Was it true what I heard about the son of God?
Did he come to save? Did he come at all?
And if I dried his feet with my dirty hair
Would he make me clean again?

They say they don't know when but a day's gonna come
When there won't be a moon and there won't be a sun
It will just go black, it will just go back
To the way it was before

I knew a lovely girl with such pretty pride
And every man wanted her, yeah, and so did I
Yeah, and so did I
But she up and died in a fit of vanity

Now men with purple hearts carry silver guns
And they'll kill a man for what his father's done
But what my father did, no, it don't mean shit
I'm not him

And you think I need some discipline well, I've had my share
I've been sent to my room, I've been sat in a chair
And I held my tongue, I didn't plug my ears
No, I got a good talking to

And I don't know why, but I still try to smile
When they talk at me like I'm just a child
Well, I'm not a child
No, I am much younger than that

But now I've read some books and I've grown quite brave
If I could just speak up I think I would say
That there is no truth
There is only you and what you make the truth

So, I'll just sing my songs and I'll pass a hat
And then I'll leave your town and I'll never look back
No I won't look back because the road is clear
And laid out ahead of me

And I'll get home I'll meet my friends at our favorite bar
We'll get some lighter heads for our heavy hearts
And we'll share a drink, yeah we'll share our fears
And they'll know how I love them
They will know how I love
They will know how I love them
I'm nothing without their love

Now I don't know when but day's gonna come
When there won't be a moon and there won't be a sun
It will all go black, it will all go back
To the way it's supposed to be

Is it true what they say about the son of God?
Did he die for us? Did he die at all?
If I sold my soul, for a bag of gold to you
Which one of us would be the foolish one?
Which one of us would be the fool?
Which one of us would be the foolish one?
Which one of us would be the fool?

Could you please start explaining?
You know I need some understanding
Could you please start explaining?
You know I need some understanding
Could you please start explaining?
You know I need understanding
Could you just start explaining?
You don't understand



Lyrics submitted by PLANES

Track duration: 06:31


Don't Know When but a Day Is Gonna Come song meanings
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80 Comments

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  • 0
    Lyric Correction:Just one tiny error

    "Now men with purple hearts carry silver guns
    And they'll kill a man for what his father's done
    But what my father did, you know it don't mean shit
    I'm not him"
    Flag silversun7on August 14, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:conor is a shit load smarter than all of us, haha. But in saying this, yeah questioning religion and things he's learned, but i see this song as a defense to being falsely accused for something. dont know, haha, just a thought.
    Flag teabeanon January 08, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Also, if we put the part,

    "But now I've read some books and I've grown quite brave
    If I could just speak up I think I would say
    That there is no truth
    There is only you and what you make the truth"

    in with the meaning of the story, it is quite obvious what he means.

    He's read books about things regarding God and religion. If he could
    speak up(Get the balls to say) he'd tell you there is no truth(in what you believe, meaning that just bcuz you say God/Jesus exists, doesn't mean it's true) there is only you and what you make the truth.

    He's say that there is no truth in what you say. That it's only YOU and what you decide is true.

    Really, that's how many shape their reality.
    Flag BrightEyesAtheiston December 09, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:About what his father did and it not meaning shit because it's not him......

    Do you think that could be referring to Adam?
    Adam is considered the father of man. So thus, they
    would kill a man for what his father's done. But what
    his father did(adam), you know it don't mean shit, he's not his father.

    Btw, I'm an Atheist. I just happen to know, like many of you,
    that a lot of God references take place in his songs.
    Flag BrightEyesAtheiston December 09, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This is so powerful. Every verse has some kind of connection to me, especially 3-7.
    Flag blue.painted.tearson July 02, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:It should be pretty obvious by now that Conor is agnostic.

    It seems to me that Oberst is saying that he finds direction and strength through his friends and that is what defines him. He isn't sure if he can trust anything else but love (in friendships, family, relationships).

    If you hadn't noticed the phrase "to be loved and to love" is repeated on the album....though not in his song, I know.
    Flag eighteen18on July 01, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i have another take on the controversial line "there is no truth. There is only you and what you make the truth" I understand how people see it as nonsense, and how some may see it was a valid philosophy. That is, because we accept it is from the perspective of Conor. It is known that he will write songs (more like stories) from someone else' , or a fictional character's, perspective. So in the context of the song where it is about questioning your faith, i thought it might be from the religious persons point of view, preaching to conor. i know, some quotes would have really made sense to put around it, if that were his intention. but i can see religion making the claims like "there is no absolute truth, just what we believe." as in, despite evidence (or the lack thereof), disproving religion, what we believe is the truth is only so because "god says so". i totally agree that even if we as humans cannot currently comprehend the truth, there is an absolutely concrete truth, no matter how sure someone is otherwise.

    then again, i may have just put way too much though into something incredibly simple.
    Flag robwithanron August 23, 2008   Link
  • -1
    General Comment:and it kinda does sound like brand new
    (both are fucking amazing)
    lol I should probably read previous comments before posting.
    sorry! thats all :)
    Flag ashesweallfalldownon April 02, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:dude I didn't see the comment above mine..
    that's exactly how I took it so you're for suuure not the only one.
    Flag ashesweallfalldownon April 02, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think the part where he says
    "Now men with purple hearts carry silver guns
    And they'll kill a man for what his father's done
    But what my father did, no, it don't mean shit
    I'm not him"
    I think the purple means greedy, purple symbolizes royalty and rich. I kinda took this in a way of what people will do for money (AMERICA..) idk if he's talking about america in this verse but I definitely think this is talking about how men will kill men over money
    Flag ashesweallfalldownon April 02, 2008   Link

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