The Good Life – Your Birthday Present

Know something about this song or lyrics? Add it to our wiki.
Send "Your Birthday Present" Ringtone to Cell

Still I wonder how you are
And what became of all of this
Did you cry when winter's hands
Stole you from that fertile grave?
Did your mother hold you dear
To ease the burden of your pain?
Swallowed out into the light
Happy birthday

Still I wonder how you are
And how you ever came to be
I was nothing but a hole
You nestled in and fell asleep
Are you sad when you're awake
Torn away from fertile dreams?
Didn't want to wake you up
I'm still sorry
Happy birthday

Do you wonder how I am
What ever became of me?
Do you envision my thin face
Where the beaten go to dream?
I didn't want to cut the cord
You suck the life right out of me
Do you regret choices you've made?
I guess I was a mistake
I guess I was a mistake
I guess I was a mistake
I guess I'm your big mistake
Well, happy birthday anyway
Happy birthday

Send "Your Birthday Present" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by Wezzul

Track duration: 04:16


Your Birthday Present song meanings
Add your thoughts

19 Comments

sort form View by:
  • 0
    General Comment:"I was nothing but a hole
    you nestled in and fell asleep"

    haunting line.
    Flag keighleycakeson March 08, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I love this song so much cause it has so much meaning to me. I can barely listen to it anymore cause it makes me so sad, but I still love it so.
    Flag drkpssngr11on January 16, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I've been listening to this since i was a 16... It still give me the same chills.
    Flag kibeon May 22, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:most definetly about his lack of relationship with his daughter, and i find i can relate to this song the most out of all the good life's music.
    Flag wtfyourfaceon September 25, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I always thought the line was
    "where the beaten go to drink"
    Flag xspikexon July 09, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:You guys are right, the way I see it most of Novena Nocturn is about his failed marriage.This is a song for his daughter ex-wife and daughter, Sierra, who he obviously rarely sees. The first stanza is definitely for his daughter, describing the birth then paralleling it , in the second stanza, with how him and his wife naively fell in love and the whole loss of innocence/ignorance thing involved with both. The fertile dreams could either be the safety of a womb or their naive love for each other, probably both. He ties it together on his wife's birthday wondering whether his ex still thinks of him, playing gigs in bars and writing self deprecating songs, (I think the lyrics are " where the beaten go to drink") and how the marriage was painfully ended, leaving her young, widowed, and with his child. It probably goes first stanza: daughter second: both third: ex wife. Beautiful song,
    Flag Pinstripped Pianoon July 05, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:when i saw the good life, i was actually able to hang out with tim and talk with him about alot of the meanings behind his lyrics, and i can honestly say that kasher has a profound way of explaining things you can't begin to vocalize rationally.
    i envy his talent.
    Flag do the dramatic!on April 15, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:wellwhiskey - I think you have the right idea. There's so many themes of abandonment on the album and seeing all the allusions to a failed marriage, this would definitely make sense.

    Kasher has this way of a using a higher voice in other characters, so maybe the lines about the "mistake" are the child. Or just him turning around the common phrase about a child being a mistake, to the father being the mistake.
    Flag shieldyoureyeson March 29, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I was thinking this is from a father's perspective for the first bit. properly a father who abandoned his child when he was still young and didn't want to wake him up to say goodbye. Also it is normally the father who cuts the umbilical cord of a baby. (if he is present at birth. the last few lines seem to be from the child's perspective.
    Flag wellwhiskeyon January 28, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:coldwind: thanks, I made the changes...

    WEZ
    Flag Wezzulon December 09, 2004   Link

Add your thoughts

Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.

Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!

Back to top
explain