Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down wrote this song in math class when he was 15! So it’s probably not about drugs, growing old, or a complicated relationship with a girlfriend. Brad says:
‘It's not just asking, “If I fall down, will you be there for me?” Because it's easy to be there for someone when they're down. But it's not always easy to be there for somebody when they're doing good. It's asking, “If I'm down, will you still be there for me?” But at the same time … [it’s] kind of asking, “If I'm doing good, will you be there for me? Will you not be jealous of me? That song is so little about Superman.’
A 15 year old guy is worrying about how he fits in with his buddies and about being tight and loyal with his buds. The music video was made in 2000, seven years after the song was written. The video has overly influenced people’s interpretation of the song, but the video doesn’t reflect the original inspiration. Brad said, “Maybe throughout the years of singing that song, I might have come up with more meanings for it than it actually might have originally had.”
I think the song is about worrying that as things change (“the sands of time”), as life goes up and down (“I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon”), will we still be there for each other as friends (“as long as you'll be my friend at the end”)? Adolescent friendships are so intense (“your secrets I will keep,” “if not for me then you'd be dead”), but then when we grow and move on, will we still mean the same thing to each other?
The singer is determined to stay loyal and steadfast (“I'll keep you by my side with my superhuman might”), but he’s worried that his friend might not (“Will you be there holding my hand?”), especially if the singer is more successful than his buddy (“If I’m alive and well”).
The meaning of the “Kryptonite!” refrain has bothered people. The singer’s loyalty and need for his friend makes him vulnerable to being disappointed by his friend. So in a way, his friend could be his Kryptonite: our loved ones have the power to hurt us in ways our enemies never could. Worrying (“my troubled mind “) about his friendship is what has him going “to the dark side” (“I knew it had to be something to do with you”). He realizes that he can’t control what life throws at them (the dark side of the moon is unknown) and that things will always change (“I feel there is nothing I can do”). But even though they may argue or have ups and downs (“You call me strong, you call me weak”), the overall message is uplifting:
“I really don't mind what happens now and then / As long as you'll be my friend at the end.”
Exactly! But I think in the 3rd couple it explains more. It is clear to me that he is having some issues with his friend(s). His not exactly worried about losing his friends but his actually worried that his friends sometimes don't understand him. "You called me strong, you called me weak
But still your secrets I will keep" Like we all did in adolesence, we had a buddy that we shared secrets with him. Whatever is my friends opinion about me, we are still friends and I keep his secrets. "You took for granted all the...
Exactly! But I think in the 3rd couple it explains more. It is clear to me that he is having some issues with his friend(s). His not exactly worried about losing his friends but his actually worried that his friends sometimes don't understand him. "You called me strong, you called me weak
But still your secrets I will keep" Like we all did in adolesence, we had a buddy that we shared secrets with him. Whatever is my friends opinion about me, we are still friends and I keep his secrets. "You took for granted all the times .Never let you down " I proved to you that how loyal I was to you and how many times I helped you. If it wasn't for me, you'll had a serious problem. I helped you stand to your feet("put you back on solid ground").
And then on chorus he says clearly. His got so much issues with his friend(s) that if one day they'll become to pushy his going to be so mad they will call him superman. But if I his alive and well(Well means that he is going to be able to protect him and it is a message to his friend "If you will be there everytime and not only when I need you") and his friend will be supportive then he is going to protect him with all the power he has. Kryptonite means what you explained before.
But let's take the thing from the beginning. At the beginning it 's like he is saying "I have some much pain becose of the betray of my friends that I needed a walk alone, I wanted to escape from everyone(as you said before, it is a clearly issue that all teens). I left my body remembering the happy times or I left my body remembering the bad times that made me suffer. And the worst part? I know what happens around me. Everything is moving wrong but no matter what I want to do, there is nothing I can do. "
And then on the second verse it is like he says
"I know the world(here there are 2 possibilities. Meaning the "world" or maybe meaning life around him) is going worse but I am sure that you, my buddy, you can help me. I don't care about the future because if you help me I know that I can face it.
