaping.

    However, I don't think the song is about escaping the urban world but rather our desire of escaping life's problems and abandoning them. The rest of the song's lyrics seem to be a mix of not only escapism but I think depression and perhaps the feeling of abandonment. It seems that the protagonist in this song suffered some kind of bad event to them that is never specified, perhaps a break-up, a death, being laid-off, or anything of the like. "I'm going to go to a bar, where is the jukebox is on" implies the protagonist has gotten drunk, something a lot of us do as relief. "I'm going to go to the country" perhaps implies that the protagonist has taken a "vacation", away from their problems.

    All in all, a very beautiful song, something that talks about our all too common reaction of running away from problems rather than dealing with them.
    ZeeManDogon March 31, 2014   Link

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