I think much like another song “Anti-Matter” (that's also on the same album as this song), this one is also is inspired by a horrifying van crash the band experienced on Nov 3, 2022. This, much like the other track, sounds like it's an extension what they shared while huddled in the wreckage, as they helped frontman Garrett Russell stem the bleeding from his head wound while he was under the temporary effects of a concussion. The track speaks of where the mind goes at the most desperate & desolate of times, when it just about slips away to all but disconnect itself, and the aftermath.
I spent my time, watching
The spaces that have grown between us
And I cut my mind on second best
Oh, the scars that come with the greenness
And I gave my eyes to the boredom
Still, the seabed wouldn't let me in
And I try my best to embrace the darkness
In which I swim
Now walking back, down this mountain
The strength of a turnin' tide
Oh the wind so soft, and my skin
Yeah, the sun so hot upon my side
Oh, lookin' out at this happiness
I searched for between the sheets
Oh feelin' blind, I realize
All I was searchin' for, was me
Oh-oh-oh, all I was searchin' for was me
Oh yeah
Keep your head up, keep your heart strong
No, no, no, no, keep your mindset, keep your hair long
Oh my, my darlin', keep your head up, keep your heart strong
Na, oh, no, no, keep your mind set in your ways
Keep your heart strong
And I saw a friend of mine the other day
And he told me that my eyes were gleamin'
Oh, I said I'd been away, and he knew
Oh, he knew the depths I was meanin'
And it felt so good to see his face
All the comfort invested in my soul
Oh, to feel the warmth of his smile
When he said, "I'm happy to have you home"
Oh-oh-oh, I'm happy to have you home
Oh yeah
Keep your head up, keep your heart strong (keep your head up, keep your heart strong)
No, no, no, no, keep your mindset, keep your hair long (keep your head up, keep your heart strong)
Oh my, my darlin', keep your head up, keep your heart strong
No, no, no, no, keep your mind set in your ways
Well keep your heart strong
'Cause I'll always remember you the same
Oh, eyes like wildflowers, oh with your demons of change
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong)
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong) may you find happiness here
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong)
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong)
May all your hopes all turn out right
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong)
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong)
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong) no, no, no, no
(Keep your mindset, keep your hair long)
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong) Oh my, my darlin'
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong)
(No, no, no, no, keep your mindset in your ways)
(Keep your heart strong)
'Cause I'll always remember you the same
Oh, eyes like wildflowers, oh with your demons of change
The spaces that have grown between us
And I cut my mind on second best
Oh, the scars that come with the greenness
And I gave my eyes to the boredom
Still, the seabed wouldn't let me in
And I try my best to embrace the darkness
In which I swim
Now walking back, down this mountain
The strength of a turnin' tide
Oh the wind so soft, and my skin
Yeah, the sun so hot upon my side
Oh, lookin' out at this happiness
I searched for between the sheets
Oh feelin' blind, I realize
All I was searchin' for, was me
Oh-oh-oh, all I was searchin' for was me
Oh yeah
Keep your head up, keep your heart strong
No, no, no, no, keep your mindset, keep your hair long
Oh my, my darlin', keep your head up, keep your heart strong
Na, oh, no, no, keep your mind set in your ways
Keep your heart strong
And I saw a friend of mine the other day
And he told me that my eyes were gleamin'
Oh, I said I'd been away, and he knew
Oh, he knew the depths I was meanin'
And it felt so good to see his face
All the comfort invested in my soul
Oh, to feel the warmth of his smile
When he said, "I'm happy to have you home"
Oh-oh-oh, I'm happy to have you home
Oh yeah
Keep your head up, keep your heart strong (keep your head up, keep your heart strong)
No, no, no, no, keep your mindset, keep your hair long (keep your head up, keep your heart strong)
Oh my, my darlin', keep your head up, keep your heart strong
No, no, no, no, keep your mind set in your ways
Well keep your heart strong
'Cause I'll always remember you the same
Oh, eyes like wildflowers, oh with your demons of change
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong)
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong) may you find happiness here
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong)
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong)
May all your hopes all turn out right
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong)
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong)
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong) no, no, no, no
(Keep your mindset, keep your hair long)
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong) Oh my, my darlin'
(Keep your head up, keep your heart strong)
(No, no, no, no, keep your mindset in your ways)
(Keep your heart strong)
'Cause I'll always remember you the same
Oh, eyes like wildflowers, oh with your demons of change
Lyrics submitted by DefeningSilence, edited by M4TTY
Keep Your Head Up Lyrics as written by Benjamin John Howard
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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
Dreamwalker
Silent Planet
Silent Planet
Mountain Song
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction
Jane's Addiction vocalist Perry Farrell gives Adam Reader some heartfelt insight into Jane’s Addiction's hard rock manifesto "Mountain Song", which was the second single from their revolutionary album Nothing's Shocking. Mountain song was first recorded in 1986 and appeared on the soundtrack to the film Dudes starring Jon Cryer. The version on Nothing's Shocking was re-recorded in 1988.
"'Mountain Song' was actually about... I hate to say it but... drugs. Climbing this mountain and getting as high as you can, and then coming down that mountain," reveals Farrell. "What it feels to descend from the mountain top... not easy at all. The ascension is tough but exhilarating. Getting down is... it's a real bummer. Drugs is not for everybody obviously. For me, I wanted to experience the heights, and the lows come along with it."
"There's a part - 'Cash in now honey, cash in Miss Smith.' Miss Smith is my Mother; our last name was Smith. Cashing in when she cashed in her life. So... she decided that, to her... at that time, she was desperate. Life wasn't worth it for her, that was her opinion. Some people think, never take your life, and some people find that their life isn't worth living. She was in love with my Dad, and my Dad was not faithful to her, and it broke her heart. She was very desperate and she did something that I know she regrets."
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
No Surprises
Radiohead
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.
Verse2 "Now walking back, down this mountain, The strength of a turnin' tide." He feels as tho his life is being pushed along/down by somthing as relentless as the tide. 'BACK down'.. this seems as though he's retracing his steps to find and mend where it went wrong or collapsed. Maybe that somthing pushing him along is his emotions? "Oh the wind so soft, and my skin, Yeah the sun so hot upon my side." 2 things here.. the first that he's beginning to recover in that he can see the good again or maybe the second being that his raw emotions are whats causing this sensitivity. "Oh lookin' out at this happiness I searched for between the sheets," -Reminiscing his relationship's happiness.. or other people's happiness or his ex's current happiness. 'The sheets' Symbolising their love/making love Or his bedridden sadness but this was in vain.. "Oh feelin' blind, I realize, All I was searchin' for, was me. Oh oh-oh, all I was searchin' for was me." Blinded by his clouded judgment due to his depression. The turning point of the song: "All I was searchin' for, was me." In actual fact, his mind so set on searching for his other half to complete him again, that he fails to realise this isnt the case. Alll he really requires it to find himself, again.
:)