One foot in front of the other
One foot back to counter it
Days like these you've got to find it in some other way
It's all or nothing baby

Avalanche, start inside of me
Avalanche, down through the trees
Avalanche, start inside of me
Avalanche, hell down through the trees

If everyone's a casualty
Then take your time there ain't no trouble
If the weather's fine and we're feeling crazy
There's always drinks and dancing in the rubble
I'm spinning and you're spinning
The world's spinning and we're laughing
And I'm charming, the devil's charming
And we're ruined but we're still building
And I'm selling and you're counting
The world's stopping but we keep going
And we're ruthless and we're cunning
And I'm heir to it all

Days like these you've got to find it in some other way
It's all or nothing baby

Avalanche, start inside of me
Avalanche, down through the trees
Avalanche, start inside of me
Avalanche, hell down through the trees

The key is to your kingdom
The key is to your heart
Neither one a doorway
But both of them a part
So one foot in front of the other



Lyrics submitted by Sublime.

Track duration: 05:58

"Avalanche" as written by Matthew Good

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Avalanche song meanings
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15 Comments

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  • 0
    My Opinion:This is an amazing song, and one of my top favourites by Matthew Good. Every time I hear it, I'm reminded how much I like his songs of this style. The near-hopeless, brooding, destruction ballads.

    I love the whole middle section of the song that starts with "If everyone's a casualty...". The lyrics are great and the words flow so seamlessly together that you get sort of wrapped up in the snowball that is forming. By the end of the sequence the avalanche is in full effect, with the destroyed "I'm heir to it all" audio. I can't get over how powerful it is, to hear that line chopped to pieces and stretched on top of the seriously epic instrumentation. One of the most memorable and absolutely disarming song sequences of the generation.
    Flag Vexiduson May 31, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Personally, I don't think that this song has to do with destroying the planet. Because the planet's fine - the planet's been through far worse than US, it's US that are fucked.
    I think it's about Beautiful Midnight and how it kind of haunted Matt, let him know that he didn't want to get so locked in. And he had to put on a show for the fans, meanwhile an avalanche was starting inside of him.

    Or it could be about people trying to take over the world in a mono-cultural society, and that it wouldn't matter if you did or didn't.

    Apparently this is Matt's favorite song of the decade that is by him. His favorite that he didn't do is 'The World is not a Cold Dead Place'.
    Flag edibleplastiqueon March 11, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think what he means is that both your heart and your mind make up who you are. Neither is a doorway into out humanity. Instead, both make up important parts of who we are and who we should be. Without both, without our ability to think rationally and feel compassion we are nothing but animals. It's our ability to do both, to live through intelligence and compassion that is the true definition of humanity.
    Flag RedOctoberon November 29, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:what does he mean by

    This key is to your kingdom
    This key is to your heart
    Neither one a doorway
    But both of them a( )part

    ??
    I understand the first 3 lines, but I don't get the last one.
    Flag avalanche12on November 09, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I see the highs and lows of life: the monotony followed by the rush. It's a highly emotional song briefly covering a lot of topics that are affecting his ability to function in this world.

    Confusion, evil in the form of charm, self destruction, self improvement, destroying the world while building it into our modern way, selfishness, inheriting the good and the evil left behind by past generations, and trying to find a reason or distraction to maintain a positive mindset and keep going.
    Flag rpn453on January 14, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:whoops, meant world war two but same thing
    Flag Waffleman24on October 12, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I am not sure what I think this song is about but I love it regardless. Although I can tell you what it's not about...World War One, jeez like thats pretty abstract.
    Flag Waffleman24on October 12, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"One foot in front of the other"

    "Avalanche, start inside of me"

    These two lyrics and the menacing progression of the musical part of this song always struck me as meaning "mental illness" long before Matthew went public with his issues.. I have a mental illness so maybe that is why I picked that meaning out of the song.
    Flag starlight28on October 07, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:One of the most powerful songs I've heard actually. Although I don't know the true meaning behind it all, the lyrics are incredible.
    Flag The_Bendson April 07, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I agree with Eterna but I think that the Avalanche is more about strength, sort of. Like he's finally decided to do something and it makes him feel alive.

    I just like that this song is sort of gentle mostly but at the same time so very angry.

    Any guesses on what that "this key's to your kingdom" bit is about? It's kind of stumped me.
    Flag Jamfishon September 07, 2005   Link

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