In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
From underneath the trees, we watch the sky
Confusing stars for satellites
I never dreamed that you'd be mine
But here we are, we're here tonight
Singing Amen, I'm alive (I'm alive)
Singing Amen, I'm alive
If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
Then we'd see the day when nobody died
And I'm singing
Amen I, Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive
Amen I, Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive
And in the air the fireflies
Our only light in paradise
We'll show the world they were wrong
And teach them all to sing along
Singing Amen, I, I'm alive (I'm alive)
Singing Amen, I, I'm alive
If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
Then we'd see the day when nobody died
If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
Then we'd see the day when nobody died
And as we lie beneath the stars
We realize how small we are
If they could love like you and me
Imagine what the world could be
If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
Then we'd see the day when nobody died
If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
Then we'd see the day when nobody died
Then we'd see the day, we'd see the day
When nobody died
Then we'd see the day, we'd see the day
When nobody died
Then we'd see the day when nobody died
Confusing stars for satellites
I never dreamed that you'd be mine
But here we are, we're here tonight
Singing Amen, I'm alive (I'm alive)
Singing Amen, I'm alive
If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
Then we'd see the day when nobody died
And I'm singing
Amen I, Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive
Amen I, Amen I, Amen I, I'm alive
And in the air the fireflies
Our only light in paradise
We'll show the world they were wrong
And teach them all to sing along
Singing Amen, I, I'm alive (I'm alive)
Singing Amen, I, I'm alive
If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
Then we'd see the day when nobody died
If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
Then we'd see the day when nobody died
And as we lie beneath the stars
We realize how small we are
If they could love like you and me
Imagine what the world could be
If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
Then we'd see the day when nobody died
If everyone cared and nobody cried
If everyone loved and nobody lied
If everyone shared and swallowed their pride
Then we'd see the day when nobody died
Then we'd see the day, we'd see the day
When nobody died
Then we'd see the day, we'd see the day
When nobody died
Then we'd see the day when nobody died
Lyrics submitted by Likwuid_Ice
If Everyone Cared Lyrics as written by Ryan Peake Daniel Adair
Lyrics © Regard Music, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
Add your thoughts
Log in now to tell us what you think this song means.
Don’t have an account? Create an account with SongMeanings to post comments, submit lyrics, and more. It’s super easy, we promise!
More Featured Meanings
Standing On The Edge Of Summer
Thursday
Thursday
Fast Car
Tracy Chapman
Tracy Chapman
"Fast car" is kind of a continuation of Bruce Springsteen's "Born to Run." It has all the clawing your way to a better life, but in this case the protagonist never makes it with her love; in fact she is dragged back down by him.
There is still an amazing amount of hope and will in the lyrics; and the lyrics themselve rank and easy five. If only music was stronger it would be one of those great radio songs that you hear once a week 20 years after it was released. The imagery is almost tear-jerking ("City lights lay out before us", "Speeds so fast felt like I was drunk"), and the idea of starting from nothing and just driving and working and denigrating yourself for a chance at being just above poverty, then losing in the end is just painful and inspiring at the same time.
The Night We Met
Lord Huron
Lord Huron
This is a hauntingly beautiful song about introspection, specifically about looking back at a relationship that started bad and ended so poorly, that the narrator wants to go back to the very beginning and tell himself to not even travel down that road. I believe that the relationship started poorly because of the lines:
"Take me back to the night we met:When the night was full of terrors: And your eyes were filled with tears: When you had not touched me yet"
So, the first night was not a great start, but the narrator pursued the relationship and eventually both overcame the rough start to fall in love with each other:
"I had all and then most of you"
Like many relationships that turn sour, it was not a quick decline, but a gradual one where the narrator and their partner fall out of love and gradually grow apart
"Some and now none of you"
Losing someone who was once everything in your world, who you could confide in, tell your secrets to, share all the most intimate parts of your life, to being strangers with that person is probably one of the most painful experiences a person can go through. So Painful, the narrator wants to go back in time and tell himself to not even pursue the relationship.
This was the perfect song for "13 Reasons Why"
Gentle Hour
Yo La Tengo
Yo La Tengo
This song was originally written by a guy called Peter Gutteridge. He was one of the founders of the "Dunedin Sound" a musical scene in the south of New Zealand in the early 80s. From there it was covered by "The Clean" one of the early bands of that scene (he had originally been a member of in it's early days, writing a couple of their best early songs). The Dunedin sound, and the Clean became popular on american college radio in the mid to late 80s. I guess Yo La Tengo heard that version.
Great version of a great song,
Amazing
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran tells a story of unsuccessfully trying to feel “Amazing.” This track is about the being weighed down by emotional stress despite valiant attempts to find some positivity in the situation. This track was written by Ed Sheeran from the perspective of his friend. From the track, we see this person fall deeper into the negative thoughts and slide further down the path of mental torment with every lyric.
