You dont throw your life away
Going Inside
You get to know who's watching you
And who besides you resides
In your body
Where you're slow
Where you go doesn't matter
Cuz there will come a time
When time goes out the window
And you'll learn to drive out of focus
I'm you and if anything unfolds
It's supposed to

You dont throw your time away sitting still
I'm in a chain of memories
It's my will
And I had to consult some figures of my past
And I know someone after me
Will go right back
I'm not telling a view
I've got this night to unglue
I moved this fight away
By doing things there's no reason to do



Lyrics submitted by Frusciante_Forever

Track duration: 03:36


Going Inside song meanings
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23 Comments

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  • +1
    General Comment:This song is about him experiencing higher dimensions/beings from "going inside", he understands the idea of eternity/timelessness, and there will be a time when "time" will no longer be a boundary. "Figures of my past" refers to his spiritual experiences with voices in his head and spirits that influenced him greatly. Heroin is likely the gateway to the spiritual realm for him. One must realize inorder to seek higher dimensions, one must look inside rather than out. He knows all these "escapes" from reality and philosophical ideas won't get him anywhere in this life, but at the same time he sees lightly in this life, the importance of "driving out of focus" as the key to eternity while resisting to focus solely on earthly experiences.
    Flag geoff1121on January 25, 2011   Link
  • +1
    Song Meaning:This song is about him experiencing higher dimensions/beings from "going inside", he understands the idea of eternity/timelessness, and there will be a time when "time" will no longer be a boundary. "Figures of my past" refers to his spiritual experiences with voices in his head and spirits that influenced him greatly. Heroin is likely the gateway to the spiritual realm for him. One must realize inorder to seek higher dimensions, one must look inside rather than out. He knows all these "escapes" from reality and philosophical ideas won't get him anywhere in this life, but at the same time he sees lightly in this life, the importance of "driving out of focus" as the key to eternity while resisting to focus solely on earthly experiences.
    Flag geoff1121on January 25, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:"You don't throw your life away
    Going Inside
    You get to know who's watching you
    And who besides you resides
    In your body
    Where you're slow"

    this song is definitely about getting away from the world.. When times are tough, people tend to "go inside" themselves to find comfort. A lot of times this is viewed negatively, as if it means the person is anti-social, an outcast, a recluse, or what have you.

    However; John seems to be preaching how this shouldn't be seen as such.. And how the process of "going inside" when times are rough can actually benefit you; in the sense that, at no other time would you necessarily find out what you're REALLY made of..

    "Where you go doesn't matter
    Cuz there will come a time
    When time goes out the window
    And you'll learn to drive out of focus
    I'm you and if anything unfolds
    It's supposed to"

    Here I think John is trying to say that when a person is on their death bed ("when time goes out the window"), all that really matters is knowing who you are; and what you ultimately think of your life. And basically that you shouldn't base your life's accomplishments on what you COULD or SHOULD have done.. but to look at your life relative to yours only and not hopes or dreams or expectations put on you by others.

    "You don't throw your time away sitting still
    I'm in a chain of memories
    It's my will
    And I had to consult some figures of my past
    And I know someone after me
    Will go right back
    I'm not telling a view
    I've got this night to unglue
    I moved this fight away
    By doing things there's no reason to do"

    Here I believe John is making amends with not living up to his full potential ("you don't throw your time away standing still"). But through it all, finding joy in the potential he did reach; seeing his accomplishments for what they meant to him.

    This could definitely be about something completely different too.. But that's the beauty of Frusciante's work.. so abstract, so cryptic.. It's a lot of fun to try and decipher his music. John is extremely underrated as a lyricist and a singer.
    Flag oakleys09on May 11, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think this song is all about self examination, and truly getting to know yourself, the good and the bad. to me the lyrics fit perfectly, stressing how meaningful 'going inside' can be. everyone should take the time out of the meaningless hustle and bustle of their daily routine, and do what is most important in life, which is nothing, just sit and get to know yourself.

    "You dont throw your time away sitting still
    I'm in a chain of memories"
    Flag ImAHotDanceron September 09, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Okay guys,

    When interpreting this song you need some contextualization, it was made in 2001, which is post-drug era for john so to say it's about drugs is wrong. John does not advocate drugs anymore, he says he's the happiest he's ever been now, because his body and soul are free.

    I think in the song he is telling the listener about introspection, he's talking about going inside of yourself, exploring your mind, thiinking, trying to see the world in a new light, taking time to live in that manner.
    The thing is that society tells us that we need to be going after money, always working and people seem to critize those who go inside themselves (because they associate it with being and introvert and possibly with the whole ivory tower risk).
    He telling everyone out there that it's okay and good to go inside yourself so as to be able to understand your existance properly
    Flag costaon December 20, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Jeeezz I love John's voice on this song! Hate some parts of the video though, where he's kinda hurting himself........ just can't stand to watch that, lovehimlovehimlovehim...! Hears this song for the first time today, already feeling it's going to be an obsession... I'm fine with that:)
    Flag Venice_Queenon May 19, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:John rocks. his music rocks. his style rocks. an his freakish twisted way of thinking rocks the hardest.
    Flag iluvpunkrockon September 07, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:reading what paco1236 had to say is pretty good.
    john used to lovr takin drugs for years and when he was younger all he wanted to do was take drugs. it was almost the best thing to playing and listening to music for him.
    now hes grew up and no drugs in body he is trying to say about what the exp was for him.

    the drug could be anything to his audience and you can think of what he means by going inside yourself
    its a vey open minded song with a lot of other spirits connected to it
    Flag i love JFon August 15, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:im not too sure about this guys drug abuse past and what he might have taken, but i feel a certain connectiong with the drug doi, witc is exactly like lsd but longer, like 2x the leangth of the trip, any ways in my "bad experiances" with the drug you are forced awake cuz your afraid to let the drug take complete control witch makes the drug harder, well anyways eventually there is a point were you "fall into yourself" ask anyone who is a day tripper they can tell you its like being in alterd state-reality were time stops, and deja vu can be reality, your like a body in your own head and u see the world from behind the scenes, you figure out everything but nothing seems real, then u see hints clues and everything comes together, whatever it is, the smarter you are the harder it hits u. well anyways that isnt much of a meaning to the song but thats how i connect to the lyrics, mabye others do the same way, mabye john had a bad trip, mabye good , mabye never who knows
    Flag paco1236on August 06, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i luv this song so much, and the video is awesome!!
    john is such a great guy
    Flag ANTWANmyMANon July 22, 2005   Link

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