Walk

i think it's about finally getting a shot at something and taking full advantage of it, living in the moment, embracing life, TRIUMPH

one of the best on the new album, though it's very tough to choose

To me this song is about falling in love again. The "million miles away" and the "signal in the distance" are representative of an old painful relationship. The memories are still there, but are pretty far away now. "To whom it may concern", either the former love isn't for the speaker anymore, or this could be the first line to the new person the speaker is feeling something for, like the start of a letter, and saying everything else from here on is for you. "I think I lost my way". This is also to the new love. Talking about how he was alone for so long, or didn't know how to love anymore from whatever in his past is now a million miles away. "Getting good at starting over everytime I return" that's about returning to that feeling that he actually can love someone. Maybe the speaker has felt this way on a few occasions, or has had this happen a few times now since that relationship first ended.

The chorus is pretty self explainatory then if you take the first part to be a valid interpretation. Learning to walk (love) again. He's waited long enough to get over it so why not give it a shot. "Learning to talk again, can't 'you' see I've waited long enough" He's working his way through the new relationship with this person he actually loves, or maybe just actually learning to talk to someone because he isn't alone anymore. Talking to a friend is completely different than talking to a lover, and talking to yourself about that lover.

The second verse I think is either going back to the first relationship. The paper mountains could be the letters written in a relationship, or even memories that are burned away when the relationship ends. (Kind of the metaphor of the Snows of Kilamanjaro or something). Or perhaps it is talking about how both of the people in the relationship have this past where they've had to destroy the memories of their relationships to get on and fall in love again, but I think it is more him asking himself the question "do you remember those days?"

The best part is "I think I've found my place, can't you feel it growing stronger, little conquerors". They did it. They beat the memories of their old love, or whatever that made them so lonely before. Gives me goosebumps, man.

The last part is just the celebration of the love I think. "I never want to die, I'm dancing on my grave" it all just goes back to conquering the emotions that kept you lonely for however long you didn't have someone. There's other stuff in there about the relationship too. The first decline (the first fight, or feeling it might not be right). "A whisper to a riot" the faint tinge of love that turns into full blown head over heels love. "The sacrifice, the knowing to survive" Knowing that the speaker must make sacrifices to keep the new relationship going. There's a bunch of stuff you can pull from it.

I think a lot of people could relate to this.

I also kind of took it as a recovery piece. Perhaps from alcoholism. I know the guys in the band have had some troubles with drugs and what not. Living life while not on something could be like learning to do everything all over again. You're a completely different person sober. I like my first interpretation better, but I can see how there are a lot of things that can be pulled from this little song which in my opinion is the best on the new record, and probably the best Foo song since Best of You which has awesome personal meaning to me.

A song about a man's spiritual walk with God.

• God seems a million miles away, his signal in the distance, calling out to whoever wants to hear it
• The author talks about starting over again and again, returning to God, re-learning to walk in God's ways
• Mountains, made of rock, usually signifies something strong, powerful, and significant. "Paper mountains" are therefore something that appears to be valuable and long-standing, but in reality, isn't. I believe the author is realizing that the things that we strive for on this earth aren't eternal... and are "paper mountains". He watched them burn... realizing how insignificant they really are.
• Walking spiritually is a slow process... growing spiritually stronger... conquoring one little step at a time
• He's dancing on his grave as he has obtained eternity
• Running through the fire is a picture of escaping hell / eternal separation from God
• I'll never say goodbye... another reference to an eternal state with God

Hi all.

All the meanings I have read seem very realistic, but also very simplistic, i.e. 'Learning to walk again' would not have to literally mean 'going back on the road when on tour'. To me, this song has a deeper meaning, not sure if you'll agree or not.

The best place for me to start explaining what this song means to me is in the chorus line 'learning to walk again'. When I first heard this, to me it sounded like a cry for the world over to start again, after we've successfully screwed it up with talks of depression, war, paranoia etc. This song could have a deep meaning as a cry for the world to go back to the way it was.

The opening line 'a million miles away, your signal in the distance, "To whom it may concern"' to me is the way the world used to be, trying to send a signal trying to get the world out of this mess, hoping someone will hear it. The next line 'I think I lost my way, getting good at starting over, every time that I return' then also makes sense if you think of him talking from "a person who's lost hope"'s perspective, who manages to hear the signal.

The "paper mountains" reference here could show how we built such a great world from nothing, then destroyed it, i.e. "sat and watched them burn". In the next line "I think I found my place", this "person who's lost hope" is deciding where his loyalties in this world lie, and the line after "can't you feel it growing stronger, little conquerors" is him asking the powers that be, i.e. the "little conquerors", if they can feel that the world is fighting back against them, getting stronger every day.

Those are a few examples to back up my interpretation. Remember, it's only my opinion on its meaning, you don't have to agree, just another way of looking at it!

I see this song as having two distinct meanings (or what Dave was thinking about when writing it). This has grown to be my favorite song on Wasting Light. Such a positive life loving song.

Meaning one: About life on the road and being in a band, a song to your wife and kids about how it feels to be on the road, know they are at home living their life (your signal in the distance), and then what it is like to be home. You've been on the road for 6 months playing shows, seeing your family a few days a month, etc. Being at home, playing with your kids, loving your wife, "learning the walk again" and how great it feels.

Meaning two: Just about the exact opposite. A song to the fans. Taking a break from music, then slowly writing and recording songs, knowing the fans are out there, getting with the band after having not recorded with them for 2 years, catching up, playing songs, writing lyrics...then...getting on the road and playing shows and how great it feels...etc.

I agree with a couple of the other posters in that this song is about falling down and getting back up again. The paper mountains could symbolize anything - goals, relationships, maybe even beliefs that were destroyed. But you can't let that destroy you, get your butt up and move on because life is short and there are plenty of other paths you can take.

If you look at this album and what it means for the Foo Fighters, the meaning of the song really shines through. FF have been making music, but one of the reasons I fell in love with FF was that you could hear their soul in the music. It seems like FF has strayed from that and are just now getting back.
I think this is FF's best album and defines them as artists. This song is about getting back to youby means of an artform (theirs is music)...the real you. The one who you always were.

i thought eargasms were imaginary .... till i heard this one :P this could become my new all time favourite song

Great soundin' tune to close the record. I'll take a bit of a different tack on this one, as Dave has said that he likes to right universal songs.

It's about a new human life that's been reincarnated. Learnin' to walk and talk again. I especially dig the parts about down prayin' I never wanna die, another state of mind-

It seems kinda like a realization of everything in cosmos is locked in me- but I'm startin' again. Good or bad- I dunno- just seems like a desire to not have to wait too long to never have to die again, you know.

I know, kinda a stretch. And don't ask me bout paper mountains- all I can think about is some Hindu cremation- don't they burn paper boats, or isn't the body wrapped in white atop a woodpile?

Cheers:>

I love this song and as with all songs, I think the interpretation of it is personal. It seems to be about overcoming obstacles and challenges...for me personally, it was addiction. Great song.