Life
Birds of Wales Lyrics
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Well you read the books your father gave you,
Ate the food your mother made you,
And left us all behind.
Now growing up is always tough,
Cause no one seems to know enough,
Like whether or not you are fine.
Once upon a time they told you,
Everything in life will hold you
Up to the burning flame.
The arguments of lonely men,
With topics like estrogen,
Never far behind.
Chorus:
I'm going to breathe in for myself,
Oxygen for my health,
Topic of grandeur,
And a lonely lonesome lullaby.
I'm going to breathe in for myself,
Oxygen for my health,
Topic of grandeur,
And a lonely lonesome lullaby.
Verse 2:
Well you gave it up to please yourself,
Morals left right at the door,
Saw it as a means to an end.
Relying on the bathroom floor,
A picture frame, a fight for more,
It's not easy to break free.
Chorus:
I'm going to breathe in for myself,
Oxygen for my health,
Topic of grandeur,
And a lonely lonesome lullaby.
I'm going to breathe in for myself,
Oxygen for my health,
Topic of grandeur,
And a lonely lonesome lullaby.
The opening lines of Birds of Wales's song "Life" delve into the experiences of an individual who has crossed the threshold to adulthood. The singer laments that despite reading the books given to them by their father and consuming the food prepared by their mother, they are now leaving everything and everyone behind. Growing up is fraught with complexities, and the singer expresses their uncertainty about whether they are okay or not. The line, "Once upon a time they told you, everything in life will hold you up to the burning flame," hints at the singer's disillusionment with the advice they have previously received.
The second verse sees the singer reflecting on moral choices that they made, likely as a result of prioritizing their own interests over what was expected of them. The line, "saw it as a means to an end," suggests that they engaged in these activities for a higher purpose, but ultimately found themselves relying on vices like drinking on the bathroom floor to cope with life. The final line of the verse, "It's not easy to break free," highlights the singer's realization that making significant changes towards a better life is easier said than done.
The chorus offers a sense of hope in the midst of this confusion and uncertainty. The phrase "I'm going to breathe in for myself" suggests a newfound sense of agency, where the singer is committed to looking after their own needs and wellbeing. The phrase "a lonely lonesome lullaby" emphasizes the isolation that comes with making these choices and embarking on a new phase of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Well you read the books your father gave you,
You followed the advice of your father and read the books he gave you.
Ate the food your mother made you,
You nourished yourself with the meals your mother prepared for you.
And left us all behind.
You left everyone else behind to pursue your own goals.
Now growing up is always tough,
It's difficult to navigate through life as you grow older.
Cause no one seems to know enough,
People never seem to know everything they need to in order to succeed in life.
Like whether or not you are fine.
It's hard to know if you're doing okay or not.
Once upon a time they told you,
At one point in time, people advised you that:
Everything in life will hold you
Every experience in life is important and will impact you.
Up to the burning flame.
Even if it's painful, every experience will shape who you are.
The arguments of lonely men,
The opinions of isolated individuals,
With topics like estrogen,
Can be unexpected and unrelated,
Never far behind.
But are always present in life.
I'm going to breathe in for myself,
I am going to focus on my own well-being.
Oxygen for my health,
I will prioritize my physical health and survival.
Topic of grandeur,
I will think about things that are larger than life and aspire to greatness.
And a lonely lonesome lullaby.
But at the same time, I acknowledge the melancholy side of my existence.
Well you gave it up to please yourself,
You sacrificed moral values to satisfy your own desires.
Morals left right at the door,
You completely disregarded your principles.
Saw it as a means to an end.
You viewed your actions only as a way to reach a certain goal.
Relying on the bathroom floor,
You were left with no one but yourself to depend on for support.
A picture frame, a fight for more,
You clung onto an image of how you wanted your life to be, but always wanted more.
It's not easy to break free.
It's difficult to make a change and free yourself from negative patterns.
Contributed by Kylie P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.