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Houdini Lyrics

Rise above, gonna start the war!
Oh, what you want, what you need
What'd you come here for?
Well, an eye for an eye and an 'F' for a fight
They're taking me down as the prisoners riot

Yeah, yeah

Got shackles on, my words are tied
Fear can make you compromise
With lights turned up, it's hard to hide
Sometimes I want to disappear

When I feel kinda bad and don't want to stress
I just pass it off on ability
Well you got what you want, what you never knew
A perfect gift from me to you

Yeah yeah yeah

Got shackles on, my words are tied
Fear can make you compromise
With lights turned up, it's hard to hide
Sometimes I want to disappear

(Raise up to your ability)
Never knew that I could find
What could come when they realize
I don't know how to compromise

(Raise up to your ability)
Get scared when I disappear
Running around before I count those years
Like I'm someone who lost their way

(Raise up to your ability)
I know that you want it
Just, its too soon to see
of one's ability

(Raise up to your ability)
Yeah you're undecided
It's so hard to see them
but I don't wanna run away

Focus on your ability
Focus on your ability
Gotta focus on your ability
Focus on your ability
Then they can't get what they want to steal
Can't get what they want to steal
Then they can't get what they want to steal
Can't get what they want to steal
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22 Meanings

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Cover art for Houdini lyrics by Foster the People

FTP focused their ability on making the catchiest song ever

Cover art for Houdini lyrics by Foster the People

I got the CD today, and here are a few corrections to the lyrics. Unfortunately the end of the song where he starts singing "raise up to your ability" doesn't have any lyrics listed. :/ Also, I wrote what it says in on the album lyrics, but I still kind of think when I listen to the song it sounds like he singing "gain again what they want to steal". It's hard to tell.

Rise above, gonna start the war! Oh, what you want, what you need, what'd you come here for? Well, an eye for an eye and an 'f' for fight They're taking me down as the prisoners riot

Got shackles on, my words are tied Fear can make you compromise With the lights turned up, it's hard to hide Sometimes I want to disappear

When I feel kinda bad and don't want to stress I just pass it off on ability Well you got what you want, what you never knew It's a perfect gift from me to you

Got shackles on, my words are tied Fear can make you compromise With the lights turned up, it's hard to hide Sometimes I want to disappear

(Raise up to your ability)

You gotta focus on your ability Focus on your ability Now focus on your ability Focus on your ability Then they can't get what they want to steal Can't get what they want to steal

Lyric Correction

OK I am very confused now because I thought that these were the right lyrics but now you are saying that it is this??? Also when I looked on the lyrics for helena beat they were way different than what I got from a bunch of other sites.....

Not Valid

:) Thumbs up!!

Not Valid

I just saw a live set of theirs. Acoustic style brought to us by the last 101.9 NY. I got pic with them cause there was only one exit, but they are very nice and great live should definitely get more music up!! Like I need my fix on this band. And their "catchy" music style. Doesn't sound same live. Like acoustically much better!!!

Not Valid
Cover art for Houdini lyrics by Foster the People

this song is about what its like to be a performer and how a magician can hide behind smoke and mirrors but a musician has to reveal very personal things about themselves or at least that pretty much what they said when they were preforming live on AltNation a couple days ago

Song Comparison
Cover art for Houdini lyrics by Foster the People

This and Helena Beat have been on repeat for me for the last three days continuously. I think they need to work on perfecting their slower tunes (Chin Up, etc.) but damn they can do catchy realllly really well. <3

Cover art for Houdini lyrics by Foster the People

Just for the record, I love the line, "f for fight." That says it all. This song is about self-efficacy--believing in yourself and your ability to do.

Fear will make a person compromise and reach lower than they ought to. But nobody should fear when they've got abilities other's do not have. Gotta find your niche is all.

Cover art for Houdini lyrics by Foster the People

This song is about a person that have social problems and therefore have difficulty of making compromises. The first part is like how someone with this kind of trouble feel when pin down in a social situation or an emotional discussion. The second part is how he deals with the situation and this is his ability, to avoid and to be invisible. And that might be a gift for the others because you save them from your emotional troubles that makes you antisocial.

Song Meaning
Cover art for Houdini lyrics by Foster the People

i can't stop listening to this song. it is really catchy and dance-able! i am in love with the lyrics as well! at the Coachella Festival 2011 he introduced this song saying it was about his "favorite magician"..obviously.

Cover art for Houdini lyrics by Foster the People

Thanks for listing the one's from the album! I assumed those are right, and also listened to a live recording on 91X on youtube, and a live recording in brisbane, along with the album to clarify the other lyrics not listed. He definitely says different things in different performances. I think these lyrics are what he actually says from watching his lips move, and they make more sense as well.

Rise above, gonna start the war! Oh, what you want, what you need, what'd you come here for? Well, an eye for an eye and an 'f' for fight They're taking me down as the prisoners riot

Got shackles on, my words are tied Fear can make you compromise With the lights turned up, it's hard to hide Sometimes I want to disappear

When I feel kinda bad and don't want to stress I just pass it off on ability Well you got what you want, what you never knew It's a perfect gift from me to you

Got shackles on, my words are tied Fear can make you compromise With the lights turned up, it's hard to hide Sometimes I want to disappear

(Raise up to your ability)

You never knew that I could find What could come when we realize Some won't stop with the compromise

(Raise up to your ability) Can't stand when i disappear Runnin around i'm filled with fear I can't do it cause my lifes a wreeeck

(Raise up to your ability) I know that you wanna Throw me into the Sea For my ability

(Raise up to your ability) Yeah i don't want (to) decide it Yeah just want to leave it IIiii just wanna walk(says run sometimes) away

(Raise up to your ability)

You gotta focus on your ability Focus on your ability Now focus on your ability Focus on your ability Then they can't get what they want to steal Can't get what they want to steal

other time on NPR, showing his face almost constantly, is very clear on the lyrics except "yeah i don't to decide it" is still vague to me.

So here's those lyrics clarified in a few places.

Rise above, gonna start the war! Oh, what you want, what you need, what'd you come here for? Well, an eye for an eye and an 'f' for fight They're taking me down as the prisoners riot

Got shackles on, my words are tied Fear can make you compromise With the lights turned up, it's hard to hide Sometimes I want to disappear...

Not Valid

So, I have listened to this song many times, and I think that most of your lyrics are correct, but I actually think that where you have "Yeah I don't want (to) decide it" through "I'll just wanna walk away." I actually think the lines are:

Yeah I'm undecided Yeah I just want to leave here But I don't want to run away.

Not Valid

These lyrics are SO MUCH BETTER than what's posted. The ones up right now are awful and make no sense.

Cover art for Houdini lyrics by Foster the People

i know you feel it too these words get overused when WE get up and over it and over them up and over it and them i know you feel it too these words get overused when YOU get up and over it and over them oh oh, hell no oh oh, hell no.

tegan and sara fan! wrong window but hell yeah :)

this is one of their best songs, it's so catchy. I love it.

My Opinion