Counting Stars

Ryan Fedder recently said on TheVoice he wrote this song about the money problems he and his wife had when they were first married. He worked a lot of jobs and he always told her one day they would have money to burn and would never have to worry about bills, they'd be counting stars.

Love reading everyone's interpretations - keep them coming.

The lead singer said Native was inspired by how people choose to spend their time on Earth. Put very simply, I think this song is about how some people spend their lives chasing coin instead of what really matters to them. Of course, there is much more to it, but I think that's what it boils down to.

I think this song is about the lifestyle the author is living.

He's in a busy relationship where the both of them are so worried about the money, paying the bills and stuff, that they forget to simply live life and appreciate the things it offers. Therefore:

"Lately I been, I been losing sleep Dreaming 'bout the things that we could be Baby I been, I been prayin' hard Said no more counting dollars We'll be counting stars Yeah, we'll be counting stars"

He talks about the conduct people, including him, are living these days: not what they wish they could do, but what they're made to do, what they're forced. And it's probably about unnecessary work, rules and manners imposed by society.

"And I don't think the world is sold I'm just doing what we're told"

Complementing the commentary above, he wants to free himself from those fake rules which are made only to keep people under control, under the 'normal' way of living.

"I, feel something so right But doing the wrong thing I, feel something so wrong But doing the right thing"

In the verse "Everything that kills me makes me feel alive" he talks about drugs, and when I say drugs it's not only drinking and smoking, also these things, but it can be anything. For example, adrenaline, gambling, love, etc.

"Everything that drowns me makes me wanna fly". Here he talks about those things we are not allowed to do and because of that we are stirred up to do them. It's better because it's forbidden. Or when you want to prove something to someone who doesn't have faith in your capacity.

"Take that money and watch it burn Sink in the river the lessons are learned"

In this part he says that the money he was referring to earlier will disappear quickly, it won't last forever, it's ephemeral. And you will truly learn the lesson when you go through a tough situation.

My idea is that this song is about doing drugs or smoking. In this, the speaker is working hard, finding a solid job, etc. but falls into depression and resorts to body-damaging hobbies.

"No more counting money, we'll be counting stars" This sounds like he is giving up on trying so hard to support himself, and just resorting to taking life as it is, smoking to forget it all.

"Everything that kills me makes me feel alive." Smoking slowly eats at your lungs, common knowledge, but also makes you forget and feel happy and therefore this line.

Ryan has explained how he got the idea for this song.

The track basically wrote itself, and includes some of the frontman’s favorite lines from the album, like, “Everything that kills me makes me feel alive.” He wrote the chorus — another one of his favorite lines — for anyone who loses sleep wondering how they’re going to be able to afford their rent or provide for their family.

“A lot of time I just lay in bed awake, stressing out,” Tedder said. “Everybody does it. And I just thought, I can’t wait until I’m counting stars and not counting dollars anymore. Things will be so much better.”

I believe its a song talking about conflict between religion and a simple soul! What we were told is the "right" thing and what we feel is! Questioning of beliefs of our parents, and their parents too and the new age way of thinking! Kinda conflict in the mind on how to live free, and be a good person at the same time! Burn the money turn yourself to the stars. Live free and expand your soul! Brake the chains and believe in yourself, there is the heaven on earth...

On "The Voice" Ryan Tedder said: "This is about my struggle to pursue music fulltime. I got married relatively young so now I'm supporting somebody else and I used to sit around thinking about I can't wait till I'm not counting every single Penny. I wanna be just chilling, counting stars."

Having heard that and then looking at the lyrics again - I definitely get what he's saying. Making it in the music industry can be such a struggle. Not everyone gets discovered or accepted right away, it can be very hard work - on top of that there's having to pay the bills which makes you look at or "count" every Dollar and in his case also having someone else to support. He was probably getting rejected at times but didn't give up hope, looking forward to the time where the goal would be reached. And he believed in himself, saying "we'll be counting stars" as he's sure about it.

Ryan Tedder is definitely a great songwriter. I can connect with so many of the songs.

I think this song's based on a couple struggling to pay their bills, or debts. As there is proof, I might as well say it. It clearly says,

'Instead of counting dollars, We'll be counting stars,'

Or maybe they're just worried about the money that they currently have. Therefore they want to forget about the struggles and supposing so, as one of the verses do say,

'Dreaming 'bout the things that we could be,' 'I've been prayin' hard' 'Lately I've been losing sleep'

It might be small clues to what gambling could reference to. Slots have three stars, putting them into a whole-three-row means a jackpot. They may have also lost tracks of their dreams, hurrying in drugs as 'Everything that kills me makes me feel alive,' do indicate a small proof-shot of drugs. As he says 'take that money watch it burn,' it could also mean that money disappears quicker than you imagine by spending things.

