Everyone's afraid of their own life.
If you could be anything you want I bet you'd be disappointed.
Am I right?

No one really knows the ones they love.
If you knew everything they thought I bet you'd wish that they'd just shut
Up.

Well you were the dull sound of sharp math when you were alive.
Not ones gonna play the harp when you die.
And if I had a nickel for every damn dime I might have half the time.
Do you mind?

Everyone's afraid of their own life.
If you could be anything you want I bet you'd be disappointed.
Am I right?

It's hard to remember we're alive for the first time.
It's hard to remember we're alive for the last time.
It's hard to remember to live before you die.
It's hard to remember that our lives are such a short time.
It's hard to remember what it takes such a short time.
It's hard to remember to live before you die.
It's hard to remember.

My mom's god is a woman and my mom she is a witch.
I like this.
My hell comes from inside comes from inside myself.
Why fight this.

Everyone's afraid of their own life.
If you could be anything you want I bet you'd be disappointed.
Am I right?



Lyrics submitted by PLANES, edited by qazerty

Track duration: 03:18

"Lives" as written by Isaac Brock, Eric Judy, Jeremiah Green

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Lives song meanings
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80 Comments

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  • 0
    My Interpretation:I think this song is about those moments when people are sad. Most people try to live by the motto that you only live once (or in more recent history, yolo) but sometimes you forget about that, or dont really care. You are sad regardless of how close we really are to death. I also think it tries to explain that sadness by saying "We have only been alive once" and so really, we arent that good at being alive. Anyone would really do better at life the second time around, but regardless, it is merely our first time.
    Flag Wilhemon April 02, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think of reincarnation when i listen to this song...
    Flag back10minuteson September 13, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I noticed something about these two lines:

    "And if I had a nickel for every damn dime
    I�d have half the time, do you mind?"

    Ever hear of the expression "Being nickle and dimed?". He is saying that he has been nickle and dimed out of his time. He does an eloquent job of it too.

    Just throwing in my two cents (pun intended).
    Flag RedCasanovaon July 01, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think the "my mom is a witch part" is about his mom being a pagan. But I think he put it in the song because it's a contrast to what he's singing about. He's singing about the fact that people don't live their lives to the fullest. Well, his mom is being her own person in this world and he likes the fact that she is living her own life.
    Flag chubiganson September 16, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The first time I heard this song I just fell in love with MM. The shift in the mood of the music is so perfectly coordinated with the tone of the lyrics. The fear of failing is what holds most people back from even trying to achieve what they want, or *think* they want. It's human nature to always want something more, because we never stop feeling the need to progress.

    The line about not knowing the ones you love is so true. Can you imagine how fucking maddening it would be if you somehow had mind reading powers? All those trivial and unedited thoughts. The people we think know so well would seem like completely different personalities.
    Anyway, I could go on and on but a lot of other people already summed up most of my thoughts on the lyrics. There is one line that is especially meaningful for me though,
    "My hell comes from inside, comes from inside myself
    Why fight this?"
    When you feel like life isn't worth all the shit it gives you, you just have to remember that it's all in how you deal with it.
    Flag DirigiblePlumon August 27, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Like it. Not entirely sure what it's about, but perhaps about trying to take control of your unhappiness, of seizing the day... but we don't because we're afraid... and the clock, meanwhile, is ticking away?
    Flag xmakesherflyxon July 08, 2010   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:I think this song deals with someone who is contemplating suicide. He is thinking about what people would say when he died, but no one will even play the harp when he does. You often wonder what your loved ones- friends and family- think of you, but really he just wants them to shut up so he can just get it over with. Its hard to remember that we are only alive once, and that taking your life does end it for good. And its hard to remember that life is over before we know it even without ending it ourselves, but he only can see it dragging out because he is depressed. His hell comes from inside, making him want to kill himself...

    Flag jvb00on June 08, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song gives me shivers. I listen to it and it almost makes me cry every time because it is so beautiful and so true.

    It's hard to remember, it's hard to remember
    We're alive for the first time
    It's hard to remember were alive for the last time
    It's hard to remember, it's hard to remember
    To live before you die
    It's hard to remember, it's hard to remember
    That our lives are such a short time
    It's hard to remember, it's hard to remember
    When it takes such a long time
    It's hard to remember, it's hard to remember

    simply amazing. Isaac Brock is a fucking genius.
    Flag linzeeeon April 29, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:he uses simple words so powerfully
    Flag INLimBo7on October 24, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I was actually disappointed when I found out that the line wasn't

    "And if I had a nickel for every damn time
    I�d have half a dime, do you mind?"

    I just thought that that was so witty, and it turns out it was just in my head. xD

    Flag ScoutTaronon September 20, 2009   Link

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