Foster the People

The Truth

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The Truth Lyrics

I've been trying to re-learn my name
It seems like a thousand years
I've been out of frame
And I surrender the truth is what
What I've needed from you
I've been floating within your walls of opinion
And I'm tired, I only want the truth

Yeah, well I been accosted
The jury's been partial
But I won't surrender
To prove to you I won't lie
Under pressure of compromise
Yeah well an absolute measure won't change with opinion
No matter how hard you try
It's an immovable thing
Just like the visions in your bed
Or when they're streaming in your head

I have tried so hard not to be like them
I have found they don't ever say what they mean
There is a truth, there is a light if you'd follow me there
I've been searching for the directions and
I'm convinced the world doesn't know what it needs
There is a hope
And I'll come back
If you're needing my hand
The world is so broken
I'm tripping my steps
I'm slipping and I know why
I never thought that I'd be here
A blinding call to prayer
Has touched my feet
Like the call of the prophets
A purpose is needed before you know that you know
To never wonder what you are
And not forget where you come from, yeah, wooh mmm mmm

Well is it really love you've been speaking of?
What'd you say? What'd you say? What'd you say? Yeah yeah What'd you say?
I said that you need me, don't you?
There is a truth, I can promise you that
I have tried so hard not to be like them
I have found they don't ever say what they mean
Yeah , yeah, the truth stands in the end
While you're deciding what to do
The truth stands in the end
While you're deciding what to do

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songmeanings On Mar 18, 2014

Pumped Up Kicks

Helena Beat

Waste

Call It What You Want

Houdini

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by magicberu

11y ago

According to me, it's a conversation between Mark and God. Mark stated in an interview (you can check here: http://bit.ly/Sze9Vj ) that the album Supermodel was, in a great part, about a conversation with God. Moreover, he also admitted he hated fame. That's another point of my interpretation.

"I've been trying to relearn my name It seems like a thousand years I've been out of frame And I surrender"

Since "Pumped Up Kicks" and their first world tour, Foster and his band seemed they have disappeared and people totally forget about them. They've been out of frame or long-lost. Foster surrender: he finally comes back but on his way.

"The truth is what I've needed from you I've been floating within your walls of opinion And I'm tired - I only want the truth"

The truth about the meaning of life, about

My Interpretation

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by magicberu 11y ago

According to me, it's a conversation between Mark and God (the same situation in “Nevermind” imo). Mark stated in an interview (you can check here: http://bit.ly/Sze9Vj ) that the album Supermodel was, in a great part, about a conversation with God. Moreover, he also admitted that he hated fame. That's another point of my interpretation. So, I think it's all about fame, God and the meaning of life.

"I've been trying to relearn my name It seems like a thousand years I've been out of frame And I surrender"

Since "Pumped Up Kicks" and their...

Since "Pumped Up Kicks" and their first world tour, Foster and his band seemed missing and the people totally forget about them. They've been out of frame or long-lost. Foster surrenders: he finally comes back but on his way.

"The truth is what I've needed from you I've been floating within your walls of opinion"

The truth about the meaning of life, the true happiness. And he was asking to his entourage but he didn't find out the answer.

"And I'm tired - I only want the truth"

Tired of not having concrete answers, he’s still crying out to have “the truth”.

"I have tried so hard not to be like them I have found they don't ever say what they mean"

Either Foster tried so hard not to look like the famous people who show their fake happiness in front of cameras, or he tried not to be like these guys who can't get rid of drugs (Foster used to consume drugs a lot). Foster found they don't ever say what they mean: the idea of not being honest and saying the opposite of what you really want to say. In this world, he found out that it’s all about lies.

"There is a truth, there is a light If you'd follow me there"

God speaks to Foster by saying that if he wants "the truth”, he just has to follow Him.

"I've been searching for the directions and I'm convinced the world doesn't know what it needs"

After Torches, Foster was lost in this fame world. He tried to find a way to find answers about "the truth", about what was the happiness (Was it to be famous?). So, he explored many directions. He's convinced that this world, which is going increasingly badly, is lost and doesn't know what it really needs.

"There is a hope for the hopeless I can promise you that"

God answers to Foster by saying that nothing is lost, there's still a way to recover through Him and He will give to Foster the hope he needs so.

"Yeah well I've been accosted The jury's been partial"

When he had the success, Foster was probably approached by the media our some people, and they judged him in a partial way. They tried to lead him to be like the popular artists and to choose the life they have.

"But I won't surrender To prove to you I won't lie under pressure of compromise"

But finally, he says to God that he has refused. And he won't surrender even though some compromise is made to him.

"Yeah well an absolute measure won't change with opinion No matter how hard you try It's an immovable thing Just like the visions in your bed Or when they're streaming in your head"

This new measure adopted by Foster is steadfast.

"And I'll come back if you're leading my hand The world is so broken"

God says to Foster that he's gonna come back and the chance to know "the truth" is here, if he accepts to follow Him because in this world, nothing can solve his problems (addictions especially), and no one can answer to his existential questions, but God.

"I'm tripping my steps I'm slipping and I know why I never thought that I'd be here A blinding call to prayer has touched my feet Like the call of the prophets"

Foster is tired. Tired of drugs that slowly kill him, tired of not having answers to his questions, tired of not having the peace in his mind... So he finally decides to search God, because maybe He's right ultimately (or not). Then, he slips because he reached such a high point of misery. And, unconsciously, he starts to pray so that he would find the peace. "Like the call of the prophets" is just an image as the lines in the second verse "Like the visions in your bed".

