Why Do I Keep Counting?

Even though I know this song is about Brandon's fear of flying, but like Scianaphobia, i first interpreted the song to be about someone who is sad or struggling with something and just wants it to go away and be happy again.

I think that in the beginning of the song when he says he's on a plane and hes flying and theres a mountain waiting for him, it means that he's at the peak of his sadness and theres another sad thing waiting for him. and hence the "help me get down" is to help him get off the mountain. He doesn't know if he'll be strong enough to make it and that's why he's asking for help, even praying to God to help him. He doesn't know why he's so sad and doesn't know how to fix it. He realizes that his days are numbered, and instead of living his life to fullest, he's counting down the days. He knows that he's a good person and he doesnt know why he's not acting like himself, the days keep passing yet nothing is changing and he realizes what's happening and that he needs to get back on track. If he changes his ways of life and is happy again, living his life the way he should, would he truly be ok? or would the sadness come back because he's not satisfied.

that's just another way of looking at it.

So emotional!

Great song nods

It's about being aware of your own morality, to a frightening extent. Anyway, I also read its meainng in an interview just the other day. Brandon has a terrible fear of flying, and was also told he would die on his birthday or something (I'm serious) so I can imagine this is him writing about ihs desire to survive, to have the plane land sucessfully.

observer.guardian.co.uk/magazine/story/0,,1877578,00.html

There you go.

I took a different approach to this song, but it reminds me of someone who is constantly sad with their lives. And if someone "only knew the answer", they could be happy.

I don't know, maybe I'm just a pessimist, but I thought this song was a lot about feeling like dying and trying to be happy, but couldn't.

well i can see how brandon would write this song based on his fear of flying....but i think it much more than that

to me its about someone at the end of there ropes....like they have nothing else to live for." the days just slip and slide" and its not so much religious than it it spiritual....becasue i know when he says "father." its like god....but father help me get down....i translate that as help me go on with life....help me reach nirvana....or something like....so i think the main message is that more positive.

"If I only knew the answer. If I change my way of living, and if I pave my streets with good times, will the mountain keep on giving? And if all of our days are numbered, then why do I keep counting? "

this quote i think pretty much sums it up. cuz you want all the answers of how to live you rlife right, so even if you live a good life....that mountain...(death) is still at the end of the road....so why count the days...just live.

Thats what it means to me

I think Brandon has very cleverly used his fear of flying to represent the everyday fears that we, as people, face in the moment and he is begging God (father) to ease these fears as he is so scared. I think the lines about changing his way of living highlights that it's about much more than just planes.

As Brandon flowers is a religious person we can easily see that this is a song about trials and going through a stage of repentance. When he wrote this song he was going through a part in his life where his mom was dying, he didn't know if tanya (his wife) would actually marry him because of all the things he screwed up on in life, hence the song when you were young. SO this song when it says help me get down is saying help me get down on my knees and ask for help, then when he says i can make it if i get down, he knows that if he gets down on his knees and asks "father" he can make his life better. As for the title why I keep counting symbolizes why am i counting the days i am living, or why am i counting my sins i should just forget about it and put it in the past and get down on my knees. Thanks guys tell me what you thing

"If I only knew the answer. If I change my way of living, and if I pave my streets with good times, will the mountain keep on giving? And if all of our days are numbered, then why do I keep counting?"

Almost sounds like he is praying, Also he keeps on saying "Father, help me get down" "Father" generally means "God"

Brandon sounds a little more religous and a little less horny in this album.

Awesome song. This album is growing on me, slowly but surely.

doesnt the cd seem much more religious i guess??? theres alot of jesus mary father and like looking for refuge and stuff...anyways yeah i guess its like a prayer asking for help of course and stuffs so far this is my fave song on the new cd GO BUY IT!!!