you may have seen the thread of silver on the window in the bathroom
that was thicker than the thread your heart was hanging from
you may have seen the lid of darkness clamping down upon a sunset
no less tightly than your heart was beating strong

in the bigger picture, there's a thread thirteen times thinner
in the bigger picture, there's a lid fourteen times tighter
in the bigger picture, there's a night fifteen times darker
and it'll hold you like no other, in the bigger picture...

you may have seen the first star flickering in the park one summer evening
no less faintly than the dream your heart was wishing on
you may have seen the seagull circling on the haze above the factory
with more purpose than the course your life was on

but if you haven't seen the places you have come from
then you haven't seen how far you have come

in the bigger picture, there's a star sixteen times fainter
in the bigger picture, there's a course seventeen times straighter
in the bigger picture, there's a dream eighteen times greater
and it'll steer you like no other, in the bigger picture...

you may have seen the blazing bonfire burning bright in fickle beauty
that was turned to lifeless ashes in the morning
you may have seen the single snowdrop where it shivered in the graveyard
no less fragile than the soul to which you cling

but if you haven't seen the people you have come from
then you haven't seen the person you've become

in the bigger picture, there's no answer to your prayers
(in the bigger picture) but there's a billion other fires
in the bigger picture, you'll learn how to build yours higher
when you've seen the savage wonder in the bigger picture...

in the bigger picture, there's a sea breeze three times fresher
and it'll make your two eyes water, in the bigger picture...


Lyrics submitted by noahdg

The Bigger Picture song meanings
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