Brad Arnold of 3 Doors Down wrote this song in math class when he was 15! So it’s probably not about drugs, growing old, or a complicated relationship with a girlfriend. Brad says:
‘It's not just asking, “If I fall down, will you be there for me?” Because it's easy to be there for someone when they're down. But it's not always easy to be there for somebody when they're doing good. It's asking, “If I'm down, will you still be there for me?” But at the same time … [it’s] kind of asking, “If I'm doing good, will you be there for me? Will you not be jealous of me? That song is so little about Superman.’
A 15 year old guy is worrying about how he fits in with his buddies and about being tight and loyal with his buds. The music video was made in 2000, seven years after the song was written. The video has overly influenced people’s interpretation of the song, but the video doesn’t reflect the original inspiration. Brad said, “Maybe throughout the years of singing that song, I might have come up with more meanings for it than it actually might have originally had.”
I think the song is about worrying that as things change (“the sands of time”), as life goes up and down (“I watched the world float to the dark side of the moon”), will we still be there for each other as friends (“as long as you'll be my friend at the end”)? Adolescent friendships are so intense (“your secrets I will keep,” “if not for me then you'd be dead”), but then when we grow and move on, will we still mean the same thing to each other?
The singer is determined to stay loyal and steadfast (“I'll keep you by my side with my superhuman might”), but he’s worried that his friend might not (“Will you be there holding my hand?”), especially if the singer is more successful than his buddy (“If I’m alive and well”).
The meaning of the “Kryptonite!” refrain has bothered people. The singer’s loyalty and need for his friend makes him vulnerable to being disappointed by his friend. So in a way, his friend could be his Kryptonite: our loved ones have the power to hurt us in ways our enemies never could. Worrying (“my troubled mind “) about his friendship is what has him going “to the dark side” (“I knew it had to be something to do with you”). He realizes that he can’t control what life throws at them (the dark side of the moon is unknown) and that things will always change (“I feel there is nothing I can do”). But even though they may argue or have ups and downs (“You call me strong, you call me weak”), the overall message is uplifting:
“I really don't mind what happens now and then / As long as you'll be my friend at the end.”
I think you hit the nail on the head. Very concise, clear and everything makes sense. Bravo to you, sir/mam.
I think you hit the nail on the head. Very concise, clear and everything makes sense. Bravo to you, sir/mam.
Exactly! But I think in the 3rd couple it explains more. It is clear to me that he is having some issues with his friend(s). His not exactly worried about losing his friends but his actually worried that his friends sometimes don't understand him. "You called me strong, you called me weak But still your secrets I will keep" Like we all did in adolesence, we had a buddy that we shared secrets with him. Whatever is my friends opinion about me, we are still friends and I keep his secrets. "You took for granted all the...
Exactly! But I think in the 3rd couple it explains more. It is clear to me that he is having some issues with his friend(s). His not exactly worried about losing his friends but his actually worried that his friends sometimes don't understand him. "You called me strong, you called me weak But still your secrets I will keep" Like we all did in adolesence, we had a buddy that we shared secrets with him. Whatever is my friends opinion about me, we are still friends and I keep his secrets. "You took for granted all the times .Never let you down " I proved to you that how loyal I was to you and how many times I helped you. If it wasn't for me, you'll had a serious problem. I helped you stand to your feet("put you back on solid ground"). And then on chorus he says clearly. His got so much issues with his friend(s) that if one day they'll become to pushy his going to be so mad they will call him superman. But if I his alive and well(Well means that he is going to be able to protect him and it is a message to his friend "If you will be there everytime and not only when I need you") and his friend will be supportive then he is going to protect him with all the power he has. Kryptonite means what you explained before.
But let's take the thing from the beginning. At the beginning it 's like he is saying "I have some much pain becose of the betray of my friends that I needed a walk alone, I wanted to escape from everyone(as you said before, it is a clearly issue that all teens). I left my body remembering the happy times or I left my body remembering the bad times that made me suffer. And the worst part? I know what happens around me. Everything is moving wrong but no matter what I want to do, there is nothing I can do. "
And then on the second verse it is like he says "I know the world(here there are 2 possibilities. Meaning the "world" or maybe meaning life around him) is going worse but I am sure that you, my buddy, you can help me. I don't care about the future because if you help me I know that I can face it.