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Breathe
Pink Floyd Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Breathe, breathe in the air
Don't be afraid to care
Leave, but don't leave me
Look around, choose your own ground

Long you live and high you fly
Smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
And all you touch and all you see
Is all your life will ever be

Run, rabbit, run
Dig that hole, forget the sun
When, at last, the work is done
Don't sit down, it's time to dig another one

Long you live and high you fly
But only if you ride the tide
Balanced on the biggest wave
You race towards an early grave

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Pink Floyd's "Breathe" are all about living life to the fullest, taking risks, and not being afraid to care about the world around you. The opening lines, "Breathe, breathe in the air / Don't be afraid to care" encourage the listener to take a deep breath and not shy away from experiencing life. The second line, "Leave, but don't leave me / Look around, choose your own ground" speaks to the importance of individuality and finding your own path.


The chorus repeats the message of the verses: "Long you live and high you fly / Smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry / And all you touch and all you see / Is all your life will ever be". These lines remind the listener that what they do and experience in life will shape the course of their existence. The phrase "all you touch and all you see" highlights the importance of being present and fully engaged in the world around us.


The final verse takes a darker turn with the lines "Run, rabbit, run / Dig that hole, forget the sun / When, at last, the work is done / Don't sit down, it's time to dig another one". These lines speak to the idea of the rat race, and the endless cycle of work and consumption that can consume our lives. The repetition of "dig that hole" emphasizes the futility of this way of living, and the phrase "forget the sun" suggests that the rat race can keep us from truly experiencing the beauty of the world around us.


All in all, Pink Floyd's "Breathe" offers a powerful message about the importance of living life to the fullest, being present, and not getting caught up in society's demands.


Line by Line Meaning

Breathe, breathe in the air
Take a deep breath and relax. Take in the world around you.


Don't be afraid to care
Don't be afraid to have genuine feelings and emotions for those around you.


Leave, but don't leave me
Go out and explore the world, but don't forget about me.


Look around, choose your own ground
Take a look at your surroundings and make your own path in life. Find what works for you.


Long you live and high you fly
You have a lot of time to live, so make the most of it. Spread your wings and soar.


Smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
Life is full of ups and downs; you'll experience happiness and sadness, but it's all part of the journey.


And all you touch and all you see
Everything you come into contact with and every experience you have shapes your life.


Is all your life will ever be
Everything you do and experience creates your life story.


Run, rabbit, run
Life can feel like a race, with everyone rushing to get ahead.


Dig that hole, forget the sun
Work hard and lose track of time. Focus on what's in front of you, not what's happening outside.


When, at last, the work is done
After all your hard work, you'll eventually reach a point where you can stop and take a break.


Don't sit down, it's time to dig another one
Don't become complacent; keep moving forward and taking on new challenges.


But only if you ride the tide
You'll only be successful if you're willing to go with the flow and embrace change.


Balanced on the biggest wave
Embrace the power of change and ride the coming waves to success.


You race towards an early grave
Life is short, so make the most of it while you can.




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: David Jon Gilmour, George Roger Waters, Richard William Wright

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@eduardowood8502

Lyrics:

Breathe, breathe in the air
Don't be afraid to care
Leave, but don't leave me
Look around, choose your own ground

Long you live and high you fly
Smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
And all you touch and all you see
Is all your life will ever be

Run, rabbit, run
Dig that hole, forget the sun
When, at last, the work is done
Don't sit down, it's time to dig another one

Long you live and high you fly
But only if you ride the tide
Balanced on the biggest wave
You race towards an early grave



@Christersom1

Breathe, breathe in the air
Don't be afraid to care
Leave, but don't leave me
Look around, choose your own ground
Long you live and high you fly
Smiles you'll give and tears you'll cry
And all you touch and all you see
Is all your life will ever be
Run, rabbit, run
Dig that hole, forget the sun
When, at last, the work is done
Don't sit down, it's time to dig another one
Long you live and high you fly
But only if you ride the tide
Balanced on the biggest wave
You race towards an early grave



@marieblue

“Breathe” (1973) is about an older man speaking to a baby, telling him/her to breathe. He then describes the misfortunate working life awaiting the baby : “Run, rabbit, run / Dig that hole, forget the sun.”

The song implies that we need to overcome those negative messages and do whatever inspires us.

The whispers that can be heard throughout the LP “The Dark Side of the Moon” (1973) refer to Syd Barrett’s* madness.

Many listeners believe the album acts as a soundtrack to “The Wizard of Oz” (1939). When they are synchronized, the line, “Balanced on the biggest wave” plays when Dorothy nearly loses her balance while walking along a fence. LIKELY A MATTER OF COINCIDENCE❕ 💞🎶💞

* Robert Keith “Syd” Barrett (1946 - 2006) was a co-founder of Pink Floyd in 1965. Through late 1967 and early 1968, he became increasingly erratic, partly as a consequence of his heavy use of psychedelic drugs. Although the changes began gradually, he went missing for a long weekend and came back “a completely different person,” according to several friends of his.



All comments from YouTube:

@skade747

SpongeBob's voice screaming while burning in hell is music to my ears

@Jacquelineftw

Agreed

@user-rf3si6vb5h

you are soooooooooo right

@rockjeker5685

After 50 years, many people still love this album and others are still discovering it. In 150 years, it will be the same because bands like Pink Floyd are the classical music of the 20th century.

@yvesbourbonniere2434

A musical masterpiece.

@rogershore3128

@@yvesbourbonniere2434 yep, up there with Sgt Peppers......

@yvesbourbonniere2434

And Abbey Road.

@ourlakehouse116

No one before, no one after, so good, it’s hard to believe this much time has passed, try to enjoy as much as you can in this life, the Floyd are the ticket

@michellelanden3017

Remember this like yesterday 🎉 time flies 🙏

28 More Replies...

@namira87

Pink Floyd were my father's favorite band. He died 4 months ago (01/26/2023). I try not to think about it but when I think about him i come to YouTube and listen to them, even if it means to cry rivers.... I will never listen to them without a tear in my eye.

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