1
He could've tuned in, tuned in
But he tuned out
A bad time nothing could save him
Alone in a corridor waiting locked out
He got up outta there ran for hundreds of miles
He made it to the ocean, had a smoke in a tree
The wind rose up set him down on his knee
A wave came crashing like a fist to the jaw
Delivered him wings "hey look at me now"
Arms wide open with the sea as his floor
Oh power oh
He's flying
Whole, high wide, oh
He floated back down 'cause he wanted to share
His key to the locks on the chains he saw everywhere
But first he was stripped and then he was stabbed
By faceless men, well, fuckers
He still stands
And he still gives his love, he just gives it away
The love he receives is the love that is saved
And sometimes is seen a strange spot in the sky
A human being that was given to fly
Flying
Oh, oh
High flying
Oh, oh
He's flying
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
But he tuned out
A bad time nothing could save him
Alone in a corridor waiting locked out
He got up outta there ran for hundreds of miles
He made it to the ocean, had a smoke in a tree
The wind rose up set him down on his knee
A wave came crashing like a fist to the jaw
Delivered him wings "hey look at me now"
Arms wide open with the sea as his floor
Oh power oh
He's flying
Whole, high wide, oh
He floated back down 'cause he wanted to share
His key to the locks on the chains he saw everywhere
But first he was stripped and then he was stabbed
By faceless men, well, fuckers
He still stands
And he still gives his love, he just gives it away
The love he receives is the love that is saved
And sometimes is seen a strange spot in the sky
A human being that was given to fly
Flying
Oh, oh
High flying
Oh, oh
He's flying
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Oh, oh
Lyrics submitted by Trent, edited by Mellow_Harsher
Given to Fly Lyrics as written by Mike Mccready Eddie Vedder
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
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!
Yeah this has been said, I see, but definitely I see the bible in this. "Floated back down?" That seems to me Jesus descending after being crucified. "Stripped and stabbed?" Didn't that happen to Jesus. It's like a person that's above, morally and spiritually the rest of us, flying above all the shit we deal with on a regular, trying without success to show us that we're sometimes our own worst enemies. I think it's at the same time about people that weren't meant to be bound by chains to the cotidian humdrum shuffle and want to fly. That have some part of that religious understanding in them.
I am with you on this. I definately hear the story of Jesus. Also notice what he says about salvation: " The love he receives is the love that is saved" . If that is not about Jesus I dont know what is. I mean this is exactly what Jesus is all about. Christians believe that they are saved literally from death if they love Jesus. So if he receives love back from people, those people (that love) will be saved.<br /> <br /> So for me there is no doubt really. And what you said about being stripped and then stabbed is also pointing in the direction of the Gospel. <br /> <br /> What about "delivered him wings" allignes with the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus in the form of a dove. <br /> <br /> And Jesus wanted to " share his Key to the locks he saw everywhere", since he came willingly to spread his Word and share what he knew (the path to salvation). <br /> <br /> And Jesus was not accepted by the leaders of that time and they " stripped and stabbed him" but "he still stands" for he rose up from death 3 days later and is still flying around so to speak. And since then is the time when "the love He receives is the love that is saved".<br /> <br /> This song chokes me up alot, its just a beautiful song, whatever the meaning is. But I like to believe this is the meaning, Jesus :)
I'm noticing people who give a Christian meaning to this song are given a -1. That is so typical. Why does being Christian make American atheists so angry and childish all the time. Whenever anyone says Jesus, the hair on people's backs seem to stand up straight. Why would someone's opinion that is of good intent do that to anyone? People should really wonder about this I think. What is making you a xenophobe for Jesus (not talking to you rbach48). Because it's an irrational response really. <br /> <br /> I know I am assuming this mechanism is alive here. But I'm just saying it for those who do feel this way (if they're honest to themselves). There's alot of this going on in the outside world so why would it not be the same in here. Annyway that's what I wanted to say.<br /> <br />
Odds are that it is not about Jesus, as Eddie is an open atheist, and clearly writes about his atheism in other works. This song does bear an uncanny resemblance to the story of Jesus Christ, but I wouldn't say that it's about him. I believe I read somewhere that it is a metaphor about surfing.