Hailing from Athens, Georgia, Elf Power are a band of the Elephant 6 collec… Read Full Bio ↴Hailing from Athens, Georgia, Elf Power are a band of the Elephant 6 collective. Their sound lies somewhere in between that of the upbeat pop rock of the Apples in Stereo, and the lo-fi tendencies of Neutral Milk Hotel or The Olivia Tremor Control. Formed in 1993, Elf Power released their debut LP "Vainly Clutching at Phantom Limbs" in 1995. Since then, they have released nine more LP's. The band members are Andrew Rieger (guitarist/vocalist), Laura Carter (keyboardist), Jimmy Hughes (guitarist), Derek Almstead (bassist), Eric Harris, Heather McIntosh (cellist), and Josh Lott (drummer).

Upside Down
Elf Power Lyrics

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At night I run around
Can't hear a single sound
And when I touch the ground
I heard the ringin' sound
O ooo ooo
I heard the ringin' sound
Just when I touch the ground
O ooo ooo

Inside I'm upside Down

The river's so much clearer
So much closer
Can't you see?
Yes it makes you feel so good
It makes you never watch what you can't see

And when you feel there's no one else
You're all alone and by yourself
Your life is like a sinking ship
It really doesn't matter to me
Doesn't matter to me
Only you can see

Oh no I feel so bad
Somehow I feel so sad
Feels like I'm goin' down
Best friend I've ever had
O ooo ooo
Feels like I'm goin' down
Best friend I've ever had
O ooo ooo
Inside I'm upside down

The river's so much clearer
So much closer
Can't you see?
Yes, it makes you feel so good
It makes you never watch what you can't see

And when you feel there's no one else
You're all alone and by yourself
Your life is like a sinking ship
It really doesn't matter to me
Doesn't matter to me
Only you can see
Only you can see
Only you can see

Only you can see
Only you can see
Only you can see
Only you can see
Only you can see
Only you can see
Only you can see
Only you can see

Only you can see
Only you can see

Overall Meaning

The opening lines of the song indicate that the singer is running around at night, feeling disoriented, and unable to hear any sound. But when they touch the ground, they hear a "rining" sound. The idea of being upside-down is also introduced here. The singer says that inside, they are upside down. This can be interpreted as a feeling of being lost, or overwhelmed by various emotions.

The second verse brings in the metaphor of a river, which is much closer and clearer. The river acts as a symbol for something that is near and tangible, as opposed to the confusing and disorienting feeling that the singer is experiencing. The river is also associated with feeling good, and not being aware of things that are not visible, again invoking the idea of being upside-down. The third verse talks about feeling sad and going down, but also mentions the best friend the singer ever had, which could be a reference to the river, or possibly another person who is able to bring the singer out of their disoriented state.

Overall, the song seems to be about feeling lost, disoriented, and possibly depressed, but also finding solace in something tangible and nearby, such as a river. The idea of being upside-down is used throughout as a metaphor for this feeling of being lost, and the lyrics suggest that only the singer can truly understand or see what is happening to them.

Line by Line Meaning

At night I run around
I am restless and cannot sleep, so I wander aimlessly at night.

Can't hear a single sound
The world around me is quiet and still.

And when I touch the ground
When I finally stop moving and come back to reality.

I heard the ringin' sound
I hear the sound of the silence and stillness around me.

Just when I touch the ground
Only when I rest am I able to process my thoughts and feelings.

Inside I'm upside Down
I feel overwhelmed and upside-down in my emotions.

The river's so much clearer
Nature is clearer and more peaceful than the chaos of everyday life.

So much closer
It is easier to connect with nature than with people.

Can't you see?
Don't you understand the peacefulness and beauty in nature?

Yes it makes you feel so good
Being in nature can bring a sense of calm and contentment.

It makes you never watch what you can't see
Nature is so captivating that it becomes easy to overlook the problems of the world.

And when you feel there's no one else
During times of loneliness and despair.

You're all alone and by yourself
Feeling disconnected and isolated from the world and others.

Your life is like a sinking ship
Feeling like life is falling apart and there is no hope.

It really doesn't matter to me
The outside world does not understand or care about this pain and struggle.

Only you can see
The only one who truly understands this is the one who is experiencing it.

Oh no I feel so bad
The feeling of sadness and helplessness.

Somehow I feel so sad
The melancholy feeling is overwhelming and hard to shake.

Feels like I'm goin' down
The weight of these negative emotions feels like drowning.

Best friend I've ever had
The artist turns to their own pain and despair as their closest companion.

Inside I'm upside down
The chaos of their inner world is difficult to process and manage.

Only you can see
The pain and struggle is uniquely felt and understood by the individual.

Only you can see
The struggles and pain are so personal that nobody else can fully grasp them.

Only you can see
The good and bad experiences of life are completely individualized.

Only you can see
Nobody else can truly know the thoughts and emotions of another person.

Only you can see
The control and understanding of one's emotions is a self-controlled, personal experience.

Only you can see
The journey to emotional healing and growth is completely individualized.

Only you can see
The true source and solution to one's emotions lies within themselves, not in the opinion or advice of others.

Only you can see
The power to change one's emotional state is a personal responsibility.

Only you can see
The journey to emotional well-being is a personal journey, and nobody else has the ability to navigate it on behalf of the individual.

Lyrics © DOMINO PUBLISHING COMPANY
Written by: Billy Reid, William Adam Reid

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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