Lyric discussion by cavok 

Cover art for Listen lyrics by Collective Soul

I think the track is talking about someone who denies themselves 'love'... and it leads to depression.

They're desperately searching to be loved... hence their searching...

People sometimes are so afraid of 'love' they tend to seek out rejection instead.. to them it's a high, like a drug. It has been well documented by various councellors. i.e "The pain you request..."

However the person is getting sick of constantly putting themselves down. They don't love themselves, they're looking for love from other people. hence "your finding it harder to digest"

However what they don't realise is that there are people that love them, their parents, their family, maybe even their spouse. There are cases where people are married, however don't feel love from their significant other. And often the problem is within themselves, they can't love themselves.

There is love there, right infront of their faces - "Love screams everywhere.."

I believe the second verse carries on describing the feelings one has when their in this particular spiral. It is a spiral, it starts with you not liking yourself, and can end up with you killing yourself. People that kill themselves are often thought of as selfish.. often by others than have no idea what the person is going through.

And in that spiral, they're thoughts get worse, and thereby weak. This leads to despair, and the inability to get oneself out of it.

Finally in the third stanza, the track talks about how all the signs are out there infront of them, their friends, family that they are loved, but they won't accept it.

No prizes for guessing what the bitter end could be.

But there is a way out of this, if only they're heart could open up, i.e no longer believe the lies that they're not loved or wanted, and listen to the plain truth staring them in the face, they are loved, accepted and needed.

There have been cases where youths have suicided even though their parents and family loved them, so I though the concept fitted the track..