In this blackout inertia will hold our thoughts
And the exit sign offers no light to see by
Can we cast our shadows alone in the dark?
I can't see without you

When the world comes crashing down
Part with it
Start again
When the world comes crashing down
These notes will fold themselves
Standing at the margin's edge
To see where the daybreak ends
You can find compassion here
But the page turns too fast

We fell in this hole that opened up
Giving up on hope
Living without love
And we still type black lines
When the world comes crashing down
These notes will fold themselves

Adjust the aperture to focus on the negative
Like phosphors in the darkroom ignite
Like dodging faces in the corner of the print
Frame by frame this hole is opening and we fall in

There is no such thing as whole
There is a hole in the world



Lyrics submitted by mudfly

Track duration: 03:28

"A Hole in the World" as written by John Charles Lodge

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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A Hole In The World song meanings
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  • 0
    My Interpretation:The comment by Someday on the first page back in 2002 is the most accurate of these, I believe. To me it also symbolizes the end of an abusive relationship but still loving the person after it's over. It can certainly be interpreted in different ways by different people in different situations, though.

    "The exit sign offers no light to see by"
    The end of the relationship offers no new perspective, no light, no hope, no positivity because of how bleak things seem without that person anymore.

    "Can we cast our shadows alone in the dark?"
    This could mean one of two things, I think. First, if you take "cast our shadows" literally, it means there's no light to shine on you and nothing to make you stand out when you're "alone in the dark." Second, I think if you take "cast" in this sense to mean to throw off or away (i.e. "he cast off the blanket") it doesn't mean to cast shadows in the traditional sense but rather to rid yourself of your shadows...the shadows in this case likely being the dark aspects of the ended relationship that still hang with you, and when you're by yourself in a dark place it's hard to lose those feelings, thoughts and memories when you're surrounded by them.

    "I can't see without you"
    This one is more or less self-explanatory. Without your partner, you can't see where you're going in life, you can't see the point, you can't see any light or hope and so on.

    "Standing at the margin's edge to see where the daybreak ends
    You can find compassion here, but the page turns too fast"

    Writing is used as a metaphor here much like photography is used as a metaphor later in the song. Referencing forms of expression to convey your own form of expression...pretty amazing lyricism. Anyway, I believe that the first lyric refers to coming to the very "edge" of the relationship, just before it ends, and seeing that the love, the affection, the brightness and joy of the initial connection (aka "the daybreak") is all disappearing. There was compassion there, but it was fleeting and gone too fast, leaving you yearning for it again.

    "Giving up on hope, living without love, and we still type black lines"
    Again, I believe this uses writing as a metaphor. Basically meaning that the page has turned but you've got to keep writing new lines anyway...the chapter full of love and hope is over, but the story goes on. "When the world comes crashing down, part with it, start again" conveys the same message.

    The last line (the screamed part at the end) is definitely "love is love," repeated over and over. You can hear this more clearly in the acoustic version.

    I can definitely see how people interpret these lyrics as being about life in general. Personally I think that the lines "I can't see without you" and "giving up on hope, living without love" are what confirms it's about the end of a relationship and the immediate bleak aftermath, though. As someone who is both a writer and photographer AND has personally been in the situation conveyed in these lyrics and knows firsthand how devastating it can be, I definitely feel a strong connection to this song. Truly amazing music.
    Flag Lanimilbuson June 29, 2010   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this song has to be one of the most influencial and thought provoking from thursday.
    really, everythings so true.. from the view of life to love.
    overall they both go hand in hand but thursday just has a way of making you think,
    its kind of sad when you think about it, but its inspirational at the same time.
    we have to kind of learn to pick ourselves back up,,even though sometimes the quest for happiness seems hopeless
    and never ending.
    and sometimes becoming consumed by our daily lives, hurt, and pain can make us blind to what we should appreciate.
    I truly beleive that it is about hope overall, and learning to live each day with it.
    and possibly learning to love better, and learn to appreciate.
    Flag T- Cuppycakeson November 20, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:this is one of my FAVORITE songs. i listen to it when i snowboard and the intro guitar makes me think of a grey winters day with snow flying everywhere. the lyrics are amazing,
    Flag 7Z3R05on September 09, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:honestly, i think this song can be interpreted every single way that has been previously described on here. i mean, these interpretations may not have been what geoff had originally written the song about, but that doesn't mean they can't fit the lyrics. and personally, even though this song is so extremely vivid and uses such amazing lines of imagery, i think the fact that it's meaning is still so broad and vague makes it an even more amazing song. it doesn't matter if these interpretations aren't spot on to geoff's meanings. if they fit the song and invoke different feelings and emotions into the listener so that they sit down and contemplate their life and the experiences they've had, then that's really all geoff was trying to do. but that's just my take on it.
    Flag ky558535on April 29, 2008   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE
    IS LOVE
    LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE IS LOVE
    IS LOVE IS
    Flag bbp4life34on March 03, 2007   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:its amazing. it really is. reminds me of fall..
    Flag aperfectsonnet 70x7on April 16, 2006   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:Tom wrote this song. I love him, he's such a sweetie.
    Flag thursdaynj1203on December 31, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I think the end fits in something like this:
    The parts in brackets is where the voice in the background screams at the same time as Geoff says "Is no" or "Is a"...Even if it's not right, it seems like it would fit =|...

    There...is no (such!),
    Is no (thing!),
    Is no (as),
    Is (whole!)...

    There...is a (hole!),
    Is a (in!),
    Is a (the!),
    Is! (world!)...
    Flag TANSDon November 12, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I always thought he was saying "love is love".
    Flag Thursdayloveon August 25, 2005   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:i think the song is about lost love. i think he comparing love to light and his heart to the world. and i always thought he said "this is love" at the end
    Flag joelefton July 20, 2005   Link

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