I have to agree with NickelbackFan (1st commenter). But I never really thought of it as a politcal song at first. But when I think about it, it kinda is. In the begining of the song, he praises his girl, which is confusing, assuming this song is still about politicts. When he goes on to say "Amen I, I'm Alive", I get the feeling that for some reason he should be dead now? That it's only a miracle that of all the people dying in the world, he isn't "it" yet. I'm not sure what he meant by the fireflies analogy. Maybe the "They're only light" part meant that, again, he and her are only one (or I guess you could say two)? My favorite part is his analogy with the stars:
And as we lie beneath the stars We realize how small we are If they could love like you and me Imagine what the world could be
He's saying that him and his girl love each other so much, and that if everyone were that way, it would be a pretty d*** close utopia.
You notice how he says "If" a lot? He's acknowledging that it would be impossible, and that utopia is only a dream (an impossible one at that). In the end, I actually disagree with what he says ("We’d see the day, we’d see the day When nobody died"). Remember when God made the world, and man, and it was good? Well, didn't man choose to sin? So, even If everyone cared and nobody cried If everyone loved and nobody lied If everyone shared and swallowed their pride , I think there would still be the sin to hold us back.
That's only my interpretation. If you think otherwise, feel free to correct me. I'm always open for criticism. :-)
I was reading your comment and just had to reply back to you.<br /> I agree 100% with you on how you actually disagree with him at the end of the song when he says "we’d see the day When nobody died". I LOVE YOUR ANSWER on what you said about God. That was just awesome! AND anyways Chad is saying that they would see the say when no body died if everyone was just perfect BUT people are going to die anyways because of the sin that man commited at the beginning of time. your comment was great!<br /> Take care.
First off, I want to tell you straight out I respect that you're open to criticism, cuz most ppl aren't. But my hypothesis is he doesn't mean ppl will not die, just that the unneccesary and tragic deaths could end. It means ppl could live out happy lives and die in their sleep instead of a butt of a rifle to the head to save bullets, they wouldn't die standing in the middle of a square getting run over by tanks. Or last but certainly not least, shot b/c you simply wanted to drink from the same fountain as a white person,who wanted the same dignities as a white person. Essentially I feel it means no one would die due to religion, race, creed, sexual orientation, or just the freedom to scratch your butt in public if you so choose. And you know what, I think that kind of world would fit the song, ergo Chad got it right. If we could truly love, now that's a world that I would love!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! <br /> Peace and Love to ALL
i think that this song is about the way we treat each other, it really hurts when people are rude and don't care about how others are feeling, if we just treated each other with some kindness instead of making fun of each other and putting others down.. we should also just try to help each other out when we need help, because someday, you're going to need help, and what goes around, comes around...
that's deep, you are very intelligent
Strive to make life the best you can. Not for yourself, but for the rest of the world. If you're the only one happy, what does that accomplish after you're gone? This life is the only one you've got. Try to make it worth something.
to me this song is about if everyone really treated each other as equals and :
As we lie beneath the stars we realize how small we are
how lucky we are all to be alive and how small and insignificant we are too. To be honest i think this song explains itself. To me this song has nothing to do with boyfriends and girlfriends its about life and how we should use it in an ideal world.
I think this is a very worldly political song...if that makes sense. Its not the typical anti-bush, Anti-poverty song that so many artists do, its just a general, if only people were genuinely better. Amazing lyrics to live by, and a strong song!
It seems that, in a subtle way, this song touches on the very root of the problem. "If everyone cared... loved... shared..." and "if nobody cried... lied..." "if everyone swallowed their pride"...<br /> <br /> The essence of all human villainy is selfishness, when one puts himself before others and acts in such a way as to defend himself at any cost, the results are exactly what's listed: tears, lies, unbending pride, not to say that all pride is bad, national pride is a wonderfully healthy thing as long as it doesn't turn into extreme nationalism, but I think we do need more patriotism in America like we used to have.<br /> <br /> Anyway, the point being, the antithesis to megalomania is the attitude set forth by the positives they listed: caring, loving, sharing... overall, and attitude of selflessness. Not only is it practical, but nearly all world religions agree as well. It's a universal message of self-betterment, able to be appreciated by atheists, Christians, Buddhists, and followers of the Flying Spaghetti Monster alike.
I very much agree!
This song has an amazing message, great song altogether really. I believe this song but I do think that complete world peace isnt possible. Hate will always exist
leave nickelback alone!lol!i like those guys its not a "publicity stunt"theyre not trying to say they did this solely to put that message out and want no money for it...they wanna make money.so what?everyone does! but ok i agree its unrealistic,cuz ppl just gotta die LOL.to keep the nworld in balance and such.but its a good tune with cute lyrics,nice vocals and decent music.so i love it.
Definatly some really good lyrics on chad's part. I like how its not so much a slap in the face but more a "this is how it could be"
This is a really good song. The lyrics are so powerful. I agree with nickelbackfan, the song isnt pointing fingers at anybody or having anything to do with politics, its just talking about how some people dont care about anybody,but themselves and that there are bad people in the world and Chad wishes that it would all go away and everybody could care for everybody and have peace with each other. Its just about the world in general being hateful. GREAT SONG.
it makes me feel that its a gift to be alive but it could be betteramen im alive if everyone cared it could still not be perfect people would start to feel they were cared about less by people thn others kind of a sad thing if ya think real deep about how even if somethings perfect human emotions could just destoy it so easily . humans are imperfect so we obviuslt couldnt live in a perfect world