In the beginning I was told
That the life in you ran cold
My tears turned to dread
With words of life and death

I was sold a lie
My future in disguise
You chose to be deviant
Always deviant
Always desperate
Binding, debased conscience
Soul mate, faceless

Now stare into the light
Circling beyond
To never release the grip or pressure
The rising intent
To birth and release the darkness within

Tear the mask away
Breathe another way
Tear the mask away
To uncomplicate the patterns that we all feel
Keep the flames at bay
Live another day

Tear the mask away
Facing one another
Now elevate my understanding

My body's fading
Tomorrow came for me
Rushing in and out of me
I want it all
Give me everything now

Tear the mask away
Facing one another
Now elevate my understanding
Elevate my understanding
Don't exacerbate my perception

A hidden sign amidst the cold
A serpent's eye, with grinning teeth beneath it
A cold surprise you won't deny
You pay the price and keep it
I sold a lie amidst the cold, a sudden cry
I sold a lie amidst the cold, running high
Grit your teeth and bear it
A faint surprise, overtly bold
Stand your ground and mean it
I sold a lie amidst the cold, running high
I sold a lie amidst the cold, running high
Grit your teeth and bear it

The words I whispered followed you
They lit a light in you
That you might not have found
To dream of flowing locks untwisted
And auburn eyes glistening as you weep

The words that I whispered when it all began
Did they shine a light on you you don't understand?
To dream of flowing locks untwisted and stormy
And auburn eyes glistening as you weep

Raise your eyes, notice me
Raise your eyes, notice me


Lyrics submitted by EternalTearsOfSorrow

War of Being Lyrics as written by Daniel Tompkins Alec Kahney

Lyrics © RESERVOIR MEDIA MANAGEMENT INC

Lyrics powered by LyricFind

War of Being song meanings
Add Your Thoughts

1 Comment

sort form View by:
  • +1
    Song Meaning

    According to lead singer Daniel Tompkins, “War Of Being is a fight for acceptance, a battle of existence and a resistance against ego. It’s a struggle for control as we cut through the white noise of reality. It’s the need to know and identify with oneself, to accept and understand what we stand for and who we are. There is an urgent need to ‘Tear the mask away’ and reveal your true self.”

    EternalTearsOfSorrowon September 30, 2023   Link

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

Album art
Mental Istid
Ebba Grön
This is one of my favorite songs. https://fnfgo.io
Album art
I Can't Go To Sleep
Wu-Tang Clan
This song is written as the perspective of the boys in the street, as a whole, and what path they are going to choose as they get older and grow into men. (This is why the music video takes place in an orphanage.) The seen, and unseen collective suffering is imbedded in the boys’ mind, consciously or subconsciously, and is haunting them. Which path will the boys choose? Issac Hayes is the voice of reason, maybe God, the angel on his shoulder, or the voice of his forefathers from beyond the grave who can see the big picture and are pleading with the boys not to continue the violence and pattern of killing their brothers, but to rise above. The most beautiful song and has so many levels. Racism towards African Americans in America would not exist if everyone sat down and listened to this song and understood the history behind the words. The power, fear, pleading in RZA and Ghostface voices are genuine and powerful. Issac Hayes’ strong voice makes the perfect strong father figure, who is possibly from beyond the grave.
Album art
When We Were Young
Blink-182
This is a sequel to 2001's "Reckless Abandon", and features the band looking back on their clumsy youth fondly.
Album art
No Surprises
Radiohead
Same ideas expressed in Fitter, Happier are expressed in this song. We're told to strive for some sort of ideal life, which includes getting a good job, being kind to everyone, finding a partner, getting married, having a couple kids, living in a quiet neighborhood in a nice big house, etc. But in Fitter, Happier the narrator(?) realizes that it's incredibly robotic to live this life. People are being used by those in power "like a pig in a cage on antibiotics"--being pacified with things like new phones and cool gadgets and houses while being sucked dry. On No Surprises, the narrator is realizing how this life is killing him slowly. In the video, his helmet is slowly filling up with water, drowning him. But he's so complacent with it. This is a good summary of the song. This boring, "perfect" life foisted upon us by some higher powers (not spiritual, but political, economic, etc. politicians and businessmen, perhaps) is not the way to live. But there is seemingly no way out but death. He'd rather die peacefully right now than live in this cage. While our lives are often shielded, we're in our own protective bubbles, or protective helmets like the one Thom wears, if we look a little harder we can see all the corruption, lies, manipulation, etc. that is going on in the world, often run by huge yet nearly invisible organizations, corporations, and 'leaders'. It's a very hopeless song because it reflects real life.
Album art
Amazing
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.