Don't Give Up
Gabriel & Bush Lyrics
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We were wanted all along
I was taught to fight, taught to win
I never thought I could fail
No fight left or so it seems
I am a man whose dreams have all deserted
I've changed my face, I've changed my name
Don't give up
'Cause you have friends
Don't give up
You're not beaten yet
Don't give up
I know you can make it good
Though I saw it all around
Never thought I could be affected
Thought that we'd be last to go
It is so strange the way things turn
Drove the night toward my home
The place that I was born, on the lakeside
As daylight broke, I saw the earth
The trees had burned down to the ground
Don't give up
You still have us
Don't give up
We don't need much of anything
Don't give up
'Cause somewhere there's a place
Where we belong
Rest your head
You worry too much
It's going to be alright
When times get rough
You can fall back on us
Don't give up
Please don't give up
Got to walk out of here
I can't take anymore
Gonna stand on that bridge
Keep my eyes down below
Whatever may come
And whatever may go
That river's flowing
That river's flowing
Moved on to another town
Tried hard to settle down
For every job, so many men
So many men no-one needs
Don't give up
'Cause you have friends
Don't give up
You're not the only one
Don't give up
No reason to be ashamed
Don't give up
You still have us
Don't give up now
We're proud of who you are
Don't give up
You know it's never been easy
Don't give up
'Cause I believe there's a place
There's a place where we belong
(Don't give up, don't give up, don't give up)
(Don't give up, don't give up, don't give up)
(Don't give up, don't give up, don't give up)
(Don't give up, don't give up, don't give up)
The lyrics of Gabriel & Bush's song Don't Give Up tell a story of a person who was brought up in a strong and proud land but now feels defeated and alone. The character was once taught to fight and believed they could never fail, but now they believe they have nothing left to fight for as their dreams have deserted them. They have even changed their face and name, but feel unwanted and rejected by society. Despite this, the song encourages the person to not give up because they have friends who believe in them and that they can still make something good out of their situation. The song acknowledges the struggles of life but also serves as a reminder that support and hope can help overcome even the toughest of times.
Line by Line Meaning
In this proud land we grew up strong
Despite the adversities, we grew up with unbreakable spirit and dignity
We were wanted all along
We were always needed, accepted, and appreciated
I was taught to fight, taught to win
I was trained to be a fighter, to persist, and to emerge victorious
I never thought I could fail
I had faith in my abilities and believed that failure was not an option
No fight left or so it seems
I'm exhausted and defeated, and giving up appears to be the only option
I am a man whose dreams have all deserted
The things I once aspired to do and become and the life I envisioned for myself are now gone
I've changed my face, I've changed my name
I've tried to reinvent myself, hide my identity or escape from my past failures
But no one wants you when you lose
People tend to dismiss, ignore, or reject you when you are unsuccessful or down on your luck
Don't give up
Stay strong and don't surrender
'Cos you have friends
You are not alone and there are people who care about you
You're not beaten yet
You still have a chance to overcome your difficulties
I know you can make it good
I have faith in your ability to turn things around and succeed
Though I saw it all around
Although I saw the signs of trouble and misfortune everywhere
Never thought that I could be affected
I believed that I was immune to the problems that others faced
Thought that we'd be last to go
I expected that we would survive or overcome the challenges while others would fail
It is so strange the way things turn
Life can be unpredictable, unfair, and surprising
Drove the night toward my home
I traveled during the night back to my hometown
The place that I was born, on the lakeside
The place where I originated from, which was close to a lake
As daylight broke, I saw the earth
At dawn, I witnessed the aftermath of a disaster or destruction
The trees had burned down to the ground
The trees that were once standing tall and alive were now reduced to ashes and debris
You still have us
We are your companions and supporters
We don't need much of anything
We don't require anything else from you except your presence and friendship
'Cause somewhere there's a place
There's a place in this world where we fit in, belong, and find peace
Where we belong
Where we feel accepted, appreciated, and at home
Rest your head
Take a break, relax, and don't worry too much
You worry too much
You tend to overthink, stress out, and anticipate the worst
It's going to be alright
Things will eventually get better or at least more manageable
When times get rough
When you encounter tough situations or face adversity
You can fall back on us
You can rely on our support and help when you need it
Got to walk out of here
I have to leave this place, where I feel stuck or trapped, and move on
I can't take any more
I'm at my breaking point and can't handle the stress or burden anymore
Going to stand on that bridge
I'm going to contemplate, meditate or contemplate my future on a bridge
Keep my eyes down below
I refuse to give up or look back and focus on the future, even if it's uncertain
Whatever may come
I'm willing to face whatever challenges or opportunities that arise
And whatever may go
I'm prepared to let go of anything or anyone that's holding me back or not serving me
That river's flowing
Life continues to move forward, with or without me
Moved on to another town
I relocated to a different city, hoping for a fresh start
Tried hard to settle down
I attempted to establish myself, find stability and security
For every job, so many men
For every available job or opportunity, there are many other qualified applicants competing for it
So many men no-one needs
There are many people, especially men, who are overqualified, underemployed, or struggling to find purpose
No reason to be ashamed
You have nothing to be ashamed of, regardless of your past, present or future mistakes or struggles
We're proud of who you are
We value and respect you for who you are, not just what you have or can achieve
You know its never been easy
You're aware that life has always been challenging and unpredictable
'Cause I believe there's a place
I'm convinced that there's a specific, meaningful place or role for you in this world
There's a place where we belong
There's a place where we all belong, connect, and contribute to something greater than ourselves
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Peter Gabriel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@patrickscanlon544
I almost gave up. I came back from the Gulf War broken and hopeless. I turned to the drink and isolated myself. When things were at their worst my father came and brought me home and helped me in his gentle way, where army doctors and their pills couldn’t. He made me see that there was peace and goodness in the world. He passed seven years ago and I miss him every day. I’m still strong Da.
@coralbay00
Inspirational brother. Continue doing him proud as I can assure you he still sees you 🤜🤛
@PeterNgola
Thank you for your service Patrick , Take care of yourself mate!
@williammcmillan1108
sorry /i lost my dad as well
@danielblanchet7577
Sorry for your loss, I know what it feels like believe me, my wife passed 8 years ago and I still miss her, been alone ever since 'cos no one can replace her and no one ever will ! God it's hard !!!
@mystavalon200
Awsome story
Stay strong 💪
@jenniferjanejames2873
One of the most powerful songs for anyone struggling.
@gabecollett
Yes. Masterpiece.
@sylvainnouet6447
❤❤❤
@tetraquark2402
I keep returning to it