I know the feeling
It is the real thing
The essence of the truth
The perfect moment
That golden moment
I know you feel it too
I know the feeling
It is the real thing
You can't refuse the embrace
It's like the pattern below the skin
You gotta reach out and pull it all in
And you feel like you're too close
So you swallow another dose
The pinnacle of happiness
Filling up your soul
You don't think you can take any more
You never want to let go
To touch the roots of experience
The most basic ingredients
Toi see the unseen glitter of life
And feel the dirt, grief, anger and strife
Cherish the certainty of now
It kills you a bit at a time
cradle the inspiration
It will leave you writhing on the floor...
This is so unreal, what I feel
This nourishment, life is bent
Into a shape I can hold
A twist of fate, all my own
Just grit your teeth, make no sound
Take a step away and look around
Just clench your fist and close your eyes
Look deep inside, hypnotize
The whisper is but a shout
That's what it is all about
Yes, the ecstasy, you can pray
You will never let it slip away
Like the sacred song that someone sings through you
Like the flesh so warm that the thorn sticks into
Like the dream one day you know will come to life
Try to hold on just a little longer, stronger
It's the jewel of victory
The chasm of misery
And once you have bitten the core
You will always know the flavor
The split second of divinity
You drink up the sky
All of heaven is in your arms
You know the reason why
It's right there, all by itself
And what you are, there is nothing else
You're growing a life within a life
The lips of wonder kiss you inside
And when it's over the feeling remains
It all comes down to this
The smoke clears, I see what it is
That made me feel this way
This is so unreal, what I feel
Flood, sell your soul, feel the blood
Pump through your veins, can't explain
The element that's everything
Just clench your fist and close your eyes
Look deep inside, hypnotize
Yes, the ecstasy, you can pray
You will never let it slip away
Like the echoes of your childhood laughter, ever after
Like the first time love urged you to take guidance, in silence
Like your heartbeat when you realize you're dying, but you're trying
Like the way you cry for a happy ending, ending
I know



Lyrics submitted by jt

Track duration: 04:54

"The Real Thing" as written by Tracy/frank Amos

Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing

Lyrics powered by LyricFind


The Real Thing song meanings
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56 Comments

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  • 0
    General Comment:...when i listened to this song the first time, i thought it is about love/fall in love or about heroin, but i am not sure. But i am sure The Real Thing is my favourite song.
    Flag elwichtoon January 10, 2013   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I still listen to that album, CD, on my ipod now at age 36 I first started hearing it in school in 1989, and I love it as much or more.This is one of my favorite FNM songs as well as one of my favorite songs I have ever heard, the meaning to me wasnt relevant to how much I loved it at the time, then I grew up from age 14, started using heroin and started having sex, and in my mind that could be what this is about, either one, or neither. Its open to interpritation, since Mike never really came out to say exactly what it is. I agree he had the masturbation shirt, and that could be this song too.I agree, wholeheartedly, having sex is great, but doing it alone is best.You can be anything when you do that if you are an erotic person. Funny how people only think guys do that stuff?!?! IT does describe heroin if a person has experienced heroin fully good, without a lot of pain like I had.How does anyone really know that Mike didnt use drugs? Lot of singers claim they are drug free, or have no experiences with them, but they cover whats real for publicity sake.I know of at least one other singer who claims to be straight edge and always has, but secretly does drugs, it is a fact, and people need to realize that.Maybe Mike only used it once? ANYONE EVER THINK OF THAT? If someone were to try it only once, it wouldve felt exactly like this song, all good, no bad, the best feeling without end.I doubt so many people who have tried it would agree it could be about it if it weren't at least in part. I also agree it is obviously about orgasm too.People take the creating a life inside a life line and immediately say, OH ITS ABOUT CHILDBIRTH. Even a guy knows childbirth is PAINFUL AS HELL, he can see that, and wouldn't claim it is "ecstasy" to do so, ridiculous!I am sorry, but I have had a child. ridiculous.I am sure whatever a person really loves, drugs, or sex, or masturbating, or even some other thing unrelated, could find this song to mean that a little, however.Most songs have more than one meaning.Absolute emotion comes to everyone differently, and only gets that extreme in a few cases.Love, drugs, sex, orgasm, religion,jealousy, hate, Etc. and this song is about the positives of those extremes. Byt he way it does mention a little bit of pain, off and on, too. Its just far far overshadowed by the good feelings. People taking about acid here, probably do not realize that when someone takes really good heroin, they DO in fact walk around with a feeling that everything is unreal, and like the world is almost, akin to a Movie backdrop, or like they are standing around watching unreality.Not like ACID, but somewhat the way a person whod never taken it might think it feels? I have felt this many many times, unreality in the middle of reality, and I do not take hallucinogens.
    Flag meecepeeceon June 12, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Opinion:psuedin: A++++ you got it right! THANK you for the post, you are a wise man, or lady.. you know this is what makes FNM so amazing, if i ever figured out what the meanings were behind the music i would be bummed. I know i will always be amazed every time i hear them, Like the very first time, goosebumps. Dont wanna figure it out, to keep guessing and wondering is magic. i think i played angel dust at least 1000 times best work by any band. their music never gets boring "like a scab I keep coming back to it"...
    Patton knows how to entertain. Patton is not human .. too perfect and good for this world. Damn glad we have him!
    Bordin - note that you will never see a frown on him, always smiling. GENIUS behind it all i think..
    LONG LIVE THE MEN OF FAITH NO MORE you are Genius, amazing, perfection, inspiring, and are the reason i live and breathe. My only wish: Mike X 2, Roddy, Billy, Jon and the crew guy "Long Hair': PLEASE COME TO ARIZONa....but i will swim the oceans to see you if only for a few seconds well worth it.
    Flag sammykay71on April 28, 2012   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:"the strongest drug patton ever did was caffeine.." said Bongo, true

