The Great Beyond

First, a preface. I'm not an atheist (I class myself as agnostic), or a Dawkins follower, but these are my views.

The song, to me, seems to reflect trying to find beauty and meaning in a meaningless world, trying to understand human nature in the absence of a god.

I've watched the stars fall silent from your eyes All the sights that I have seen

(Finding beauty in other people and the wonders of the natural world)

I can't believe that I believed I wished That you could see

(A realisation that believing in a god does seem ridiculous, and trying to show someone else that noticing how amazing the intricacies of world is)

There's a new planet in the solar system There is nothing up my sleeve

(Showing that seeing something amazing can usually be explained in scientific terms, it doesen't need to be a mystery)

I'm pushing an elephant up the stairs I'm tossing up punchlines that were never there

(I'm doing something impossible, I'm looking for answers where there are non, there is no one answer to the way the world works, no great perfect understanding; it's a billion different answers to a billion different questions)

Over my shoulder a piano falls Crashing to the ground

(Cause and effect; something happens, in this case a piano falling, and gravity forces it down, it can be explained scientifically, even if it looks strange)

And all this talk of time Talk is fine

(Talking about the nature of the universe in a metaphysical manner is fine, but it's just talk. Trying to find deep meaning can feed the soul, but sometimes evidence is needed)

And I don't want to stay around Why can't we pantomime, just close our eyes

(But I don't want to procrastinate and play along, I want to find the real answers)

And sleep sweet dreams? Me and you with wings on our feet

(dreams of an afterlife or heaven is a comforting, sweet thought, and we can cling to that if we so choose; but it's likely just a dream)

I'm pushing an elephant up the stairs I'm tossing up punchlines that were never there Over my shoulder a piano falls Crashing to the ground

(covered this)

I'm breaking through I'm bending spoons I'm keeping flowers in full bloom I'm looking for answers from the great beyond

(All the beliefs that people have about finding this "perfect" realm of understanding, where everything makes sense and we are enlightened. People wanting a simple explanation for a complex world.)

I want the hummingbirds, the dancing bears Sweetest dreams of you I'm looking to the stars I'm looking to the moon

(again, seeing beauty in the things that we know are there, and fillus with wonder, without being supernatural.)

and we've covered the rest, as it repeats. I'm not saying that the song is about stopping searching for enlightenment, by any means. I think it's about realising that the search is probably futile, but that the search itself makes us feel special, and that's amazing in itself; even if there probably isn't an answer out there at all.