"A purpose is needed before you know that you know To never wonder what you are And not forget where you've come from"

After this supernatural experience, Foster discovered that "the truth" can only be found in God or is simply God Himself. Plus, a purpose (God/the religion or sth like that) is important in the life, so you won't wonder about your existence on the earth because you have the answer after such an encounter. Finally, this purpose is also the answer of the origins of humanity (maybe?)

"Is that really love you've been speaking of?"

Foster lacked of some kindness from someone who could really understand and cure his pain. This person should have been able to calm his soul and answer to his issues. Finally, God seemed to be that person and gave him a love like no other.

"What'd you say? What'd you say?"

Foster heard the voice, but he didn't know where it came from (while he prayed a few minutes ago).

"I said that you need me. Don't you?"

God says to Foster that He is the answer he wanted to get, and that He was the only one to deliver him from his addictions.

"The truth stands in the end While you're deciding what to do"

Now God (or the angels) speaks to the listener: even though you choose your own road, the truth (God) stands at the end of everything and especially at the end of the world (Christianity vision).

So this is my interpretation. Don't take it for granted, I wrote what I thought it's all about. :)

"I've been trying to relearn my name
It seems like a thousand years
I've been out of frame
And I surrender"
> Since "Pumped Up Kicks" and their first world tour, Foster and his band seemed missing and the people totally forget about them. They've been out of frame or long-lost.
Foster surrenders: he finally comes back but on his way.

"The truth is what I've needed from you
I've been floating within your walls of opinion"
> The truth about the meaning of life, the true happiness. And he was asking to his entourage but he didn't find out the answer.

"And I'm tired - I only want the truth"
> Tired of not having concrete answers, he’s still crying out to have “the truth”.

"I have tried so hard not to be like them
I have found they don't ever say what they mean"
>Either Foster tried so hard not to look like the famous people who show their fake happiness in front of cameras, or he tried not to be like these guys who can't get rid of drugs (Foster used to consume drugs a lot).
Foster found they don't ever say what they mean: the idea of not being honest and saying the opposite of what you really want to say. In this world, he found out that it’s all about lies.

"There is a truth, there is a light
If you'd follow me there"
>God speaks to Foster by saying that if he wants "the truth”, he just has to follow Him.

"I've been searching for the directions and
I'm convinced the world doesn't know what it needs"
> After Torches, Foster was lost in this fame world. He tried to find a way to find answers about "the truth", about what was the happiness (Was it to be famous?). So, he explored many directions.
He's convinced that this world, which is going increasingly badly, is lost and doesn't know what it really needs.

"There is a hope for the hopeless
I can promise you that"
> God answers to Foster by saying that nothing is lost, there's still a way to recover through Him and He will give to Foster the hope he needs so.

"Yeah well I've been accosted
The jury's been partial"
> When he had the success, Foster was probably approached by the media our some people, and they judged him in a partial way. They tried to lead him to be like the popular artists and to choose the life they have.

"But I won't surrender 
To prove to you I won't lie under pressure of compromise"
> But finally, he says to God that he has refused. And he won't surrender even though some compromise is made to him.

"Yeah well an absolute measure won't change with opinion
No matter how hard you try
It's an immovable thing
Just like the visions in your bed
Or when they're streaming in your head"
> This new measure adopted by Foster is steadfast.

"And I'll come back if you're leading my hand
The world is so broken"
> God says to Foster that he's gonna come back and the chance to know "the truth" is here, if he accepts to follow Him because in this world, nothing can solve his problems (addictions especially), and no one can answer to his existential questions, but God.

"I'm tripping my steps
I'm slipping and I know why
I never thought that I'd be here
A blinding call to prayer has touched my feet
Like the call of the prophets"
>Foster is tired. Tired of drugs that slowly kill him, tired of not having answers to his questions, tired of not having the peace in his mind... So he finally decides to search God, because maybe He's right ultimately (or not).
Then, he slips because he reached such a high point of misery. And, unconsciously, he starts to pray so that he would find the peace.
"Like the call of the prophets" is just an image as the lines in the second verse "Like the visions in your bed".

"A purpose is needed before you know that you know
To never wonder what you are 
And not forget where you've come from"
> After this supernatural experience, Foster discovered that "the truth" can only be found in God or is simply God Himself. Plus, a purpose (God/the religion or sth like that) is important in the life, so you won't wonder about your existence on the earth because you have the answer after such an encounter. 
Finally, this purpose is also the answer of the origins of humanity (maybe?)

"Is that really love you've been speaking of?"
> Foster lacked of some kindness from someone who could really understand and cure his pain. This person should have been able to calm his soul and answer to his issues. Finally, God seemed to be that person and gave him a love like no other.

"What'd you say?
What'd you say?"
> Foster heard the voice, but he didn't know where it came from (while he prayed a few minutes ago).

"I said that you need me.
Don't you?"
> God says to Foster that He is the answer he wanted to get, and that He was the only one to deliver him from his addictions.

"The truth stands in the end
While you're deciding what to do"
> Now God (or the angels) speaks to the listener: even though you choose your own road, the truth (God) stands at the end of everything and especially at the end of the world (Christianity vision).

So this is my interpretation. Don't take it for granted, I wrote what I thought it's all about. :)

PS: What if it was Jesus who was hinted throughout several references? “The truth”; “the light”; “hope for the hopeless”.

Reason: