I think One Republic have always been vague in their direct meanings because they are amazing artists and art speaks to people in different places about different things by way of interpretation. So I don't think there's a solid, this is what they meant out there for this song. But I've also noticed that One Republic always has some spiritual implications in their songs...and to me this song is about a relationship with God! The only thing that can truly fill and complete you. We build bridges to other things that we were never intended to build...we run from the love that we were created for, and it's tiring and it never completes us. We can't really let go of that stuff on our own so we need to ask God to burn our bridges down...to set us on fire!! (Fire is a symbol of The Holy Spirit) There are several lyrics here that are not exactly right...one is "now I'll never sing the road that I could take"...instead it's supposed to be "now on every single road that I could take" which I think speaks of the relentless love and pursuit of God which shows up no matter how hard you try to avoid it! The other thing is, I don't think it says "girl you burn my bridges down" I think it says "well you burn my bridges down"
But I think it's purposefully open to interpretation because lots of people relate more on the relational level, so they may see this as a soul mate deal...which I also believe in. I think God did create soul mates for some...but still, they can't complete you!
I totally agree with you. I felt the same when I heard this song - remarkably lyrics. It reminds of the book, "The Religious Sense", by Fr. Giussani. He talks about God and faith is precisely these terms.
I totally agree with you. I felt the same when I heard this song - remarkably lyrics. It reminds of the book, "The Religious Sense", by Fr. Giussani. He talks about God and faith is precisely these terms.
@edoubledielong I am in complete agreeance with you! I feel this song is about a relationship with God. <I'm building bridges that I know you never wanted> to me says worshiping worldly things instead of God. <Look for my heart, You stole it away, Now own every single road that I could take> God seeks what is in our hearts. King David often asked God to search his heart in Psalms. "He" loves God so much his heart is completely His, and he wants God to own and guide him on all the paths he takes. <Set me on fire>...
@edoubledielong I am in complete agreeance with you! I feel this song is about a relationship with God. <I'm building bridges that I know you never wanted> to me says worshiping worldly things instead of God. <Look for my heart, You stole it away, Now own every single road that I could take> God seeks what is in our hearts. King David often asked God to search his heart in Psalms. "He" loves God so much his heart is completely His, and he wants God to own and guide him on all the paths he takes. <Set me on fire> "He" wants to be on fire for God and devoted. <There's no filling up your spaces with fictionary places, Imaginary faces they don't work at all> There is nothing that can fill the place of God. There is nowhere that you can go or no one you can love that can compare to God. I do agree, the line is not "girl" you burn my bridges down. It is actually "will" you burn my bridges down, which makes sense because the entire song is ASKING for his bridges to be burned down. To me, this is "him" asking for all his worldly connections he shouldn't be doing/having/conforming to, to be broken so that "he" can have the relationship with God "he" wants. I completely agree that many of their songs have spiritual connotations. Ryan is Christian, it just isn't the focus of their music.
@edoubledielong ALSO <Now I'm waiting for something better
Ain't nothing better worth imagining> He's been looking for something to fill the void, but he has realized that there is nothing better, not even in his imagination.
@edoubledielong ALSO <Now I'm waiting for something better
Ain't nothing better worth imagining> He's been looking for something to fill the void, but he has realized that there is nothing better, not even in his imagination.
@edoubledielong unfortunately we are both wrong about the presumption of incorrect lyrics. I just watched the official lyric video released by OneRepublic themselves and all lyrics are correct.
@edoubledielong unfortunately we are both wrong about the presumption of incorrect lyrics. I just watched the official lyric video released by OneRepublic themselves and all lyrics are correct.
So maybe it is about a girl after all. However, I'm going to continue to think of this song in my original interpretation. That's the great thing about music. You can take from it what you want.
So maybe it is about a girl after all. However, I'm going to continue to think of this song in my original interpretation. That's the great thing about music. You can take from it what you want.
I think One Republic have always been vague in their direct meanings because they are amazing artists and art speaks to people in different places about different things by way of interpretation. So I don't think there's a solid, this is what they meant out there for this song. But I've also noticed that One Republic always has some spiritual implications in their songs...and to me this song is about a relationship with God! The only thing that can truly fill and complete you. We build bridges to other things that we were never intended to build...we run from the love that we were created for, and it's tiring and it never completes us. We can't really let go of that stuff on our own so we need to ask God to burn our bridges down...to set us on fire!! (Fire is a symbol of The Holy Spirit) There are several lyrics here that are not exactly right...one is "now I'll never sing the road that I could take"...instead it's supposed to be "now on every single road that I could take" which I think speaks of the relentless love and pursuit of God which shows up no matter how hard you try to avoid it! The other thing is, I don't think it says "girl you burn my bridges down" I think it says "well you burn my bridges down" But I think it's purposefully open to interpretation because lots of people relate more on the relational level, so they may see this as a soul mate deal...which I also believe in. I think God did create soul mates for some...but still, they can't complete you!
I totally agree with you. I felt the same when I heard this song - remarkably lyrics. It reminds of the book, "The Religious Sense", by Fr. Giussani. He talks about God and faith is precisely these terms.
I totally agree with you. I felt the same when I heard this song - remarkably lyrics. It reminds of the book, "The Religious Sense", by Fr. Giussani. He talks about God and faith is precisely these terms.
@edoubledielong I am in complete agreeance with you! I feel this song is about a relationship with God. <I'm building bridges that I know you never wanted> to me says worshiping worldly things instead of God. <Look for my heart, You stole it away, Now own every single road that I could take> God seeks what is in our hearts. King David often asked God to search his heart in Psalms. "He" loves God so much his heart is completely His, and he wants God to own and guide him on all the paths he takes. <Set me on fire>...
@edoubledielong I am in complete agreeance with you! I feel this song is about a relationship with God. <I'm building bridges that I know you never wanted> to me says worshiping worldly things instead of God. <Look for my heart, You stole it away, Now own every single road that I could take> God seeks what is in our hearts. King David often asked God to search his heart in Psalms. "He" loves God so much his heart is completely His, and he wants God to own and guide him on all the paths he takes. <Set me on fire> "He" wants to be on fire for God and devoted. <There's no filling up your spaces with fictionary places, Imaginary faces they don't work at all> There is nothing that can fill the place of God. There is nowhere that you can go or no one you can love that can compare to God. I do agree, the line is not "girl" you burn my bridges down. It is actually "will" you burn my bridges down, which makes sense because the entire song is ASKING for his bridges to be burned down. To me, this is "him" asking for all his worldly connections he shouldn't be doing/having/conforming to, to be broken so that "he" can have the relationship with God "he" wants. I completely agree that many of their songs have spiritual connotations. Ryan is Christian, it just isn't the focus of their music.
@edoubledielong ALSO <Now I'm waiting for something better Ain't nothing better worth imagining> He's been looking for something to fill the void, but he has realized that there is nothing better, not even in his imagination.
@edoubledielong ALSO <Now I'm waiting for something better Ain't nothing better worth imagining> He's been looking for something to fill the void, but he has realized that there is nothing better, not even in his imagination.
@edoubledielong unfortunately we are both wrong about the presumption of incorrect lyrics. I just watched the official lyric video released by OneRepublic themselves and all lyrics are correct.
@edoubledielong unfortunately we are both wrong about the presumption of incorrect lyrics. I just watched the official lyric video released by OneRepublic themselves and all lyrics are correct.
So maybe it is about a girl after all. However, I'm going to continue to think of this song in my original interpretation. That's the great thing about music. You can take from it what you want.
So maybe it is about a girl after all. However, I'm going to continue to think of this song in my original interpretation. That's the great thing about music. You can take from it what you want.