First of all I think this song is really personal to Colin Meloy, even though I can relate a little too.
As I see it the song starts off with him being confused and distracted by the world around him and trying to concentrate to something or someone. Is he trying to coordinate his sight with another person, to target his goals? He's probably trying to find what has true meaning to him. To whom is he suggesting to calm? To another person, to his audience or himself? Maybe all of them. To "find yourself" you have to focus ("center") on the heart. Colin could be doing that to find what he is really waiting for; what he wants. He documents and analyses the world in his efforts, but he is still distracted by a something that's all around him (a kind of light as he reveals by the end of the song, but i'll get there in a sec). So he remains confused and in the refrain he is wondering what he should be doing.
"And I am wanting, should I be wanting, when all around me.." (..is this light)
Then the song drops it's pace while he starts focus and wonders what this (light) all around him is. I find this part of self discovery incredible and it's not hard to notice his tone changes with each thing:
"is the sunlight ?"
"is the shadows ?"
"is the quiet ?" All clear questions.
"is the work" here it's not a clear question. The thought that this light could be his work seems to sadden him.
"Is the beating heart" from his tone this seems to be more a realization than a question
"is the ocean ?"
"Is the boys. Is you.." by this point he's not really questioning anymore. He has found that the light isn't his work or even the sunlight. It's his boys and his wife and now that he is certain he sings it with all his heart.
I believe the "beginning" refers to him starting a new life concentrating more to what has meaning to him In the same album there are tracks like "The Singer Addresses His Audience" "Anti-Summersong"(humorously) that give out the feeling that he his work isn't exactly fulfilling right now. The same air is given out by some interviews.
I also think that many people can relate to this song in their journey to discover their light.
First of all I think this song is really personal to Colin Meloy, even though I can relate a little too.
As I see it the song starts off with him being confused and distracted by the world around him and trying to concentrate to something or someone. Is he trying to coordinate his sight with another person, to target his goals? He's probably trying to find what has true meaning to him. To whom is he suggesting to calm? To another person, to his audience or himself? Maybe all of them. To "find yourself" you have to focus ("center") on the heart. Colin could be doing that to find what he is really waiting for; what he wants. He documents and analyses the world in his efforts, but he is still distracted by a something that's all around him (a kind of light as he reveals by the end of the song, but i'll get there in a sec). So he remains confused and in the refrain he is wondering what he should be doing.
"And I am wanting, should I be wanting, when all around me.." (..is this light)
Then the song drops it's pace while he starts focus and wonders what this (light) all around him is. I find this part of self discovery incredible and it's not hard to notice his tone changes with each thing:
"is the sunlight ?" "is the shadows ?" "is the quiet ?" All clear questions. "is the work" here it's not a clear question. The thought that this light could be his work seems to sadden him. "Is the beating heart" from his tone this seems to be more a realization than a question "is the ocean ?" "Is the boys. Is you.." by this point he's not really questioning anymore. He has found that the light isn't his work or even the sunlight. It's his boys and his wife and now that he is certain he sings it with all his heart.
I believe the "beginning" refers to him starting a new life concentrating more to what has meaning to him In the same album there are tracks like "The Singer Addresses His Audience" "Anti-Summersong"(humorously) that give out the feeling that he his work isn't exactly fulfilling right now. The same air is given out by some interviews.
I also think that many people can relate to this song in their journey to discover their light.