Ambulances
Institute (Gavin Rossdale) Lyrics
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It's taken years off of my life
Built my world, within you, but loneliness comes
Can't cure your iodine, the world is better for your grace
If I plead insanity, can I still crash at your place?
There are only so many ambulances to go around
There are only so many accidents
I try to kill you, it's just proof I'm alive
I try to kill you, one day at a time
She feeds off desire, she's in me, to worlds I'll never get
I'm sure she'll be with me, until the very end
There are only so many ambulances
The less you ask, the more you see
There are only so many accidents
It's the universe, nothings free
I try to kill you, it's just moves of life
I try to kill you, one day at a time
I try to kill you, one day, one day
Oh, life can be so un-will
Oh, speeding puts you in heaven and hell
Oh, lately there's been so much to tell
There are only so many ambulances
There are only so many ambulances
And I try to kill you, it's just proof I'm alive
I try to kill you, one day at a time
I try to kill you, one day, one day
There are only so many ambulances
To go around, to go around, to go around
Institute's song "Ambulances" is a somewhat cryptic song about the perils of life, and how staying alive can be its own kind of danger. The opening lines, "Staying alive, can kill you / It's taken years off of my life," suggest that the singer feels the stresses of life are taking a toll on him, but he's still trying to hang on. He talks about building his world within someone else, but the loneliness he feels despite that, suggesting that even intimate relationships can be isolating. He then uses the metaphor of ambulances and accidents to underscore the idea that life can be dangerous no matter what you do, hinting that it's better to live life on your own terms than to play it too safe.
There's a sense of fatalism in these lyrics as well. The lines "There are only so many ambulances to go around / There are only so many accidents / Is the universe coming down?" suggest a feeling of being overwhelmed by the number of things that can go wrong. The singer seems to be wrestling with the idea that the universe may be conspiring against him in some way, but he's still trying to make peace with it. He repeats the phrase "I try to kill you" several times throughout the song, but it's never entirely clear what he means by it. It could be interpreted as a need to escape the confines of his own life, to take risks and face danger head-on. Overall, "Ambulances" is a musing on the nature of life, with all its dangers and uncertainties, and the way that we try to make sense of it all.
Line by Line Meaning
Staying alive, can kill you
Being alive can be mentally and physically exhausting.
It's taken years off of my life
The stress of staying alive has caused me to age faster than I would have otherwise.
Built my world, within you, but loneliness comes
I put all my energy into this relationship with you, but in the end, I still feel lonely.
Can't cure your iodine, the world is better for your grace
You have a unique quality that makes the world a better place, but it's not something that can be easily fixed or changed.
If I plead insanity, can I still crash at your place?
If I act crazy, will you still let me rely on you and stay with you.
There are only so many ambulances to go around
There are only limited resources available to help us when something goes wrong.
There are only so many accidents
No matter how careful we are, accidents happen and we can only prevent so many.
Is the universe coming down?
It feels like everything is falling apart and things are out of control.
I try to kill you, it's just proof I'm alive
The act of trying to hurt you is a reminder that I still have emotions and am capable of feeling alive.
She feeds off desire, she's in me, to worlds I'll never get
My intense desires consume me and take me to imaginary worlds that I will never truly experience.
I'm sure she'll be with me, until the very end
I know that these desires will always be a part of me, and I will carry them with me until I die.
The less you ask, the more you see
Sometimes, if we don't ask too many questions, we can see more than if we were too pushy or inquisitive.
It's the universe, nothings free
In the universe, everything comes at a cost, and we have to give up something to get something else.
Oh, life can be so un-will
Life can be unpredictable and uncontrollable, and there's not much we can do about it.
Oh, speeding puts you in heaven and hell
Taking risks and living fast can bring both good and bad consequences, and it's hard to know which one we'll end up with.
Oh, lately there's been so much to tell
Lately, there has been a lot going on and a lot to talk about.
To go around, to go around, to go around
There's only so much to go around, and we have to share and make the best of what we have.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Christopher Traynor, Gavin Rossdale
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind