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There is this thing that's like touching except you don't touch
Back in the day it just went without saying at all
All the world's history gradually dying of shock
There is this thing that's like talking except you don't talk
You sing
You sing
Sing for the bartender sing for the janitor sing
Sing for the cameras sing for the animals sing
Sing for the children shooting the children sing
Sing for the teachers who told you that you couldn't sing
Just sing
There is this thing keeping everyone's lungs and lips locked
It is called fear and it's seeing a great renaissance
After the show you can not sing wherever you want
But for now let's just pretend we're all gonna get bombed
So sing
Sing cause it's obvious sing for the astronauts sing
Sing for the president sing for the terrorists sing
Sing for the soccer team sing for the janjaweed sing
Sing for the kid with the phone who refuses to sing
Just sing
Life is no cabaret
We don't care what you say
We're inviting you anyway
You motherfuckers you'll sing someday
Back in the day it just went without saying at all
All the world's history gradually dying of shock
There is this thing that's like talking except you don't talk
You sing
You sing
Sing for the bartender sing for the janitor sing
Sing for the cameras sing for the animals sing
Sing for the children shooting the children sing
Sing for the teachers who told you that you couldn't sing
Just sing
There is this thing keeping everyone's lungs and lips locked
It is called fear and it's seeing a great renaissance
After the show you can not sing wherever you want
But for now let's just pretend we're all gonna get bombed
So sing
Sing cause it's obvious sing for the astronauts sing
Sing for the president sing for the terrorists sing
Sing for the soccer team sing for the janjaweed sing
Sing for the kid with the phone who refuses to sing
Just sing
Life is no cabaret
We don't care what you say
We're inviting you anyway
You motherfuckers you'll sing someday
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And I always thought it was "You Mother fuckers, you sing something!" like she was screaming at them to sing.
Great song.
There is this thing that's like touching except you don't touch
There is this thing that's like talking except you don't talk
I love those parts. I know everyone is getting into the whole political scheme of things but I always like to look at songs simply, and this is a song of inspiration. Aside from the singing part, it feels like a song about being yourself, and being free and not caring what people think.
"There is this thing that's like touching, except you don't touch."
As we all know, music is something that can touch you incredibly deeply. Amanda and Brian don't have to walk up to each of us and tell us some fortune-cookie phrase to change our lives - they do it with their music.
"Back in the day, it just went without saying at all."
To me, this line refers to the loss of intensity and emotion in today's music. Most music being produced today seems so cheap and meaningless, somehow lacking depth. You listen to something like Zeppelin, to Jimi, to other artists who put their heart and soul and sweat into their music, and it always seems far superior to the overused fast-food type music we have today. They didn't need to say that their music was deep, or to draw attention to the fact they played with everything they had. They just. fucking. did it. And you could HEAR it.
"There is this thing that's like talking, except you don't talk."
Expressing yourself through whatever outlet of your choice is a different and truly unique way of saying something. There's something about presenting an idea or emotion through music and art that is completely different than just saying it outright.
She goes on to say, sing for the bartender, janitor, animals, astronauts, presidents, terrorists, soccer teams - whatever you want. Whatever your passion is. Whether it be political, personal, or just seemingly meaningless - sing your heart out. Give it your all.
"Sing for the teachers who told you that you couldn't sing."
Fuck all of those people who told you that you can't. You can't sing, you can't express yourself, you can't be this, you can't do that. Fuck 'em all. In this moment, you're gonna sing.
"Sing for the kid with the phone who refuses to sing."
The people who distract themselves so much with technology - sing for them. The people who complain about people singing at concerts - sing for them. The people who, like the teachers, tell you to shut it and refuse to go along with the amazing feeling of music - sing for them.
And everyone will sing someday. Everyone will take a chance and do something with all of their hearts. It's just a matter of when.
I won't criticize anyone else's interpretation because Amanda herself has said that just because your interpretation of a song, piece of art, etc. isn't what the artist intended, doesn't mean you're wrong.
Personally, I take the song to be about expression in general. Amanda's main mode of expression is music, thus she's writing a song about singing. Anyone can do it, it doesn't take some special talent. All you gotta do is open up those lips and pass air over your vocal cords. Simple as that. I think she just wants us to express ourselves, to open up, to act in some way that shows we care about these things (the president, the media, your Nazi of a teacher, the soccer mom who lives down the street, ANYTHING).
She seems to be calling out to us to just DO something, especially since some people refuse to act or to care ("Sing for the kid with the phone who refuses to sing")
This interpretation is why I'm getting the word "Sing" tattooed on my back. :) I wish people would just fucking SING!
This song made me cry the first time I heard it because it's exactly how I feel about singing. My friends, my family, none of them understand my love of singing, it's something I'll never be able to give up. This song explains it perfectly. I don't care if it's not really about a love of music, to me it says in words exactly what I wish I could explain to the world about music and the people who love it.