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The Way We Get By
Spoon Lyrics


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We get high in back seats of cars
We break into mobile homes
We go to sleep to shake appeal
Never wake up on our own

And that's the way we get by
The way we get by
Oh, that's the way we get by
The way we get by

We go out in stormy weather
We rarely practice discern
We make love to some weird sin
We seek out the taciturn

And that's the way we get by
The way we get by
Oh, that's the way we get by
The way we get by

Well, that's the way we get by
The way we get by
The way
Well, that's the way we get by
That's the way we get by

We found a new kind of dance in a magazine
Tried it out, it's like nothing you ever seen
You sweet talk like a cop and you know it
You bought a new bag of pot, said, "let's make a new start"

And that's the way to my heart
The way to my heart

That's the way we get by
The way we get by
Well, that's the way we get by
The way we get by
The way

Well, that's the way we get by
That's the way we get by

We get high in back seats of cars
We put faith in our concerns
Fall in love to down on the street
We believe in the sum of ourselves

I said, that's the way we get by
The way we get by
Oh, that's the way we get by
The way we get by

Well, that's the way we get by
The way we get by
The way
That's the way we get by
That's the way we get by

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Spoon's song The Way We Get By reflect on the reckless and impulsive behavior of the youth. The song describes a generation that indulges in drugs, break-ins, and an attitude to live life on the edge. The opening lines, "We get high in back seats of cars, We break into mobile homes" suggests that the youth goes to extreme measures to seek pleasure and excitement, often through illegal ways. They have become so accustomed to this lifestyle that they don't even wake up on their own anymore.


The song also talks about seeking out the "taciturn," meaning people who are reserved and uncommunicative. This could be interpreted as a way to avoid facing one's own reality and problems, seeking solace in the unfamiliar. Furthermore, the lines "We found a new kind of dance in a magazine, Tried it out, it's like nothing you ever seen," implies that the youth is always looking for something new to try out, to maintain the novelty and thrill in their lives.


Overall, the lyrics suggest that the youth of the generation is lost and directionless, using risky behavior to seek excitement and hope for a better life.


Line by Line Meaning

We get high in back seats of cars
We escape reality by using substances in secluded areas


We break into mobile homes
We disregard other people's property and invade their privacy


We go to sleep to shake appeal
We distract ourselves from reality to avoid dealing with our problems


Never wake up on our own
We rely on external factors or other people to wake us up to reality


And that's the way we get by
This is our coping mechanism, our way of getting through life


We go out in stormy weather
We take risks and put ourselves in dangerous situations


We rarely practice discern
We don't use good judgement or think things through


We make love to some weird sin
We engage in taboo or unconventional behavior


We seek out the taciturn
We pursue the mysterious or quiet individuals


Well, that's the way we get by
We continue to behave in this manner, it's become a part of who we are


We found a new kind of dance in a magazine
We discover and try new things in order to escape reality


Tried it out, it's like nothing you ever seen
The experience is exciting and different, beyond our normal experiences


You sweet talk like a cop and you know it
We are manipulative and know how to work the system


You bought a new bag of pot, said, "let's make a new start"
We believe that using drugs will allow us to start fresh and forget our problems


And that's the way to my heart
This is what I am attracted to, this is what makes me feel alive


We put faith in our concerns
We focus on our own problems and worries instead of the bigger picture


Fall in love to down on the street
We are attracted to people who may not be good for us or come from difficult backgrounds


We believe in the sum of ourselves
We only trust and rely on our own abilities and outlook on life


I said, that's the way we get by
I'm repeating that this is our way of dealing with life




Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Britt Daniel

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Comments from YouTube:

@KittyMike32202

"Guess that’s it Not much left to say really Except time’s precious. Don’t fucking waste it. Have a good time. I sure as hell did" --Frank Gallagher

@kristencallahan5567

I love that show.

@leohastings1739

Well said

@sayhiloser9069

Grandpa frank

@mrsfahrenheit

fantastic finale for a fantastic show

@MrBudz420

had to shed a tear when he was flying and grabbed his beer

10 More Replies...

@duanethompson3726

this song was on shamelesses first episode and the fact they sing this on the last episode makes it special

@265ramram

Générique de fin 😂😂😂 j'avais oublié

@katelynlajune9907

I didn’t realize it was in the first episode !

@378meeka

So epic

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