I'm paralysed and things could change for you as well
You're not so bad off now, you can move anything you need
I'm not this way because of an emergency I caused
At seventeen a guard perched above the chlorine floor
When I saw a hand raise up from just beneath the air
A frantic move for help, I made an instant judgment call

Dive, I arched my feet to dive, I broke the elemental line
To save a child.
Dive, into the shallow floor
The bottom scraped my palms and compressed my spine

Now I'm paralysed while they just hope to make amends
The family and the kid who faked the drowning accident
I've felt the hand of God and that's the last thing I felt
At all below my back, I've lost the faith I thought I had.

Dive, I arched my feet to dive, I broke the elemental line
To save a child.
Dive, into the shallow floor
The bottom scraped my palms and compressed my spine


Lyrics submitted by Mopnugget

Ballad of a Paralysed Citizen Lyrics as written by Jacob Thiele Clark Baechle

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Ballad of a Paralysed Citizen song meanings
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25 Comments

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  • +2
    General Comment

    This song scares me a lot. The first time I was listening to it, it wasn't really that bad, ya know, typical faint. But then, when i looked at the lyrics, it really started to scare me. It's about a lifeguard, who dives into the pool to save a child that is fake drowning. It really hit home because I am a seventeen year old lifeguard. Pretty freaky shit...

    Joelindsay014662on March 10, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    corrections: ""now i'm paralysed while they just move to make amends" ... you know, irony?

    mudflyon June 06, 2002   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I can relate to this song alot. I am in sorta the same situation, being paralyzed ins't great and just listening to this song made me cry alot and cope with my disability. Now I am fine and perfectly happy. Now when I hear this song, I become happy that I am not the only one out there that is like that due to a horrible accident.

    keenon June 28, 2003   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    It is a newspaper article transformed into a song about a lifeguard who in attempt to save the life of a child faking the drowning paralyzes himself. it is another twist on the "boy who cried wolf" stroies applied to real life, with tragic endings.

    mingoesbuenoon January 03, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    This songs holds a superior beauty, at least to me. Its got the chilling aura and morbid tone that makes one sad. You pity the person that its about, and half wonder if its got truth behind it. Regardless Im glad to find artists who ponder some topic aside from romance and drugs.

    haggeron June 17, 2002   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    When I listen to this song, I realize that my problems aren't as bad as they seem to be. It makes me respect my good health.

    Conrtiston March 10, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Joelindsay, the guy isn't a lifeguard. He was a regular guy.. that's why it was such a big deal for him to "break the elemental line"...

    Otherwise he would have just been doing his job.

    cerulean caelumon April 27, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    ..This is such a wonderful song, makes me feel depressed, but you gotta love that synth sound..

    Kittypawon April 27, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    this song is amazing. when i saw them live, they had two large screens in the background with water on them... it was sobering.

    a dream risingon May 10, 2003   Link
  • 0
    General Comment

    Is there a reason he wrote this song...? or was it just written at random?

    birdface2317on June 14, 2003   Link

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