Most people have swings in their lives 'I can see this life like a swinging vine' (or something like that) and if you think about you swinging on a vine, the vine may snap and it will take you a long time to hurry back up. I feel of this money-wise.

'And I don't think the world is sold, I'm just doing what we're told,'

'Sold' means that something is bought. Buying things may reason for overuse of money. This part could indicate that you shouldn't buy too many things as it could cause debts and loss of money, and 'I'm just doing what we're told,' means that somebody told him not to use money when you don't need it.

'Everything that drowns me makes me want to fly,'

In this part, the writer talks about things that we aren't capable to do. Flying isn't possible unless there is something to support us to fly. Things need support. For example, debts need loans or advice, bullying needs to be told, airplanes need wheels to land smoothly, astronauts need oxygen because you can't breath in space and etc. Flying makes you feel like you want to do it, without support. But because of that report, it is forbidden without 'support' from others, for example, it needs to be told to, needs permission before heading off.

Well for me, I get the impression that this song is about a long distance relationship. When he says he's been loosing sleep thinking about the things they could be, it makes me think he's just tossing and turning in bed thinking about how much more amazing their relationship would be if they were actually together. And he's been praying hard to see her. And no more counting dollars, as in he doesn't have enough money to go see her because he's been struggling with money problems, so he's counting stars.

In the verses, I feel like he's contemplating the situation with himself. He sees the signs that one day he'll see her, but there's just so many things holding him back with money issues, maybe rent and debt, bills. But he's not giving up because basically what doesn't kill him makes him stronger, and he loves her too much to stop trying. And he finds himself trying to save up money to see her, when he should be worrying about his bills, which is why he feels "so right doing the wrong thing" or "so wrong doing the right thing"

I could be completely wrong, but that's just how I interpret this song.

To me this song feels like a man who fell in love with a woman, but married someone else for comfort and money. He's now looking back on his past relationship and thinking hard about what they could have been.

Lately I been, I been losing sleep Dreaming 'bout the things that we could be But baby I been, I been prayin' hard Said no more counting dollars We'll be counting stars Yeah, we'll be counting stars

_Here he is losing sleep, it's been a long time since he's seen the woman he was in love with, he's lived the life got all the physical things he wanted with his current relationship, but realized that's all it is. Nothing more, and he wants more.

I see this life Like a swinging vine Swing my heart across the line In my faces flashing signs Seek it out and ye shall find The old, but I'm not that old Young, but I'm not that bold And I don't think the world is sold I'm just doing what we're told I, feel something so right But doing the wrong thing I, feel something so wrong But doing the right thing I could lie, could lie, could lie Everything that kills me makes me feel alive

_ He's seeking his love again, he's gotten wiser, realized what he lost and putting it all out there. "right" doesn't seem to work out the way he'd thought, he's ready wants to know if she feels the same, can they make it work after all the time has passed? He's older, but not too old, and wants to know she's feeling the same way.

Lately I been, I been losing sleep Dreaming 'bout the things that we could be Baby I been, I been prayin' hard Said no more counting dollars We'll be counting stars Lately I been, I been losing sleep Dreaming 'bout the things that we could be But baby I been, I been prayin' hard Said no more counting dollars We'll be, we'll be counting stars

Dreaming about the things they could be, if he'd only made the right choice, maybe it's not too late?

I feel the love And I feel it burn Down this river every turn Hope is a four letter word Make that money Watch it burn Old, but I'm not that old Young, but I'm not that bold And I don't think the world is sold I'm just doing what we're told I, feel something so wrong But doing the right thing I could lie, could lie, could lie Everything that drowns me makes me wanna fly

Lately I been, I been losing sleep Dreaming about the things that we could be Baby I been, I been prayin' hard Said no more counting dollars We'll be counting stars Lately I been, I been losing sleep Dreaming 'bout the things that we could be But baby I been, I been prayin' hard Said no more counting dollars We'll be, we'll be counting stars

Take that money and watch it burn Sink in the river the lessons I learned

Take that money and watch it burn Sink in the river the lessons I learned

Take that money and watch it burn Sink in the river the lessons I learned

Take that money and watch it burn Sink in the river the lessons I learned

• He's ready to burn it all down, and start new. He'll drown in this situation if he doesn't make a move soon.

Everything that kills me makes me feel alive

_ he's not doing well, feeling pressure from his current situation, doing crazy things to only feel again.