When I'm Gone

I got to really thinking about the lyrics to this song and although the obvious interpretations are either the war in Iraq or a relationship with a girl, I think the song may be about suicide. Before you dismiss the idea as ridiculous, listen to some of my interpretations on the lyrics.

'There's another world inside of me that you may never see"- A lot of people who are depressed or suicidal don't like to talk about their deepest feelings and what is making them feel the way they do.

'Somewhere in this darkness there's a light that I can't find'- He desperatley wants to find something that will make him happy and want to stay alive.

"When your education X-ray cannot see under my skin"- By education X-ray I think he means a psychiatrist. A psychiatrist is educated and they try to see through people to figure out their problems, hence the education X-ray which cannot see what is wrong with him."I won't tell you a damn thing that I could not tell my friends"- And if he can't talk to his friends about the problem he sure as hell isn't going to tell some doctor.

"Now roaming through this darkness I'm alive but I'm alone"-he's still alive but his life is lonely and surrounded by darkness. "Part of me is fighting this but part of me is gone"- part of him is trying to fight this urge to kill himself but the other part of him is already dead. The chorus is probably directed toward everyone in his life that is important: friends, family, a lover to comfort him while he is still here and love him when he is gone, when he finally takes his life. Anyone else think I might be on to something here? If I think of this song as being about Iraq, it comepletely ruins it for me because I think Bush is a moron and the whole war in Iraq is a big fucking joke.

I do agree with the suicide idea, but in my eyes, it has more to do with depression in general. Let me explain.

"There's another world inside of me", "secrets in this life that I can't hide" Both of these seem to be about the actual depression.

There are various parts where light is referenced, or, more so, a lack of. His statement that he might be blind indicates that, yes, he is perhaps suicidal. But he still wants to find the light, and he's hoping that he's just blind.

The chorus seems to be directed at the person closest to him, likely a lover ("hold me"). He acknowledges that he may not be here much longer ("when I'm gone") and that if he does kill himself, it's "only for your good", that's why he'll "give up everything". But he doesn't seem to really want to kill himself, because he asks of whomever the chorus is directed at to "hold me when I'm scared", being when he is considering suicide.

I fully agree that the second verse, primarily "when your education x-ray cannot see under my skin" is about a therapist of some sort. Statistically, most people who are suffering with depression will not say anything to anybody, especially not someone they do not trust.

He repeats "maybe I'm just blind", seemingly as courage to move forward with his life.

This is just what I have interpreted based on my life experiences.

The first time i heard this song, i also thought of suicide. "There's another world inside of me That you may never see" he's hiding something, he doesnt want everyone else to know, he doesnt want other people to know about his feeling, what's going on in his head "Somewhere in this darkness There's a light that I can't find Maybe it's too far away... Maybe I'm just blind..." that in all that darkness there must be a way out, a light, but he can't find it, maybe he is too depressed to find it (maybe im just blind) or maybe its just too far to reach CHORUS for me, its like telling his close friends, gf, family, etc, to be there for him, and that he has tried to never let them down "Roaming through this darkness I'm alive but I'm alone Part of me is fighting this But part of me is gone" He's is invloved in darkness (depression), he's still alive, but he feels alone and abandoned by those who used to love him before he started changing due to depression.. he's still fighting, but part of him has already given up

Yeah. Me too.

this song really just discusses the darker issues we never want to bring into the light and how it affects us. Things like PTSD.

I really listened to this song today and thought about the meaning. of course the beauty of music is that it can apply to everyone's lives in different ways and have different meanings to everyone. this is how this song applies to me:

I believe he's talking about PTSD. Talking about having another world inside that "you" may never see is a reference to the emotional torture that he hides and keeps to himself. And he can't find the light no matter how hard he tries. That speaks volumes to the depression he's experiencing. Also he says "roaming through this darkness, I'm alive but I'm alone." He's talking about how he's alive but barely. No one understands what he's going through and he can't share it. He also touches on this when he says that a part of him is gone. I think the part about education x ray is in reference to him seeing a therapist about what he's exoeriencing but he doesn't want to share it or open up. And he'd rather talk to his friends instead.

