Am I loud and clear, or am I breaking up?
Am I still your charm, or am I just bad luck?
Are we getting closer, or are we just getting more lost?

I'll show you mine if you show me yours first
Let's compare scars, I'll tell you whose is worse
Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words

We live on front porches and swing life away,
We get by just fine here on minimum wage
If love is a labor I'll slave till the end,
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand

I've been here so long, I think that it's time to move
The winter's so cold, summer's over too soon
Let's pack our bags and settle down where palm trees grow

I've got some friends, some that I hardly know
But we've had some times, I wouldn't trade for the world
We chase these days down with talks of the places that we will go

We live on front porches and swing life away
We get by just fine here on minimum wage
If love is a labor I'll slave till the end
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand until you hold my hand
Until you hold my hand

I'll show you mine if you show me yours first
Let's compare scars, I'll tell you whose is worse
Let's unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words

We live on front porches and swing life away
We get by just fine here on minimum wage
If love is a labor I'll slave till the end
I won't cross these streets until you hold my hand

Swing life away
Swing life away
Swing life away
Swing life away


Lyrics submitted by rjbucs28, edited by Skoobasteve24, accountkiller000

Swing Life Away Lyrics as written by Timothy Mcilrath Joseph Principe

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

Swing Life Away song meanings
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189 Comments

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  • +5
    General Comment

    This song is just about owning life. The song is about living and not really worrying about anything but love and living. "we live on front porches and swing life away, we get by just fine here on minimum wage." they're saying, we live on minimum wage and we are still happy. Its about swinging life away, we all gotta swing life away

    the danimalon May 16, 2004   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    THIS SONG KICKS ASS.

    smallBlackhearton October 16, 2004   Link
  • +3
    General Comment

    this song is about a guy that is really into his relationship and that his girl is his rock. "i wont cross the street until you hold my hand" means that he needs her in his life, and no matter what life brings them, they will be ok. They will swing life away together carefree.... what a lovely song....awww....a different side of rise against, but fucking brilliant.

    flyingblindon October 28, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This songs so amazing... i cant stop listening to it.. rise against is the best band! I saw these guys perform and it was absolutely nuts

    skawton October 12, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    I love it.

    anneymalon October 23, 2004   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    This song means alot to me I also grew up in arlington heights and went to high school with Tim McIlrath and had the chance to hang out with him a little bit i to me it means exatcly what it says Swing life away stop worrying who is better or who had more money we lived fine on minimum wage happy and free

    Chevyboion October 12, 2007   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    its about living life to the fullest and cherishing what you've been blessed with. "we get by just fine here on minimum wage".

    its just happiness.

    amazing song.

    *ghost in the snow*on February 19, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    "am i loud and clear or am i breaking up?" do you still listen to me like you did?

    "am i still your charm or am i just bad luck?" do you still think of me in the same way?

    "are we getting closer or are we just getting more lost?" are we drifting apart?

    "ill show you mine if you show me yours first lets compare scars ill tell you whose is worse" scars meaning emotional, love&friendship, using humor saying my past will be worse than yours.

    "lets unwrite these pages and replace them with our own words" change the past, write over it with our lives together

    "we live on front porches and swing life away we get by just fine here on minimum wage if love is a labor ill slave til the end i wont cross these streets until you hold my hand" can live happily without millions of pounds, swing life away, live carefree love, has it ups and downs, labor, slave till the end, keep going. wont cross this street until you hold my hand; need you to keep me safe.

    "i been here so long i think that its time to move the winters so cold summers over too soon" times gone by fast

    "lets pack our bags and settle down where palm trees grow" lets do what we've always said that we would one day

    "and ive got some friends some that i hardly know weve had some times i wouldn't trade for the world" so many good times, even with the people i didn't stay with for long

    well that is what i think there is so much more i want to write about this song, but i simply can't put it in words! beautiful song, that means quite a bit to me.

    wow that was long!

    iyerron February 22, 2008   Link
  • +1
    General Comment

    i think he just wants to be able to just chill and not worry about anything. he wants to reminisce with his old friends and just get through life without all the stress of the world. it really helps one's perspective on life.

    TyGuitaxeon January 08, 2009   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning

    i think that this song has something to do with homeless youth for some odd reason... if you think of this song coming from the eyes of a homeless youth, it kind of makes sense.

    "ill show you mine if you show me yours first lets compare scars ill tell you whose is worse" this sounds like teenagers talking with teenagers telling each other their stories and comparing within themselves... trying to find out who has the worst story/life.

    "i been here so long i think that its time to move the winters so cold summers over too soon lets pack our bags and settle down where palm trees grow and ive got some friends some that i hardly know" if you have what i talked about in mind then this makes a lot of sense!!! they move around a lot and they dont really know their friends. they move place to place where the weather isnt that bad so they can survive... im not sure just an oppinion :P

    andresoad1on May 19, 2011   Link

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