There is subject matter - and then there is meaning. The subject matter is the Flash, as mentioned several times already. The meaning however derives more from a personal comparison to the Flash (or the Flash mythos as presented in the song).
The problem with 'living eternity between seconds' is that you have the time to understand what you are seeing and act accordingly. You aren't given any power over what others do, but you have such insight into the 'now' that the future becmes largely predictable. Think about how many times you can hear the same jingle on the radio before you both loathe and have it memorized? Even if you intially enjoyed the thing?
Being so familiar with a thing that you long for unfamiliarity - wistfully remebering a time when newness existed. Waiting with anticipation for the next big thing but knowing at the same time that it's going to be more of the same no matter how big it is. These are all concepts that, while not necessarily experienced by everyone, are experienced by many people.
Now tie into it the aspect of doing the right thing and being overlooked. (Not necessarily a Flash only thing - think Superman/Clark Kent or any other alter-ego'd hero). But in the Flash's case it's not solely a matter of being overlooked by choice but rather being overlooked because of who he intrinsically is. Always there when needed, but off to the next thing before the accolades get handed out. Over-worked. And while not underappreciated, never managing to reap the rewards of appreciation.
And finally the social aspect of the thing. If your drive (for whatever you pursue) prevents you from getting to know people around you because they can't keep up (with your drive) you tend to be in a very solitary place or surrounded by others with the same/similar drives. Which CAN be fulfilling in the necessary way, but can just as easily be like being alone in a crowd.
Personally I can tie a lot of my empathy into this song due to my Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) as much of the time I live life bored. If you aren't fast enough to keep my attention then you're predictable. I've spent much of my life wishing I was anyone else (both before and after ny mid-college diagnosis) because the place I occupy in the world just isn't the same as the state others seem to habitate naturally. And time does seem to drag for me when I'm not interested in something. I can literally get lost in a complete train of thought and look up to find only a few moments have passed when my inner clock dictates a much larger amount of time should have. (And to be fair, the reverse is also true - I'm almost always late for something because I lost track of time. Sometimes I get so involved in things that I take for granted how long in real time they are actually taking me.) And part of the whole package deal is a large amount of social awkwardness. Even in a bar situation with close friends I have trouble slowing myself down to talk about the things they do....sitting still is a chore and tracking with conversations that don't interest me out of politeness is a sheer act of superhuman will.
At any rate, the point I'm trying to make here (and the whole reason for this, my first posting) is that what a song is about isn't always what a song means. And sometimes a song means different things to different people. And on the far, far side of extreme....sometimes a song might end up meaning more than even the lyricist intended. Stranger things have happened. :)
There is subject matter - and then there is meaning. The subject matter is the Flash, as mentioned several times already. The meaning however derives more from a personal comparison to the Flash (or the Flash mythos as presented in the song).
The problem with 'living eternity between seconds' is that you have the time to understand what you are seeing and act accordingly. You aren't given any power over what others do, but you have such insight into the 'now' that the future becmes largely predictable. Think about how many times you can hear the same jingle on the radio before you both loathe and have it memorized? Even if you intially enjoyed the thing?
Being so familiar with a thing that you long for unfamiliarity - wistfully remebering a time when newness existed. Waiting with anticipation for the next big thing but knowing at the same time that it's going to be more of the same no matter how big it is. These are all concepts that, while not necessarily experienced by everyone, are experienced by many people.
Now tie into it the aspect of doing the right thing and being overlooked. (Not necessarily a Flash only thing - think Superman/Clark Kent or any other alter-ego'd hero). But in the Flash's case it's not solely a matter of being overlooked by choice but rather being overlooked because of who he intrinsically is. Always there when needed, but off to the next thing before the accolades get handed out. Over-worked. And while not underappreciated, never managing to reap the rewards of appreciation.
And finally the social aspect of the thing. If your drive (for whatever you pursue) prevents you from getting to know people around you because they can't keep up (with your drive) you tend to be in a very solitary place or surrounded by others with the same/similar drives. Which CAN be fulfilling in the necessary way, but can just as easily be like being alone in a crowd.
Personally I can tie a lot of my empathy into this song due to my Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) as much of the time I live life bored. If you aren't fast enough to keep my attention then you're predictable. I've spent much of my life wishing I was anyone else (both before and after ny mid-college diagnosis) because the place I occupy in the world just isn't the same as the state others seem to habitate naturally. And time does seem to drag for me when I'm not interested in something. I can literally get lost in a complete train of thought and look up to find only a few moments have passed when my inner clock dictates a much larger amount of time should have. (And to be fair, the reverse is also true - I'm almost always late for something because I lost track of time. Sometimes I get so involved in things that I take for granted how long in real time they are actually taking me.) And part of the whole package deal is a large amount of social awkwardness. Even in a bar situation with close friends I have trouble slowing myself down to talk about the things they do....sitting still is a chore and tracking with conversations that don't interest me out of politeness is a sheer act of superhuman will.
At any rate, the point I'm trying to make here (and the whole reason for this, my first posting) is that what a song is about isn't always what a song means. And sometimes a song means different things to different people. And on the far, far side of extreme....sometimes a song might end up meaning more than even the lyricist intended. Stranger things have happened. :)