The Everlasting

I think its a little bit about class struggle which may have been less obvious in the past "the gap that grows between our lives the gap our parents never had" and more about racism towards immigrants and people with next to nothing " stop those thoughts control your mind replace the things that you despise" I dont know quite however to reconcile these subtle hints at the nasty way of the world or Britian with the other theme of the songs which is things were better when they were younger and they weren't feigning happiness. Unforgiven suggests something has happened either between two people or perhaps between two groups in society at large. It may even been a hint about the horrors of the holocost and how the Jewish people have not forgiven the germans for what happend to them. Manic street preachers are a left wing group and their are definite hints of anti-racism in this song.

well, Nicky wrote the lyrics so I doubt it's about a relationship James was in. I think its about the way modern society depresses the adult and makes them long for their youth - all the stay young adverts and stuff. I think Nicky is trying to say thats something that developed with his generation - "the gap our parents never had." The chorus in particular evokes a feeling that true happiness is behind them "in the beginning...when our smiles were genuine." This was always a big issue for the Manics. Nicky said that all four of them had a "blissful childhood" and Richey once said "my life was perfect up until I was 10." Nicky said that TIMTTMY was the first ever "Welsh folk album" but this is probably the song on that album with the least Welsh identity. Especially in the line "the world is full of refugees, just like you and just like me." Beautiful song.

manics are idealogically motivated amongst other things... try looking at these lyrics from the point of view religion or the rejection of it (pathetic acts for a worthless cause). there are so many religious refernces in the manics work even their name (preachers) ... however their message is one of compassion from a humantarian point not through religion. the everlasting is one of the many names used for god. strikes me that this is an open declaration of the lack of religion in our society (the gap that grows between our lives etc)a gap between society and religon/god was not there in the past (gap our parents never had). but the lack of religion does not mean we are less capable of compassion ... hence the lyrics say 'we have a choice to end this void ...' the everlasting in this work refers ironically to the fact that we will be the 'everlasting unforgiven' unforgiven by god but our names may live on as a result of our compassion, to refugees etc. we will never be forgiven in religious terms due to our lack of belief ... christianity sees everlasting / eternal life as the result of foregiveness from god, (hence unforgiven). but we may live on by our reputations for what we have done (everlasting). alternatively it could be seen to be making the point that we will be unforgiven by future generations for evermore (everlasting) if we do not show compassion for our fellow humnan beings. try looking at the song from this point of view and the frugal lyrics paint a very big picture.

cant you stop trying to tell every song is about relationship or drugs. there are songs which are about none of them.it is quiet obvious this song is not about relationships.it is about the life in which we try to live maybe we are wining today but it is not fair and we are unforgiven then.

'The tragedy of it is that nobody sees the look of desperation on my face. Thousands and thousands of us, and we're passing one another without a look of recognition.' This quote by Henry Miller is quoted on Spectators Of Suicide on Generation terrorists. This sums up I think the video sort of and also the bit about the refugees, not even realising someone else is in the same position.

"it was said in a different life destroys my days and haunts my nights" breaks my heart. same for 'I don't believe in it any more/ pathetic acts for a worthless cause'. just.. ow.

This is a gorgeous, beautiful song. It's actually a kind of autobiography of the Manics (yes, another one- and by the way this is the correct meaning; Nicky has said it himself in their book-biography). 'I don't believe in it anymore, pathetic acts for a worthless cause, in the beginning, when we were winning, when our smiles were genuine'; it's all about their exhaustion and kind of dissolutionment of the adult and music worlds, how different and naive they used to be when they were younger and thought they were invincible. It's incredibly melancholic. :'(

Whats fascinating is that this is the first one on the album.

Yeah, I can relate to it. My word can I relate. It's about you, the world, and how genuine everything was when you were a child.

And now here I am, finding meaning in a song in a little-known website, yearning for that feeling, the days when my mind didn't rule school. Right and wrong was just instilled and you understood.

You didn't have to make the rules for yourself. To teach yourself to be better, you were just good. As you try to be decent and serve those you respect and trust, they grow apart, most people you went to school with gone.

Basically this song is for all the genuine people at heart, those who didnt grow up with a 'view' who didnt judge. But found themselves having to carefully reconstruct how the estrangement began. The big world full of refugees, they once shared a classroom, but now have this not so great freedom, just like everyone else, whats really important is to belong, and never give up on people.

But the hopeless fight goes on, to communicate, to understand, why were we turned against each other? The only thing that lasts is orbit, where do we go from here? I tried! But rambled sadly.

I think LBN is pretty much spot on with this. I don't know why so many people dislike this song, or indeed the rest of the album.

People dislike this song and album!?!?!?!?!?!? spose i live in Australia and found out about the manics not untill recently.