Oh very young what will you leave us this time
Next generation, what will your legacy be, for the generation that is to follow you?
you're only dancing on this earth for a short while
You may now think you're invincible, but everyone dies.
and though your dreams may toss and turn you now
You might trouble yourself with the simple matters that seem so insurmountable today
they will vanish away like your daddy's best jeans
denim blue fading up to the sky
And though you want him to last forever you know he never will
(you know he never will)
Daddy's best jeans, like all things, will surely fade.... Even the most durable will surely pass away.
and the patches make the goodbye harder still
These things and people will pass, no matter the care we take to preserve them; and in trying to save them, there may be more sorrow and bitterness at the vain efforts to make them last.
Oh very young what will you leave us this time
Next generation, will you carry on with our wars and hate?
there'll never be a better chance to change your mind
You can pave your own way, if you so desire
will you carry the words of love with you?
will you ride the great white bird into heaven?
Are you willing to make peace, and make peace and love the anchor for humankind?
and though you want to last forever you know you never will (you know you never will)
and the goodbye makes the journey harder still
All things shall pass: will you worry about future generations, and what they've learned from you? Or will you be at peace?
@masterofreality I agree with much of your comments. But I disagree on the dichotomy you make at the end about the choice being between helping future generations vs. being at peace. I think another user here has it more right in that the choice is between pursuing and worrying about your own personal goals/dreams vs. focusing on love and making the world better for future generations. In other words, I agree with you that he’s calling for the listener to make love be the anchor for humankind. But the choice is between that anchor of love (that will last after...
@masterofreality I agree with much of your comments. But I disagree on the dichotomy you make at the end about the choice being between helping future generations vs. being at peace. I think another user here has it more right in that the choice is between pursuing and worrying about your own personal goals/dreams vs. focusing on love and making the world better for future generations. In other words, I agree with you that he’s calling for the listener to make love be the anchor for humankind. But the choice is between that anchor of love (that will last after they die) versus pursuing their own self-centered goals that are bound to fade.
I think further support for this is the fact that in most uses (like dream job, dream house, dream boyfriend, American dream, dream vacation, etc.) the word dream is usually used for things that personally benefit us, and not humanity overall. Given that the personal goals are going to die anyway, why not instead pursue “love” that will allow “the world to see a better day” and that will “leave” goodness that lasts after you’re gone from this earth? Doing that will also lead the listener to something else that will last after they die: heaven.
So however hard it is to say goodbye to our own concerns and goals, doing that and opting for love instead is the best path for humanity (a better world after we die) and also the best path for ourselves (heaven). The song is a rhetorical question in that Cat is very much conveying that love is the choice to make.
Oh very young what will you leave us this time Next generation, what will your legacy be, for the generation that is to follow you? you're only dancing on this earth for a short while You may now think you're invincible, but everyone dies. and though your dreams may toss and turn you now You might trouble yourself with the simple matters that seem so insurmountable today they will vanish away like your daddy's best jeans denim blue fading up to the sky And though you want him to last forever you know he never will (you know he never will) Daddy's best jeans, like all things, will surely fade.... Even the most durable will surely pass away. and the patches make the goodbye harder still These things and people will pass, no matter the care we take to preserve them; and in trying to save them, there may be more sorrow and bitterness at the vain efforts to make them last.
Oh very young what will you leave us this time Next generation, will you carry on with our wars and hate? there'll never be a better chance to change your mind You can pave your own way, if you so desire will you carry the words of love with you? will you ride the great white bird into heaven? Are you willing to make peace, and make peace and love the anchor for humankind? and though you want to last forever you know you never will (you know you never will) and the goodbye makes the journey harder still All things shall pass: will you worry about future generations, and what they've learned from you? Or will you be at peace?
@masterofreality I agree with much of your comments. But I disagree on the dichotomy you make at the end about the choice being between helping future generations vs. being at peace. I think another user here has it more right in that the choice is between pursuing and worrying about your own personal goals/dreams vs. focusing on love and making the world better for future generations. In other words, I agree with you that he’s calling for the listener to make love be the anchor for humankind. But the choice is between that anchor of love (that will last after...
@masterofreality I agree with much of your comments. But I disagree on the dichotomy you make at the end about the choice being between helping future generations vs. being at peace. I think another user here has it more right in that the choice is between pursuing and worrying about your own personal goals/dreams vs. focusing on love and making the world better for future generations. In other words, I agree with you that he’s calling for the listener to make love be the anchor for humankind. But the choice is between that anchor of love (that will last after they die) versus pursuing their own self-centered goals that are bound to fade.
I think further support for this is the fact that in most uses (like dream job, dream house, dream boyfriend, American dream, dream vacation, etc.) the word dream is usually used for things that personally benefit us, and not humanity overall. Given that the personal goals are going to die anyway, why not instead pursue “love” that will allow “the world to see a better day” and that will “leave” goodness that lasts after you’re gone from this earth? Doing that will also lead the listener to something else that will last after they die: heaven.
So however hard it is to say goodbye to our own concerns and goals, doing that and opting for love instead is the best path for humanity (a better world after we die) and also the best path for ourselves (heaven). The song is a rhetorical question in that Cat is very much conveying that love is the choice to make.