I Believe
Ian Dury Lyrics


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I believe
In the hallelujah chorus of the shopping malls
We say we cant, we know we shant, well of course we shall
Cause i've seen, i believe

That we are forever something which is incomplete
We trade ourselves for nothings and words are our conceits
I have seen, now i believe

That the ceaseless, seamless strain of your heart
One day you'll cause itself to make a start
With me, we believe

I never thought i'd string along
I never thought we'd last this long
But we've seen, so we believe
In the hallelujah chorus of the shopping malls
We say we cant, we know we shant, of course we shall
Cause we've seen, now we believe

I never thought i'd string along
I never thought we'd last this long
I have seen, i believe
That we are forever something which is incomplete




We trade ourselves for nothings and words are our conceits
I have seen, i believe

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ian Dury's "I Believe" are introspective and thought-provoking. The first verse speaks to Dury's belief in the power of consumerism and capitalism, as he references the "hallelujah chorus of the shopping malls." He seems to acknowledge the contradictions inherent in this belief, as he asserts that we "say we cant, we know we shant, well of course we shall." This juxtaposition suggests that Dury sees the power of these societal constructs, even if they stand in opposition to our conscious values or beliefs.


The second verse delves into the theme of selfhood, as Dury posits that we are "forever something which is incomplete." He suggests that we trade ourselves for empty symbols and language, or "conceits." The final verse is more personal, as Dury reflects on his own doubts about relationships, but ultimately asserts that he's "seen" and now "believes" in his connection with another person.


Overall, "I Believe" is a complex meditation on belief, societal norms, and the human experience. It encourages us to question our own beliefs and to look beyond surface-level contradictions in order to see the deeper truths that may lie beneath.


Line by Line Meaning

I believe
The singer has faith in something important


In the hallelujah chorus of the shopping malls
The singer finds joy and celebration in consumerism and capitalism


We say we cant, we know we shant, well of course we shall
Although we often doubt ourselves, we will ultimately succeed


Cause i've seen, i believe
The artist's faith comes from personal experience and observation


That we are forever something which is incomplete
Humanity is a work in progress and never truly finished


We trade ourselves for nothings and words are our conceits
We often give up our true values for meaningless things, and rely on language to hide our deeper insecurities


I have seen, now i believe
The singer's faith is based on firsthand knowledge


That the ceaseless, seamless strain of your heart
The unending pressure on the heart and mind can lead to action


One day you'll cause itself to make a start
Someday the pressure will be too much, and you will begin to take action toward your goals


With me, we believe
The singer wants to inspire his listeners to have faith with him


I never thought i'd string along
The singer didn't expect to succeed at his goals


I never thought we'd last this long
The artist didn't expect to maintain his faith


But we've seen, so we believe
Although it was unexpected, the singer now has faith after experiencing success


I have seen, i believe
The singer's faith is based on firsthand knowledge


That we are forever something which is incomplete
Humanity is a work in progress and never truly finished


We trade ourselves for nothings and words are our conceits
We often give up our true values for meaningless things, and rely on language to hide our deeper insecurities


I have seen, i believe
The artist's faith is based on firsthand knowledge




Writer(s): ian, Michael William Gallagher, Ian Robins Dury Copyright: Embassy Music Corp. O/B/o Mute Song, Templemill Music Ltd.

Contributed by Jeremiah F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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