"It was a July morning, I woke up and realized I had dreamt about killing someone so many different ways in just one nights worth of dreams. I told my tour manager about it, he laughed because he probably had the same dream about the same person. This songs lists a few of the ways.
Ryan Clark originally screamed as a placeholder, we ended up liking it, so it stayed on the record. In retrospect I wish it wasn’t there only because a genre of screaming and singing combined suddenly became a thing and for a second people lumped us in that category. We did not want to shed our ‘Christian Emo Indie Warped Tour Alternative Radio Rock’ label that we had worked so hard to achieve."
- Stephen Christian
Never Take Friendship Personal
Anberlin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I awoke there was nothing real in this life
But dreams are so intoxicating, (intoxicating)
When you're doing this alone
Gun, rope, brick on the way
But words have no meaning when its you that says
I really do care, no baby I, I really do care!
If you can't hold yourself together
Why should I hold you now?
In a sense gone, never take friendship personal
If you can't hold yourself together
Why should I hold you now?
Once a skeptic, now the critic
And you think that you finally found a place of your own.
Amongst the cold and timid souls
Where only failure knows your name
Look around for the closest to blame
But look no further than the hands beneath your arms
and now your 6 feet down, buried with, with your passing fame
And fame fame fame fame.
Innocence gone, never take friendship personal
If you can't hold yourself together
Why should I hold you now?
In a sense gone, never take friendship personal
If you can't hold yourself together
Why should I hold you now?
Oh oh oh you lie
Tell me something more than what you've tried to hide
If you can't find your self, then how can I expect to find you.
Oh oh oh you cry
Tell me something more than what you tried
The greatest tragedy is not your death
But a life without reason, that your life had no purpose
(Life has no purpose!)
Innocence gone, never take friendship personal
If you can't hold yourself together
Why should I hold you now?
In a sense gone, never take friendship personal
If you can't hold yourself together
Why should I hold you now?
Innocence gone, never take friendship personal
If you can't hold yourself together
Why should I hold you now?
The lyrics to Anberlin's song "Never Take Friendship Personal" convey a message about the importance of self-reliance and personal accountability in relationships. The first verse describes a feeling of disorientation and detachment from reality when alone with one's thoughts. The second verse introduces the idea of taking responsibility for oneself and not blaming others for one's problems. The chorus emphasizes the need for individuals to be able to hold themselves together before expecting others to do so, and suggests that failure to do so can result in loss of innocence and friendship. The bridge speaks to the common human desire for purpose and the realization that living a life without one is a greater tragedy than death itself.
One of the interesting facts about this song is that it was the first single released from Anberlin's second album of the same name in 2005. It received significant airplay and helped to cement the band's reputation as a rising force in the alternative rock scene. Another interesting fact is that the song's title was derived from a phrase that lead vocalist Stephen Christian would use to defend his personal space when being mobbed by fans, demonstrating the importance of delineating boundaries in relationships. The song's music video was also well-received and featured the band performing in a surreal, dream-like environment.
Line by Line Meaning
There's a hatchet got a knife
Danger is present and a potential threat is looming
When I awoke there was nothing real in this life
Realization that life lacks substance and meaning
But dreams are so intoxicating, (intoxicating)
Despite the emptiness, dreams are still alluring
When you're doing this alone
Loneliness amplifies the feeling of emptiness
Gun, rope, brick on the way
Ideas of self-harm or suicide are present
But words have no meaning when its you that says
Promises and reassurances lose their value when made by oneself
I really do care, no baby I, I really do care!
Reassurances are made, but they may not be genuine
Innocence gone, never take friendship personal
A loss of innocence has occured, and one should not overly invest in friendships
If you can't hold yourself together
If one cannot manage their own life, how can they expect others to hold them up?
Why should I hold you now?
Questioning the value of supporting someone who cannot support themselves
Once a skeptic, now the critic
A former doubter is now a pessimistic critic
And you think that you finally found a place of your own.
The belief that one has found their place in life
Amongst the cold and timid souls
Belonging to a group of unsatisfied and weak people
Where only failure knows your name
Being known only for one's shortcomings and failures
Look around for the closest to blame
Searching for someone to blame for one's own failures
But look no further than the hands beneath your arms
Ultimately, one is responsible for their own actions, not others
and now your 6 feet down, buried with, with your passing fame
In death, one is remembered only for the temporary successes they achieved in life
Oh oh oh you lie
Accusation that someone is lying or hiding the truth
Tell me something more than what you've tried to hide
Demand for transparency and honesty
If you can't find your self, then how can I expect to find you.
One must possess self-awareness before others can truly understand them
Oh oh oh you cry
Observation that someone is upset or emotional
Tell me something more than what you tried
Demand for deeper emotions and true feelings
The greatest tragedy is not your death
Death is not the ultimate tragedy in life
But a life without reason, that your life had no purpose
Living a life that lacks purpose is a greater tragedy than death
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid, Capitol CMG Publishing
Written by: DEON REXROAT (16581), JOSEPH MILLIGAN (16580), NATHAN YOUNG (16578), STEVEN ARNOLD (16579)
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind