Do You Realize??

This song is Imagine for the 21st century.

My goodness I love this song. It's the only song that brings me to tears. In June 2009 I was going to kill myself. I remember right before attempting, I heard this song randomly play on the radio and I sat down and listened to each and every word. This song saved my life. Life ain't as horrible as we think it is

A few months ago, I heard this song and fell in love with it instantly. I couldn't really understand what it was supposed to be about, but I just couldn't stop listening to it. Then all the sudden, probably the fifteenth time I heard it, I came up with this idea about what the song means. Now, mind you, this was about three in the morning, and i wasn't exactly thinking too clearly due to sleep deprivation. But I think it kind of makes sense. The verse that says "You realize the sun doesn't go down. It's just an illusion caused by the world spinning round" made me think that the song is talking about how, often, things are not quite what they seem. Then, shortly after that verse, "Do you realize that everyone you know someday will die..." I saw a connection between a sunset and dying. And all the sudden, shivers ran down my spine. Perhaps it looks like death is the end. But then maybe, just maybe... I think I'm drawing more out of it than is really there, but still. It's a beautiful thought.

I always feel a little silly for saying this, but this has to be one of my favorite songs when it comes to the lyrics. I personally prefer the Postal Service remix where it's sped up some and sounds a little more clear. But, anyways.

What I love about this song is how charming and peacefully upbeat it is. This tone becomes a little more confusing when the song's subject matter seems to turn a little "darker". The song's meaning seems to be almost completely clear to me at this point:

I feel like the point it's trying to make is that we don't have to dress up the world with romantic notions. It's like it's gently replacing our blissful naivety with more of a sense of reasonable understanding. No, the world may not be magical, but you don't need magic for amazing things to happen. The sun is not "setting". Everyone you know is going to die eventually. Things don't always just work out.

But these aren't awful things. That's just reality and that's okay. When you realize these things, you have to realize other things too. Like, we're floating in space. Do you ever think of that? Right, the sun isn't setting, it's just the world spinning around on the axis, but think about how INCREDIBLE that really is. We live on something that is constantly moving and shifting our perspectives and, really, our entire lives.

When we accept what things are really like, it gives us the ability to really appreciate it all. Yes, those you love and know will all die some day, but if you really understand this, you won't mope about it. Instead, you'll understand that your sadness means that you really care for these people, and you'll treat them right while you can. You understand that good things don't just fall into place, so you'll work hard to make sure good things happen.

Maybe God, heaven, magic, and miracles aren't real, but you're still the most beautiful person I've ever met. Life, though hard, can still be great.

This is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard. Stop and look around and try to understand the fact that life is for today. Everything you love may not be there tomorrow, so don't take it for granted. Life only happens once, so don't neglect it.

try saying these words to your friends... they get creeped out and i love them

This makes me feel so special to be alive

best song of all time? i think so

This appropriately grand work starts with the idea of being consciously aware of our beauty, of existence, the human experience of joy and the mortality of everyone in our lives. Thus, rather than saying "all of your goodbyes" at death, we should communicate how we appreciate our precious time together while we are still in this wonder of life. Finally, while it's not always easy maintaining relationships, those we value are not simply out of sight, out of mind, like the illusion of the setting sun.

That's one brief spin on it anyway, but I don't think there's anything intended about the afterlife. Au contraire, it's about life. It was the first thing on my .mp3 randomizer when I woke up this morning, so I guess it got me thinking, and for the whole experience my sincere thanks to Mr. Coyne. In introducing the song at Austin Music Hall 2010, he dedicated it to an old friend and jam buddy in Dallas who had recently committed suicide. Realizing he had lived only so far away as Oklahoma, he expressed his regret that it had been too long since he had been to Texas to see him.

It is virtually impossible to experience this song live and not hug the person/people you're with.