    It is simply an anti-drug song, in a pattonish way
    Flag cleventon January 24, 2012   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:I kind of agree with what a lot of people are saying, especially b8edbreth. The Real Thing is what the song describes for YOU. Whatever experience you've had that it reminds you of is what it's about. I also think that it could be about life or even a man dying and going to Heaven. I know this doesn't make sense with all of it but it's sounds like he's realizing the truth about something. Also, look at the last lyrics relating to this idea. He reflects on different stages of his life, or someone else's. Thinking about his childhood memories, his first true love and then his death. Just my two cents, but again, this song could really be about anything.

    Flag DeadGoon655321on December 07, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:It's about ecstasy. As said not all songs are about drugs but they couldn't say it any plainer.
    Flag kaoyaoon December 06, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:Every one of you is right in your interpretation of this song.
    This song is about what you know it to be about. But it's only true for you.
    It is about the most fabulous object in the universe. No matter how you interpret it, the absolute genius, what makes this song one of the most important works of the 20th century, is that it is true for every one that listens to it.
    It IS about drugs.
    it IS about the birth of a child
    it IS about being touched by one's god
    it IS about everything that both gives your life meaning, and tears you down at the same time

    - I was researching the song for school, but could not resist adding my two cents
    Flag b8edbrethon September 10, 2011   Link
  • 0
    General Comment:I consider this to be Faith No More's Mona Lisa. Everything that made me fall in love with the band is on full display here - brutal riffs, Patton's impossible vocal range, and nebulous lyrical content that can be interpreted a million different ways.

    God, what a song.
    Flag getnastyjaguarson August 02, 2011   Link
  • 0
    My Interpretation:It's about whatever causes joy and happiness in life, whatever makes life real for you and worth living.
    Flag TheAlbatrosson July 30, 2011   Link
  • +1
    General Comment:While not all songs are about drugs, some songs most certainly are. This is one. Patton's writing style is often of the descriptive style, and this is an example of it. This son't isn't positive as some people point out, nor is it completely negative. It's a look into the mind of an addict, and the writing is a descriptive, almost expressionist, style to explore the mindset and thinking of the addict. The elation, the shame and the need to keep going back.

    Just as not all songs are about drugs, not all songs are deep, obscure metaphors. Descriptive writing is a very intriguing style of art, and it isn't something to be written off as trivial. Zombie Eaters is a great example of this. You can apply metaphors at your liking, but it is the best example of his descriptive writing style. It's a song written through the eyes of a baby, nothing more. You can add metaphors, but the words tell the truth. That's the beauty of good writing as an art; it allows for many interpretations, even though the intent may have been straight forward and simple
    Flag timere242on August 30, 2010   Link

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