I want to be better than oxygen
So you can breathe when you're drowning and weak in the knees
I want to speak louder than Ritalin
For all the children who think that they've got a disease
I want to be cooler than t.v.
For all the kids that are wondering what they are going to be
We can be stronger than bombs
If you're singing along and you know that you really believe
We can be richer than industry
As long as we know that there's things that we don't really need
We can speak louder than ignorance
Cause we speak in silence every time our eyes meet.

On and on, and on, and on it goes
The world it just keeps spinning
Until I'm dizzy, time to breathe
So close my eyes and start again anew.

I want to see through all the lies of society
To the reality, happiness is at stake
I want to hold up my head with dignity
Proud of a life where to give means more than to take
I wan't to live beyond the modern mentality
Where paper is all that you're really taught to create
Do you remember the forgotten America?
Justice, equality, freedom to every race?
Just need to get past all the lies and hypocrisy
Make up and hair to the truth behind every face
That look around to all the people you see,
How many of them are happy and free?
I know it sounds like a dream
But it's the only thing that can get me to sleep at night
I know it's hard to believe
But it's easy to see that something here isn't right
I know the future looks dark
But it's there that the kids of today must carry the light.

On and on, and on, and on it goes
The world it just keeps spinning
Until I'm dizzy, time to breathe
So close my eyes and start again anew.

If I'm afraid to catch a dream
I weave your baskets and I'll float them down the river stream
Each one i weave with words i speak to carry love to your relief.

I want to be better than oxygen
So you can breathe when you're drowning and weak in the knees
I want to speak louder than Ritalin
For all the children who think that they've got a disease
I want to be cooler than t.v.
For all the kids that are wondering what they are going to be
We can be stronger than bombs
If you're singing along and you know that you really believe
We can be richer than industry
As long as we know that there's things that we don't really need
We can speak louder than ignorance
Cause we speak in silence every time our eyes meet.

On and on, and on, and on it goes
The world it just keeps spinning
Until i'm dizzy, time to breathe
So close my eyes and start again anew



Lyrics submitted by dhelm

Track duration: 04:57

"Oxygen" as written by Patrick Richard Mascall, Paul Meehan, Adam Phillips, Emin Arasovich Agalarov

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, CHRYSALIS MUSIC GROUP

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Oxygen song meanings
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34 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:Won't anyone actually examine the meaning of the damn song. I'd love to, but I just wrote one fro We Can be Strong, and I need to get back to work. Enough of these stupid posts that say "I love this song". You aren't contributing to the freakin' board.

    Quickly, too quickly, I'll say this is what I get from the lyrics: It seems to be a dual examinination of both him as a musical artists and his desire to make an impact on his audience, and even broader upon society. I'd love to quote lyrics that give support my ideas, but I don't have the time. I'll be back alter.
    Flag dizzykon March 15, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:The lyrics in this song are beautiful, you can tell he's put so much deep though into every single word he's written, and i love the way the song builds and builds throughout as well.

    My favourite lyric from the song has to be "Proud of a life where to give means more to take". It's just so contradictory to what's going on in the world now.
    Flag Matt92on July 09, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Great lyrics! Come to Portugal:D
    Flag Nefertition March 10, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Yes it's an amazing song, and gives you hope that things can really be different. (I'm writing this the day after THE inauguration!) On a par with Asa'a "Fire on the Mountain".
    Flag Linmartinon January 21, 2009   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think its willy just talking about all the wrongs in americas society, I think its his way of telling everyone there to get their fingers out
    Maybe he even meant it on a global scale
    Flag So Realon February 13, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:This song means everything to me :]. Strangely enough, my 'angsty' years were in late elementary school; I cried myself to sleep at night, begged to be homeschooled, and was extremely reserved with people I didn't know well (pretty sure it's called 'social mutism'). Oxygen used to depress me... But looking back at it, it's an absolutely beautiful song, and it's helped me realize that there are bigger problems than the ones we face day-by-day. I'm now in Jr. High and loving every minute of it, and I can smile at this song instead of crying
    Flag Fuzzyfeeton October 06, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i heard this song about two years ago and forgot about it until the video came on two seconds ago... I LOVE IT.
    Flag ThisIsNotABruiseon July 13, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:it's funny, the first time I listened to this song I didn't truly understand it. Then it came on one morning and I was in a sad mood and it lightened my mood... It's got that effect
    like too much oxygen
    you feel europhic
    Flag hamfruitcakeon June 30, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"proud of a life where to give means more than to take" is my favourite line.

    It's a bit of a state of the world address I think. Just some young kid looking around and seeing all this shit and writing it down.
    Flag Alagemoon March 26, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:first of all:
    love love LOVE this song.

    i think he's vaguely describing all the fuckedup things about how the world is, like they are diagnosing kids with ADHD and giving them psycho meds just because they wanna go outside and play. or how the industry makes us think we have to have things just so they can make money. and how everyone gets stuck on 'makeup and hair' or outward appearances and dont really look deeper to find the truth in people.

    makes you think!!
    Flag r0ck0ut247on September 21, 2006   Link

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