Mainly this song is about being stubborn in the face of a need for change in one's life. The Dodo was once a creature of whom became extinct because it did not have what it took to survive in its particular environment at the time, and it refused to adapt to it's new surroundings. The word "Dodo" now is equated with being stupid, and would be most accurately used to describe somebody who stubbornly persists with the same stupid behavior even though the consequences of that behavior would influence any intelligent person to change their ways. Dave Matthews' lyrics are commonly addressing people who have lost their way in life, and this song is another take on that sentiment, great as it is.
This song is also about perception. It acknowledges the limits of our perception, and given the fact that our perception has proven many times to be limited (and so also inaccurate) we should not put too much stock in, let's say, a perception of ourselves as being inadequate, hopelessly lost, etc. We thought the world was flat, we thought the earth was the center of the universe, we thought the gods were the direct cause of the spectacular thunder bolts come down from the sky; in each case (and in many more subtle and more personal ones) we were wrong, though at the time it really looked as though we were right. If we had not adapted our perception and understanding of the world over time then we as a civilization might've gone the way of the Dodo as well.
What is apparent at any one moment is not necessarily an everlasting truth set in stone. We can change who we are no matter how abject our condition seems. That is generally what this song is about.
Once upon a time
When the world was just a pancake
Fears would arise
That if you went too far you’d fall
But with the passage of time
It all became more of a ball*
We’re as sure of that
As we all once were when the world was flat
So I wonder this
As life billows smoke inside my head
This little game where nothing is sure, oh
Why would you play by the rules?
Who did, you did, you
Who did, you did, you
When was it killed
The very last dodo bird
And was she aware
She was the very last one
So I wonder this
As life billows smoke inside my head
This little game where nothing is sure, oh
Why would you play by the rules?
Who did, you did, you
Who did, you did, you
You say who did, well you did, you
If all the things that you are saying love
Were true enough but still
What’s is all the worrying ‘bout
We can work it out
We can work it out
Oh I wonder this
As life billows smoke inside my head
This little game where nothing is sure
Why would you play by the rules?
Who did, you did, you
Who did, you did, you
You say who did, well you did, it’s you
Mainly this song is about being stubborn in the face of a need for change in one's life. The Dodo was once a creature of whom became extinct because it did not have what it took to survive in its particular environment at the time, and it refused to adapt to it's new surroundings. The word "Dodo" now is equated with being stupid, and would be most accurately used to describe somebody who stubbornly persists with the same stupid behavior even though the consequences of that behavior would influence any intelligent person to change their ways. Dave Matthews' lyrics are commonly addressing people who have lost their way in life, and this song is another take on that sentiment, great as it is.
This song is also about perception. It acknowledges the limits of our perception, and given the fact that our perception has proven many times to be limited (and so also inaccurate) we should not put too much stock in, let's say, a perception of ourselves as being inadequate, hopelessly lost, etc. We thought the world was flat, we thought the earth was the center of the universe, we thought the gods were the direct cause of the spectacular thunder bolts come down from the sky; in each case (and in many more subtle and more personal ones) we were wrong, though at the time it really looked as though we were right. If we had not adapted our perception and understanding of the world over time then we as a civilization might've gone the way of the Dodo as well.
What is apparent at any one moment is not necessarily an everlasting truth set in stone. We can change who we are no matter how abject our condition seems. That is generally what this song is about.
Once upon a time When the world was just a pancake Fears would arise That if you went too far you’d fall But with the passage of time It all became more of a ball* We’re as sure of that As we all once were when the world was flat
So I wonder this As life billows smoke inside my head This little game where nothing is sure, oh Why would you play by the rules? Who did, you did, you Who did, you did, you
When was it killed The very last dodo bird And was she aware She was the very last one
So I wonder this As life billows smoke inside my head This little game where nothing is sure, oh Why would you play by the rules? Who did, you did, you Who did, you did, you You say who did, well you did, you
If all the things that you are saying love Were true enough but still What’s is all the worrying ‘bout We can work it out We can work it out
Oh I wonder this As life billows smoke inside my head This little game where nothing is sure Why would you play by the rules? Who did, you did, you Who did, you did, you You say who did, well you did, it’s you