He then goes on to say "hold me when I'm here, right me when I'm wrong, hold me when I'm scared, love me when I'm gone." To me, this signifies that when he's emotionally here and present and okay, to hold him and love him and make the most of it. And when he goes cold like PTSD sufferers do, he may become emotionally void and distant or even perhaps abusive. He's saying to right him when he's wrong during those times, cause sufferers don't always recognize when they're hurting those they love. And to remember to love him when he's "gone."

Having dated a sufferer of PTSD, these lyrics apply so perfectly. It's pretty amazing. You can tell he wants so badly to be everything that she wants him to be, but he just can't, no matter how hard he tries.

A lot of people i know say its a song about suicide, but to me its about a distant relationship about an insecure boy and his girlfriend who has moved away. he can barely see her and has begun thinking that he is not enough for her and is worried she may leave him due to the distance between them.

"There's another world inside of me that you may never see" so much happens that he doesn't have the time to tell her when they get to talk.

"There's secrets in this life that I can't hide" In his time when he lived near this girl much happened, and he is constantly looking back at the mistakes he made in that time

"Somewhere in this darkness there's a light that I can't find Maybe it's too far away, maybe I'm just blind Maybe I'm just blind" He knows he is insecure and thinks maybe he just doesn't understand something, but he cant find out what and is stuck thinking negatively

"So hold me when I'm here, right me when I'm wrong Hold me when I'm scared" He asks simple things of her to see if she even still cares about him.

"and love me when I'm gone" he asks the one thing he truly wants from her. to love him although he wont always be able to be there for her, despite how much he wants to.

"Everything I am and everything in me Wants to be the one you wanted me to be" he thinks about his time when he could spend it with her, and he wishes he was even better for her when he could be. his bad impressions from the past make him think she will leave him now.

"I'll never let you down even if I could" he promises he will never mess up for her, but thinks he doesn't have any opportunities to mess up anymore

"I'd give up everything if only for your good" he is willing to do anything, give up everything for this girls well being

"So hold me when I'm here, right me when I'm wrong You can hold me when I'm scared you won't always be there So love me when I'm gone, love me when I'm gone"

"When your education x-ray cannot see under my skin" possibly talking about a doctor attempting to diagnose him with depression or find out why he is acting in such a way. he is just insecure, and it has begun affecting him in everyday life

"I won't tell you a damn thing that I could not tell my friends" he hasn't told any of his friends about how his relationship is going in his mind, and he sure as hell wont tell his girlfriend.

"And roaming through this darkness I'm alive but I'm alone" referring back to the darkness with the light he cant find. he is alone in these thoughts and is afraid to tell anyone.

"Part of me is fighting this but part of me is gone" part of him still tells himself that the relationship is not dead, but another part of him feels as if it has died when she moved away.

"Maybe I'm just blind" referring back to the darkness, he begins thinking that instead of the light not being there that it is him who is the problem behind the insecurities and they cause him to be "blind"

these are just how i interpret the lyrics. everything aligned in my head the first time i heard the song because i am currently in this predicament of constantly being worried because my girlfriend is always busy. maybe this is the true definition, maybe it is about suicide, whatever. this is the way i hear it and maybe the way some others do as well.

Can't wait for this CD to be released...awesome song.

i dont quite get it..he says that "There's another world inside of me that you may never see" is he hiding that part of him..but then "I won't tell you a damn thing that I could not tell my fans" does that mean he doesnt tell his fans whats really inside him? or just that he wont tell his deepest secrets or what? awesome song..but saras confused....

i love this song..i think its about a relationship..and theres a lot unsaid or things to be thought out or worked through...but the guy is willing to do all this, and hes telling her hed do anything to make it right