Daughtry are an American rock band formed and fronted by namesake Chris Dau… Read Full Bio ↴Daughtry are an American rock band formed and fronted by namesake Chris Daughtry, who was a finalist on the fifth season of American Idol. Their self-titled debut album was released in November 2006 and reached number one on the Billboard 200. The album went on to sell more than four million copies in the United States, and has been certified quadruple platinum by the RIAA. Daughtry was also named the best selling album of 2007 by Billboard, becoming the fastest-selling debut rock album in Soundscan history. The album produced four top 20 hits on the Billboard Hot 100, including top five hits "It's Not Over" and "Home".

All These Lives
Daughtry Lyrics

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Doesn't come down when she calls
"It's time for breakfast."
Mama can't get down those halls
Fast enough to see
Glass is sprayed across the floor
From the broken window
She can't breathe anymore
Can't deny what we know

They're gonna find you, just believe
You're not a person; you're a disease

All these lives that you've been taking
Deep inside, my heart is breaking
Broken homes from separation
Don't you know it's violation?
It's so wrong, but you'll see
Never gonna let you take my world from me
The world outside these walls may know you're breathing
But you ain't comin' in

(But you ain't comin' in)

Posters hung on building walls
Of missing faces
Months go by without the calls
The clues, or traces

They're gonna find you, just believe
You're not a person; you're a disease

All these lives that you've been taking
Deep inside, my heart is breaking
Broken homes from separation

Don't you know it's violation?
It's so wrong, but you'll see
Never gonna let you take my world from me
The world outside these walls may know you're breathing
But you ain't comin' in

Shed the light on all the ones who never thought they would become
A father, mother, asking why this world can be so cold

Doesn't come down when she calls
"It's time for breakfast."
The memories begin to fall
She asks, "When will I be free?"

All these lives that you've been taking
Deep inside, my heart is breaking
Broken homes from separation
Don't you know it's violation?
It's so wrong, but you'll see
Never gonna let you take my world from me
The world outside these walls may know you're breathing
But you ain't comin' in

All these lives that you've been taking
Deep inside, my heart is breaking
All these lives that you've been taking
Deep inside, my heart is breaking
All these lives that you've been taking
Deep inside, my heart is breaking
The world outside these walls may know you're breathing
The world outside these walls may know you're breathing
But you ain't comin' in

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Daughtry's song All These Lives tell a story of a child who has been taken away from their home and separated from their family. The first verse describes the mother's desperate attempt to reach her child, only to find broken glass and an inability to breathe. The chorus implies that the child has taken the lives of others, and that they are a disease not a person. The second verse shows the ongoing impact of the child's disappearance on the family, with missing posters and unanswered calls. The bridge emphasizes the pain caused by the separation and the coldness of the world, and the final verse reveals the child's longing for freedom. The chorus repeats multiple times, conveying the heartbreak caused by the loss of lives and homes.

Line by Line Meaning

Doesn't come down when she calls
The person being referred to does not come when someone calls for them.

"It's time for breakfast."
Someone is calling out that it is time to have breakfast.

Mama can't get down those halls
The mother is unable to move quickly through the halls.

Fast enough to see
The mother is not able to move quickly enough to see something happening.

Glass is sprayed across the floor
Glass is shattered and scattered across the floor.

From the broken window
The glass was likely broken from the window.

She can't breathe anymore
The situation has become overwhelming and difficult to handle.

Can't deny what we know
There is no way to deny what has happened or been done.

They're gonna find you, just believe
The perpetrator will be caught eventually- there is no escape.

You're not a person; you're a disease
The perpetrator is seen as a destructive force and not as a person.

All these lives that you've been taking
The perpetrator has taken many lives in some capacity.

Deep inside, my heart is breaking
The artist is deeply upset about the situation.

Broken homes from separation
Families have been torn apart as a result of the perpetrator's actions.

Don't you know it's violation?
The perpetrator's actions are a violation of basic human decency.

It's so wrong, but you'll see
The perpetrator will see the error of their ways eventually.

Never gonna let you take my world from me
The artist is determined not to let the situation take over their life and/or world.

The world outside these walls may know you're breathing
Others may know that the perpetrator is still alive and present, but the artist is not going to let them in.

But you ain't comin' in
The singer is not letting the perpetrator into their life and/or world.

Posters hung on building walls
Missing person posters have been put up on buildings.

Of missing faces
The posters are of people who have gone missing.

Months go by without the calls
Nobody has called with information on the missing people for months.

The clues, or traces
Any clues or evidence has been scarce or nonexistent.

Shed the light on all the ones who never thought they would become
The spotlight is being put on those who never thought they would be in this situation.

A father, mother, asking why this world can be so cold
Parents are wondering how such cruel things can happen in the world.

The memories begin to fall
Memories of past events or people start to resurface.

She asks, "When will I be free?"
The singer is wondering when they will be free from the situation and its effects.