Don't Look Down
Divine Comedy Lyrics


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"Birds and planes go
Through the rainbow
Every day though
You simply refuse
Old-fashioned Ferris Wheels
Are no big deal
They're just big wheels with chairs
So don't be scared
Just set yourself free"

She tells me it's alright
To open up my eyes
She holds onto my hand
And the clouds float by
The couple in the car below
They wave to us and say hello
I think they understand
The way we're feeling

I don't need to say 'I love you'
When we're floating
So far up above
Everyone else's lives
Are intertwined
With yours and mine
I hope
They find the joy
That we have found

She tells me it's alright
To open up my eyes
She holds onto my hand
And the clouds race by
The couple in the car above
I suppose they think
That we're in love
I think they might be right

And without warning when we're almost at the top
The wheel that turns us all comes to a sudden stop.
The wind that's blown us dies a quick and painless death
The air gets clammy and we hold each other's breath
We get the feeling that we're not alone in this
And then a God who really ought not to exist
Sticks out a great big hand
And grabs me by the wrist
And asks me "why?" and I say
"Well God, it's like this
It may be arrogance
Or just appalling taste
But I'd rather use my pain than let it all go to waste
On some old god who tells me what I want to hear
As if I cannot tell obedience from fear
I want to take my pleasures where and how I will,
Be they disgraceful or distasteful or distilled
And to be frank I find that life has more appeal
Without a driver who's asleep behind the wheel"

Then God decides that he has taken quite enough
Of all this atheistic tosh I'm spouting off
And so he calls upon his favorite angel choir
To sing of times when men were filled with christian fire
But over-zealous angels flap their wings too fast
And cause the wind to blow and turn the wheel at last
And soon my feet are safely back on solid ground




And then I hear a voice say
"Don't look down!".

Overall Meaning

The Divine Comedy's song Don't Look Down is a poetic description of a couple's experience on a Ferris wheel ride. The song creates a vivid image of the view from the top of the Ferris wheel, where the couple is floating above everyone else's normal lives. The lyricist suggests that the couple's love is so high up and wonderful that they have an elevated and special view of life.


Suddenly, the wheel stops, and they feel the weight of the world pull them back down to earth. It is at this point that a character named "God" appears and questions the singer's views on life. After some discussion, the singer ultimately decides to live life to the fullest and to enjoy all pleasures, even if they are distasteful or disgraceful.


The song's underlying message is that life is a fleeting and precious thing that should be enjoyed. Its lyrics inspire listeners to hold onto their own pleasures and also be respectful of others as they go through life. Overall, the song encourages people to live life to the fullest, no matter how dangerous it may seem.


Line by Line Meaning

Birds and planes go
Every day, even birds and planes travel high up in the sky


Through the rainbow
They pass through the beautiful arc of colors formed by sunlight and water droplets


Every day though
This is a common occurrence


You simply refuse
But you are afraid of heights and unwilling to experience it


Old-fashioned Ferris Wheels
These large wheels with chairs are an old, simple technology


Are no big deal
There is nothing scary about Ferris wheels


They're just big wheels with chairs
They are only comprised of large spinning wheels and lines of chairs


So don't be scared
You have nothing to fear from them


Just set yourself free
Let go of your fear and enjoy the experience


She tells me it's alright
The artist is reassured by the other person


To open up my eyes
To expand one's perspective


She holds onto my hand
The other person is a source of comfort


And the clouds float by
There is calmness and beauty around them as they move high above the ground


The couple in the car below
People on the ground wave up to them


They wave to us and say hello
They acknowledge and greet those who are high up in the air


I think they understand
The artist believes that those on the ground know how it feels to be high up


The way we're feeling
The intense emotions they are experiencing due to the unique situation


I don't need to say 'I love you'
There is no need to verbally express love


When we're floating
When we're up in the air together


So far up above
High up in the sky


Everyone else's lives
The lives of other people


Are intertwined
Connected and reliant on each other in some way


With yours and mine
As if their lives are dependent on each other's existence


I hope
The artist desires for something to happen


They find the joy
Other people may hopefully find the happiness that the singer is feeling


That we have found
The happiness and freedom that the singer is experiencing while up in the sky


And without warning when we're almost at the top
Just as they are reaching the highest point in the wheel's arc,


The wheel that turns us all comes to a sudden stop.
The movement of the Ferris wheel halts abruptly


The wind that's blown us dies a quick and painless death
The sudden stop causes the wind to settle down


The air gets clammy and we hold each other's breath
The atmosphere becomes more tense and they become more nervous


We get the feeling that we're not alone in this
They sense that something is not as it seems


And then a God who really ought not to exist
A divine being appears out of nowhere


Sticks out a great big hand
This deity extends their hand towards the artist


And grabs me by the wrist
The deity takes hold of the artist's wrist


And asks me "why?" and I say
God seeks an explanation from the singer


"Well God, it's like this
The artist addresses God


It may be arrogance
The singer acknowledges that their response may come off as conceited


Or just appalling taste
Or unfathomably poor judgment


But I'd rather use my pain than let it all go to waste
The singer would rather endure hardships than live without meaning


On some old god who tells me what I want to hear
The artist refuses to follow a deity who only says what they want to hear


As if I cannot tell obedience from fear
The artist is not gullible enough to confuse compliance with fear


I want to take my pleasures where and how I will,
The singer desires to take pleasure in life as they see fit


Be they disgraceful or distasteful or distilled
Regardless of how society may perceive them, the singer wants to experience things that bring them joy


And to be frank I find that life has more appeal
The artist believes that life is more satisfying when there is freedom of choice and individuality


Without a driver who's asleep behind the wheel"
The artist prefers to live life without a divine entity controlling their actions


Then God decides that he has taken quite enough
God is fed up with the artist's defiance


Of all this atheistic tosh I'm spouting off
God is annoyed by the singer's disbelief


And so he calls upon his favorite angel choir
God calls upon a choir of angels


To sing of times when men were filled with christian fire
The angels hymn is about a time when people were passionate about Christianity


But over-zealous angels flap their wings too fast
The angels get too carried away singing that they start to cause a strong wind


And cause the wind to blow and turn the wheel at last
Their wings create enough wind to move the Ferris wheel again


And soon my feet are safely back on solid ground
The Ferris wheel returns to the ground and the artist's feet are safely planted back on earth


And then I hear a voice say
The artist hears a final warning


"Don't look down!".
Reminding the singer to not be distracted and focus on their surroundings




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: NEIL HANNON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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