Ways to Love
Jason Webley Lyrics


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Our mother made us into swimmers
She threw her babes into this river
Full of mud and dense with weeds, a century of odd debris
We learned to fight and learned to love

Our breaths were short, we shared them with our brothers
We learned new games under the covers
How to laugh and how to grieve, we learned to trust, we learned to leave
We found this water's deeper than we'd guessed

We had learned enough ways to love
Still I don't know, mother, who we are

Our minds were sharp, our bodies burning
We gave ourselves over to learning
How to break and how to give, betrayal taught us to forgive
We stretched and soaked up everything

They taught us well, we were first in our classes
We learned to see through many glasses
How to sink and how to fly, we learned to watch each other die
My God, this course is harder than we thought

We had learned enough ways to love
Still I don't know, mother, where we are
We thought we were walking the way to love

Our mother made us into swimmers
She threw us straight into the river
Our minds were sharp, our bodies burning
We threw ourselves over to learning

Dear God, this current's stronger than we thought

We had learned enough ways to love
Still I don't know, mother, who you are
I thought I was well on my way to love

Do we have time to take a nap?
The house is on fire, the sky is falling
Baby get back, get back
This is your mother calling

Do I have time to take a nap?
The sky is on fire, the house is falling
Baby get back, get back
This is your mother calling

Do we have time to take a nap?
The house is on fire, the sky is falling
Baby get back, get back
This is your mother calling

Do I have time to take a nap?
The sky is on fire, the house is falling




Baby get back, get back
This is your mother calling

Overall Meaning

The song "Ways to Love" by Jason Webley is a complex exploration of the ways in which we learn to love and the challenges that come with it. The lyrics start with a powerful image of a mother throwing her children into a river, full of mud and odd debris. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for the way our parents often push us into life, teaching us to swim in the deep waters and navigate the challenges we will face. The singer talks about learning to fight and love, and how the water is deeper than they ever imagined.


As the song progresses, we see the children grow and learn. They learn new games, how to laugh and grieve, and most importantly, how to trust and leave. They also learn how to break and give, and how to forgive. They stretch themselves and soak up everything around them, becoming first in their classes and seeing the world through many different lenses. But there is a sense of struggle and uncertainty throughout the lyrics, as they question who they really are and where they are going.


The chorus of the song reinforces the idea that they have learned enough ways to love, but they still don't know who they are or where they are going. The song ends with a repetition of the chorus, interspersed with a call from their mother, reminding them that the world is falling apart and they need to take action.


Overall, "Ways to Love" is a poignant and powerful exploration of the challenges of growing up and learning to love. It captures the struggles we all face as we navigate life, and the constant uncertainty that comes with it.


Line by Line Meaning

Our mother made us into swimmers
Our mother taught us to navigate through life's difficulties


She threw her babes into this river
She exposed us to the challenges of life, hoping we'd emerge stronger


Full of mud and dense with weeds, a century of odd debris
The river of life is unpredictable and full of obstacles


We learned to fight and learned to love
We learned to overcome our struggles and to give and receive affection


Our breaths were short, we shared them with our brothers
We relied on each other to persevere through the tough times


We learned new games under the covers
We found new ways to cope and enjoy life despite challenging circumstances


How to laugh and how to grieve, we learned to trust, we learned to leave
We learned to experience and accept the full range of human emotions, and to build and end relationships


We found this water's deeper than we'd guessed
We realized that life's challenges and complexities run deeper than we anticipated


We had learned enough ways to love
We had developed sufficient emotional intelligence and resilience


Still I don't know, mother, who we are
We are still struggling to fully understand our identity and purpose


Our minds were sharp, our bodies burning
We were eager and passionate about learning and experiencing life


We gave ourselves over to learning
We were fully committed to exploring and discovering the world and ourselves


Betrayal taught us to forgive
We learned how to let go of past hurt and grudges


My God, this course is harder than we thought
We realized that life's challenges require more strength and resilience than we anticipated


We thought we were walking the way to love
We thought we had found the path to fulfilling and healthy relationships


Do we have time to take a nap?
Amidst all the chaos, can we take a moment to rest and recharge?


The house is on fire, the sky is falling
Life seems to be going out of control


Baby get back, get back
We need to retreat to safety and find support


This is your mother calling
In times of crisis, we instinctively seek the guidance and reassurance of our parents or caretakers




Contributed by Adalyn H. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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