Jim Guthrie is a Canadian singer-songwriter. He used to be in the band Roya… Read Full Bio ↴Jim Guthrie is a Canadian singer-songwriter. He used to be in the band Royal City until they disbanded in 2004. He also worked with Islands on Return to Sea. He was born and raised in Guelph, Ontario and currently lives in Toronto. Guthrie first made a name for himself by releasing a series of self-produced cassettes, and subsequently released albums on Three Gut Records. He was nominated for a Juno Award for his album Now, More Than Ever. His song "Hands in My Pocket" appeared in a television commercial for Capital One's Canadian branch in 2005.

Time is a Force
Jim Guthrie Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Time
Is a force
And it will
Surely take its course
It will take
From all of you
Taking with it
All the things you had planned to do

And regret
Is a gift
Who could explain
That it's a gift
One not wrapped
And un-received
It's the kind you keep
From yours truly

What is a must when the heart beats slow
Goodbye until hello
'Cause every flame is the same
They look the same

Once when I was dreaming
You felt an impossible feeling
That went from the floor
Right down to the ceiling
You gotta slow down
And in between all of the screaming
I couldn't find anything redeeming
'Cause you weren't even there
I just stared at the ceiling
I gotta slow down
I gotta slow down
I gotta slow down

What is a must when the heart beats slow
Goodbye until hello
'Cause every flame's the same
They look the same
Except the one's that have names
Besides that they look the same

Have a little day
That all goes your way
Have a little house
All to yourself

In the country
Oh, in the country

Time is a force
And it will surely take it's course
It will take from all of you

Taking with it
All the things you had planned to do

Overall Meaning

The song 'Time is a Force' by Jim Guthrie explores the inevitability of time and how it affects everyone. The opening lyrics, "Time is a force and it will surely take its course," suggest that no one can escape the inexorable passage of time. Jim is highlighting that time takes everything from everyone, regardless of status or wealth. It's universal - it will take from all of us, including the things we had planned to do. The lyrics serve as a reminder to make the most of each moment since we're all running out of time.

Jim Guthrie then goes on to explain the idea of regret being a gift - a sentiment not often portrayed in popular culture. He ponders how regret isn't something that one wraps and gift wraps as it's the kind of gift that one keeps from themselves. Here he highlights how regret can be the necessary push in life to realize one's true potential. The verses also touch on how the seeming freedom of being away from excesses and societal expectations can actually make life feel hollow and lack direction.

Towards the end of the song, he moves onto how sometimes we need to slow down and take everything at our own pace. He suggests that the heart speaks when it beats slow, and that sometimes there is a must to say goodbye until hello. Jim Guthrie's song highlights how slowing down can help you see beyond any false illusions, and that every flame appears to be identical, except for the ones who have given a name to it.

Overall, Jim Guthrie's 'Time is a Force' serves as a potent reminder of the importance of time and the impact it has on our lives.

Line by Line Meaning

Time
Time is an unstoppable power

Is a force
It is a powerful force that cannot be prevented

And it will
It is certain that Time

Surely take its course
will always follow its natural progression

It will take
Time will consume

From all of you
everything from everyone

Taking with it
and will take away

All the things you had planned to do
all the things that one wishes and hopes to accomplish

And regret
Remorse or guilt

Is a gift
can be a valuable teacher

Who could explain
It is difficult to express

That it's a gift
even though it can be difficult and unpleasant

One not wrapped
It is not given in a presentable way

And unreceived
It is seldom accepted

It's the kind you keep
It is the type of gift that one retains

From yours truly
From your own personal mistakes

What is a must when the heart beats slow
It becomes crucial to follow your intuition when your emotions are in turmoil

Goodbye until hello
Events may seem negative but can turn into a positive situation in the future

Cause every flame is the same
Every situation is similar in the beginning

They look the same
In the beginning, it all looks identical

Once when I was dreaming
During a dream I once had

You felt an impossible feeling
You experienced something overwhelming

That went from the floor
It felt like it was emanating from the ground

Right down to the ceiling
And rose to the top

You gotta slow down
You should try to take things steadily

And inbetween all of the screaming
Despite the noise and commotion

I couldn't find anything redeeming
I could not identify any positive aspects

Cause you weren't even there
Because you were not present

I just stared at the ceiling
I was staring blankly at the roof

I gotta slow down
I need to try and remain calm

I gotta slow down
I must try and relax

I gotta slow down
I need to try and take things at a more leisurely pace

What is a must when the heart beats slow
It is vital to listen to your inner voice when you feel overwhelmed

Goodbye until hello
Although parting may be unpleasant, there's always the opportunity for reconciliation

Cause every flame's the same
Initial experiences can be very analogous

They look the same
At first glance everything appears to be identical

Except the one's that have names
The ones with distinguishing characteristics stand out

Besides that they look the same
Otherwise, they are interchangeable

Have a little day
Have a nice day

That all goes your way
Fingers crossed that all goes perfectly

Have a little house
Have a place to call home

All to yourself
Just for you

In the country
In a rural area

Lyrics © TUNECORE INC
Written by: James Guthrie

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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01Problem with Solutions4:34

07Time is a Force5:27

PT5M27S

Jim Guthrie

08Now, More Than Ever3:24

09The Evangelist5:10

10You Are Far (Do You Exist?)2:31

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

LedEmily

Time
Is a force
And it will
Surely take its course
It will take
From all of you
Taking with it
All the things you had planned to do

And regret
Is a gift
Who could explain
That it's a gift
One not wrapped
And unreceived
It's the kind you keep
From yours truly

What is a must when the heart beats slow
Goodbye until hello
Cause every flame is the same
They look the same

Once when I was dreaming
You felt an impossible feeling
That went from the floor
Right down to the ceiling
You gotta slow down
And inbetween all of the screaming
I couldn't find anything redeeming
Cause you weren't even there
I just stared at the ceiling
I gotta slow down
I gotta slow down
I gotta slow down

What is a must when the heart beats slow
Goodbye until hello
Cause every flame's the same
They look the same
Except the one's that have names
Besides that they look the same

Have a little day
That all goes your way
Have a little house
All to yourself

In the country
Oh, in the country

Time is a force
And it will surely take it's course
It will take from all of you
Taking with it
All the things you had planned to do