Jack Johnson – Never Know

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I heard this old story before
With the people keeping calling for the metaphors
That don't leave much up to the imagination
So I want to give this imagery back
But I know it ain't just so easy like that
So I turn the page and read the story again and again and again
Sure seems the same with a different name
We're breaking and rebuilding, and we're growing always guessin'

Never knowing shocking but we're nothing
We're just moments
We're clever but we're clueless
We're just human
Amusing and confusing
We're tryin' but where is this all leading
We'll never know

It all happens so much faster
Than you can say disaster
Want to take a time lapse and look at it back
We found the last one but maybe that's just the answer
That we're after but after all
We're just a bubble in a boiling pot
One breath in a chain of thought
The moment's just combusting
Feels certain but we'll never never know
Sure seems the same give it a different name
We're begging, and we're needing and we're trying and we're breathing

Never knowing shocking but we're nothing
We're just moments
We're clever but clueless
We're just human
Amusing and confusing
We're helping rebuilding and we're growing
Never know

Never know
Never know

Knock knock on a door to door
Tell you that the metaphors is better than yours
And you can either sink or swim
Things are looking pretty grim
If you don't believe in what ?? feedin'
It's got no feeling so we'll read it again and again and again
Sure seems the same, so many different names
Our hearts are strong, our heads are weak, we'll always be competing

Never know we're shocking but we're nothing
We're just moments
We're clever but clueless
We're just human
Amusing and confusing
We could try it but where is this all leading
We'll never know

Send "Never Know" Ringtone to Cell


Lyrics submitted by AllStarMe

Track duration: 03:33

"Never Know" as written by Gary / Barlow

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


Never Know song meanings
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35 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:Here is what Jack Johnson has to say about his song:

    "That one's about people pushing their religions on each other. I actually started writing it when I was in New York doing Saturday Night Live. I picked up the newspaper and on the cover was that horrible thing that happened in Fallujah where they killed those Americans and dragged their bodies through the city. The cover of the newspaper had a photo of their burned bodies, and it was a horrible image. I came up with just the line, 'I heard this old story before, where the people keep on killing for their metaphors.' Joseph Campbell is a writer that I like a lot. He talked about how there's all these different metaphors and different ways of believing in what's unexplainable and people are always getting into conflicts over it. The idea for the song is just about tolerance and not pushing your religion on each other."

    This quote was found at songfacts.com

    It is very interesting to understand the origin of some of the lines in the song and definitely helps with understanding the meaning.
    Flag davidmcconon May 16, 2013   Link
  • 0
    Song Meaning:In my opinion this song is referring to belief and religion. Jack is talking about the fact that no one will really ever 'know' why they believe yet they all think their 'metaphor is better than yours'
    Flag Guaranteed89on May 19, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:Alot of people think this song is mainly about society, But its not. Its about religion. The first verse is all about how the religions are the same idea with different names. Hes saying we don't know but we are trying to act like we do. He talks about who we are as people and that we are becoming better but we will "never know" how things came to be, never know about a heaven or a hell. "knock-knock on the door to door, tell ya that the metaphor is better than yours" is talking about people selling their religion and people saying that my religion is better then yours, but you already know how he feels about that with the first verse. The next line is you can either sink or swim meaning be apart of our religion or you will sink. The entire song is filled from top to bottom go threw and look at it again. THis is not Jack Johnsons first song expressing these ideas. Check out these songs, It's all understood, Traffic in the Sky, imagine(cover) and many more. Jack Johnson has been miss represented and claimed by alot of christians, as a christian. But when he is asked he says he does not have one and he is surfing religions because he has not found one he thinks is true. Great song, jack johnson does not hate religious people he just is pointing out his opinion on religion.
    Flag JJ4lifeon May 11, 2011   Link
    • 1 Reply
  • 0
    General Comment:i agree i think this song is talking about religion, which is the metaphor. and so many different names is refering to how every religion has some higher power, or god, and every religion has a different name.

    love the song, its awesome, same as all his other songs.
    love and music <3
    Flag superspazzon September 16, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Many different religions share the same beliefs, but have different names. Jack Johnson conveys that people get so caught up in their own drama; they hide the bigger view. People have to be able to accept other’s beliefs and respect them. He also mentions how people experience something, yet they still don’t learn from their mistakes. Instead of clashing between different beliefs, we should all look at what we have in common and go on from there. “We’re trying but where is this all leading, we’ll never know” signifies how much everyone doesn’t know; yet, they all make assumptions. Our world is made up of an abundance of competition. Everything is to see who is superior among the others, when in reality everyone is “just a bubble in a boiling pot.” In other words, we are not as big an attribute to the world as we think we are.
    Flag Dayle:)on December 10, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:He is talking about a book throughout the entire song. I think that this book is a type of religious book, like a bible. He says that he reads all of the different outlooks on religion and "sure seems the same, just with different names"...All religions are based on the same thing; enlightenment. Every religion has a philosophy behind it and they are all exactly the same philosophy! Peace, love, living in the moment. "My metaphor is better than yours" ?? Everyone is reading the same spiritual outlooks and giving them their own twist, always competing with one another, with whos interpretation is better...the sad thing is, that every "religion" is the same............will we ever figure that out? Probably not, because people are too scared and closed minded to open their eyes to the truth...
    Flag tkgirlstaron November 03, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song is about how insignificant everybody is, and how they will just live and die. even if you do make a name for yourself, you will be forgotten eventually, and i think jack was looking that right in the face.. he decided that were just moments, and that we should probably make the best out of these moments.
    Flag katiebothwellon October 22, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i agree with jupiterjames. when i first heard this song my mind went straight to religion... people are blindly taking the holy 'metaphors' for granted, not thinking for themselves. and in the last bit he is talking about how all the world religions are competing with each other, spreading intolerance, and a lot of times they don't provide people with happy fulfillment, but mostly hatred... that is what i think he is saying. i listened to this song one night as i was laying out on my roof, looking up at the stars. man it is a great song, i could listen to it again and again and again
    Flag smaklime13on August 13, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:its about creation vs evolution and about how we'll never prove either. its an awesome track. fantastic, at the end of the day all we have are our beliefs. choose yours wisely.
    Flag vmaqon January 22, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think simply, the message is that we're not as big a deal as we think we are. we don't know anything, we're just delusional. we think we know answers? yeah right, all we have is experiences, memories of these experiences, and egos. I LOVE this song!!
    Flag MasonCon October 11, 2007   Link

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