Atlas
Transit Lyrics
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Once buildings stood so tall.
Just metal scraps beneath our feet.
This feeling's unsettling.
We're caught in a freefall just waiting for an end.
The weight of the world it presses down on me.
I feel my bones begin to crack and break.
The weight of your words they're pressing down on me.
I feel my insides opening.
This year won't be the last one.
(Return this desert to a sea.)
This year wont be the last one.
(Tonight let's disengage)
This year won't be the last one.
(Return this desert to a sea.)
This year won't be the last one.
(Let's disengage)
We're kept sheltered from our own devices, sheltered from the cold.
Doors and windows boarded tight resistant to the world.
Sheltered from our own devices, from the cold.
Soon we'll return this desert to a sea
In Transit's song "Atlas", the lyrics describe a feeling of desperation and unease. The city walls are caving in and the once tall buildings now lay as metal scraps beneath the characters' feet. They feel as though they are caught in a freefall and just waiting for an end. The weight of the world is pressing down on them, causing their bones to crack and break. Additionally, the weight of the character's words are pressing down on them as well, causing their insides to open up.
Amidst the chaos, there is a desire to disengage from their current state. This year won't be the last one, and they are determined to return the desert they find themselves in to a sea. They are kept sheltered from their own devices, resistant to the world. However, the lyrics suggest that they will soon break free from this cycle and return to their natural state.
Overall, the song "Atlas" reflects a sense of anxiety and a longing for change. The characters in the song feel stuck and trapped, unable to fully control their surroundings. However, there is a sense of hope in the lyrics, as they suggest that change is possible and that the characters will eventually find their way back to where they belong.
Line by Line Meaning
City walls are caving in.
The city and its structures are deteriorating and collapsing from every direction.
Once buildings stood so tall.
The buildings that once stood tall and represented hope and progress are now reduced to rubble.
Just metal scraps beneath our feet.
The debris left behind by the destruction of buildings is now all that's left underfoot.
This feeling's unsettling.
The situation at hand is causing distress and uneasiness in the artist.
We're caught in a freefall just waiting for an end.
The artist feels like they are in freefall with the end nowhere in sight.
The weight of the world it presses down on me.
The burden of responsibility and the immense pressure of the world is taking its toll on the singer.
I feel my bones begin to crack and break.
The weight of the world is causing physical and emotional pain and is breaking down the singer from the inside out.
The weight of your words they're pressing down on me.
The words of someone close to the artist are contributing to the already heavy burden they feel.
I feel my insides opening.
The artist's emotional distress is manifesting itself physically, and they feel like they are falling apart from the inside out.
This year won't be the last one. (Return this desert to a sea.)
The artist is hopeful that the barren desert they find themselves in will once again thrive and become lush like the sea it once was.
This year wont be the last one. (Tonight let's disengage)
The singer wants to disengage from the heavy burden they carry and find some sense of peace or escape, even if only for tonight.
This year won't be the last one. (Return this desert to a sea.)
The artist remains optimistic and hopeful that change will come and the world will be restored to its natural state.
This year won't be the last one. (Let's disengage)
The singer reiterates their desire to disengage and find a way to cope with the current state of the world.
We're kept sheltered from our own devices, sheltered from the cold.
As humans, we shield ourselves from our own mistakes and the cold, unfeeling world. We seek comfort and protection from the harshness of reality.
Doors and windows boarded tight resistant to the world.
We reinforce the barriers we create to keep the outside world from affecting us. We resist change and cling to familiarity to maintain a sense of security.
Sheltered from our own devices, from the cold.
We protect ourselves from the consequences of our own actions and insulate ourselves from the harshness of the world around us.
Soon we'll return this desert to a sea.
The artist remains optimistic that change will come, and the barren desert will once again thrive like the sea it once was.
Contributed by Michael L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.