Driftwood
Kevin Hearn Lyrics


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The sky's more black than blue
There's a rock inside a shoe
Floating in a murky pool
And it's starting to soak through

Used to sail the ships
Now I organize the chips at the store
Don't mean to be a bore
But who needs much more?

When I feel like driftwood
Not sure if that's good
Feel like something's calling me to go
Not sure if I should feel like driftwood
Not sure if I should
Not sure if I should
Driftwood

Church with a broken bell
Turtle who's lost its shell
Nick Rhodes without his gel
I think I'm a little lost too

Only time will tell
If there's a heaven or an H-E-L-L
Time is weird, it has a beard
And I don't know if I even want to know

When I feel like driftwood
Not sure if that's good
Feel like something's calling me to go
I'm not sure if I should feel like driftwood
Not sure if I should
Not sure if I should
Not sure if I should
Driftwood
Driftwood




Drift
Driftwood

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Kevin Hearn's song "Driftwood" describe a sense of being lost and disconnected, a feeling of not fitting in and not knowing what to do with one's life. The opening lines set the tone for the song, with a bleak image of a black sky and a rock inside a shoe that is starting to soak through. The singer then reflects on his life, saying that he used to sail ships but now organizes chips at a store. He wonders if he should aspire to more, but also questions whether anyone needs much more than just getting by. The chorus repeats the image of feeling like driftwood, with something calling him to go but uncertainty about whether he should follow.


The second verse continues this theme of feeling lost and uncertain, with a church with a broken bell, a turtle with a lost shell, and even Nick Rhodes without his gel (Nick Rhodes is a member of the band Duran Duran, known for his distinctive hairstyle). The singer acknowledges that only time will tell whether there's a heaven or hell, but even time itself is strange and mysterious. The chorus repeats again, with the uncertain but haunting image of driftwood.


Overall, the song conveys a sense of aimlessness and uncertainty, but also a sense of longing for something more. The image of driftwood, a piece of wood that has been cast adrift and floats wherever the currents take it, captures this feeling of being carried along by forces beyond one's control. The repeated refrain of "not sure if I should" suggests that the singer is torn between following this call to go and staying put, between striving for something more and accepting what he has. The song leaves the question open-ended, adding to the sense of ambiguity and unease.


Line by Line Meaning

The sky's more black than blue
The majority of the sky is dark because of dark clouds blocking out the blue sky.


There's a rock inside a shoe
There's a small yet irritating issue present.


Floating in a murky pool
There's a sense of being lost in a confusing and chaotic situation.


And it's starting to soak through
The situation is starting to impact your emotions and mental state.


Used to sail the ships
There was a time when you had a sense of purpose and direction in life.


Now I organize the chips at the store
Now, you have a menial job that feels unfulfilling and mundane.


Don't mean to be a bore
I don't want to come across as dull, but...


But who needs much more?
What's the point of trying to want more out of life when even the bare minimum is hard to achieve?


When I feel like driftwood
When I feel aimless, lost, and unimportant.


Not sure if that's good
I don't know if feeling lost is a good thing or not.


Feel like something's calling me to go
I have a nagging feeling that there's something better out there for me.


Not sure if I should feel like driftwood
I'm not sure if I should embrace this feeling of being lost or try to fight it.


Church with a broken bell
A place of sanctuary is broken and no longer offers a sense of comfort.


Turtle who's lost its shell
A creature without its defining characteristic, exposed and vulnerable.


Nick Rhodes without his gel
A person who's lost their identity, their unique trait that defined them.


I think I'm a little lost too
I feel like I've lost my identity and sense of direction in life.


Only time will tell
I'll have to wait and see what happens in the future.


If there's a heaven or an H-E-L-L
I wonder if there's an afterlife and what it's like.


Time is weird, it has a beard
Time is unpredictable and chaotic, and it can feel like it goes on forever.


And I don't know if I even want to know
I'm not sure if I really want to know the answers to life's big questions.


Driftwood
This serves as a reminder that feeling lost is a common experience and that it's okay to feel that way sometimes.


Drift
This is a simple and repetitive reminder of the feeling of drifting, of feeling lost.


Driftwood
This is a repetition of the song's main theme and serves as a closing reminder of the emotions expressed throughout the song.




Contributed by Kaelyn G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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