Discography :
- East River Park (1989)
- Point of Memory (1990)
- I Used to Be Kid Colgate (1991)
- Shining Hours in a Can (1994)
- Poor Fricky (1995)
- Mel (1996)
- The Gasoline Age (1999)
- Garbageheads on Endless Stun (2003)
- What Are You On? (2006)
- We Live In Rented Rooms (2011)
My Life Is Wrong
East River Pipe Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But this is all there is
The power to forgive
Is all that we can hope for now
You were a meteor
You were a dinosaur
You were the two by four
Let me wake up right
Let me wake up right
'cause i know my life is wrong
I know my life is wrong
You told me so
Daddy, daddy please don't go
The opening lines of the song "My Life Is Wrong" by East River Pipe paint a picture of despair and hopelessness. The singer insists that they have tried their best to live but this is all there is - they are resigned to their fate. The line "the power to forgive is all that we can hope for now" suggests that the singer has perhaps been wronged in some way and forgiveness is the only solution to their current state of emotional turmoil.
The following lines seem to address a particular person who has had a great impact on the singer's life: "You were a meteor / You were a dinosaur / You were the two by four / That cracked me in my head last night". This person is described as both powerful and destructive, with the metaphorical imagery of a meteor and a dinosaur. The line about being hit in the head with a two by four is a literal representation of the pain inflicted by this person.
The song moves towards a plea for redemption as the singer repeats the lines "let me wake up right" and "I know my life is wrong" as if admitting their mistakes and asking for a chance to start over. The final line of "daddy, daddy please don't go" is a raw emotional cry that adds to the weight of the song's overall tone.
Line by Line Meaning
God knows i've tried to live
I have put effort into living my life, as much as I could.
But this is all there is
Despite my attempts, my life currently feels unfulfilling and empty.
The power to forgive
The act of forgiving someone, or being forgiven, is the only thing that can bring hope and positivity now.
Is all that we can hope for now
There is not much else to hold onto for hope or positivity except forgiveness.
You were a meteor
You were a force in my life that seemed exciting and overwhelming, like a meteor hurtling through space.
You were a dinosaur
You were ancient and powerful, like a dinosaur from long ago.
You were the two by four
You were the physical object that caused harm or damage to me, much like a two by four piece of wood.
That cracked me in my head last night
You caused me physical harm that I am still suffering from.
Let me wake up right
I hope to wake up with a clear mind and start anew without the baggage of my past.
Let me wake up right
I hope to wake up with a clear mind and start anew without the baggage of my past.
'cause i know my life is wrong
I am fully aware that my current living situation is not satisfying or fulfilling.
I know my life is wrong
I am acknowledging and accepting the fact that my life is not going the way I want it to.
You told me so
You made me realize that my life is not going in the right direction, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
Daddy, daddy please don't go
I am pleading and begging for someone I care about not to leave or abandon me.
Contributed by Maria V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.