Counting Backwards
Lewis Lyrics


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Pouring salt into the sea could not begin to repay every misstep that you took, or mend all the holes you've made. tossed upon the waves, the strongest rocks will be worn down. your efforts rest within the ground, from nowhere to nothing. the hopes you hide inside, ravaged by the insincere, the grasping hands will disappear, from nowhere to nothing. what is necessary, now that the marrow has been dried, is to keep on pushing forward, hope the sun will bring new life. tossed upon the waves, the strongest rocks will be worn down. your efforts rest within the ground, from nowhere to nothing. the hopes you hide inside, ravaged by the insincere, the grasping hands will disappear, from nowhere to nothing. set out on your own, running from unhappiness, reactions become meaningless, from nowhere to nothing. crashing from the wall, could you set things right again, breathe into the dust again, from nowhere to nothing




Overall Meaning

In "Counting Backwards," Lewis sings about the futility of trying to make up for one's mistakes and realizing that sometimes, our efforts may amount to nothing. The first line, "Pouring salt into the sea could not begin to repay every misstep that you took," signifies that the task at hand is monumental, and no matter how much effort you put in, you can't undo the damage done. The following line, "or mend all the holes you've made" further emphasizes this point, as trying to fill the gaps that one has created is a formidable task.


The chorus, "from nowhere to nothing," underscores the idea that despite our best efforts, sometimes things don't go as planned, and we end up with nothing to show for it. The verse, "your efforts rest within the ground," reminds us that time will pass, and our actions and exertions will ultimately fade away. The section, "the grasping hands will disappear," reveals that even people's intentions, both good and bad, will dwindle into nothingness.


As the song progresses, Lewis offers a hopeful note, suggesting that the way forward is to keep pushing, and that new opportunities will eventually present themselves, "hope the sun will bring new life." The section, "set out on your own, running from unhappiness, reactions become meaningless," indicates that sometimes one has to forge a new path and leave behind the past to find happiness. Finally, the song ends on the words, "from nowhere to nothing," underscoring the cyclical nature of life and the idea that we must keep moving forward, regardless of the setbacks we encounter.


Line by Line Meaning

Pouring salt into the sea could not begin to repay every misstep that you took, or mend all the holes you've made.
No amount of effort or action can undo the mistakes that you've made, nor can it repair the damage that you've caused.


Tossed upon the waves, the strongest rocks will be worn down.
Even the strongest of things will eventually succumb to the power of the world.


Your efforts rest within the ground, from nowhere to nothing.
All of your hard work and accomplishments will eventually fade away and become insignificant in the grand scheme of things.


The hopes you hide inside, ravaged by the insincere, the grasping hands will disappear, from nowhere to nothing.
Your dreams and aspirations will be torn apart by those who don't truly care, leaving you with nothing.


What is necessary, now that the marrow has been dried, is to keep on pushing forward, hope the sun will bring new life.
Despite feeling drained and defeated, it's important to continue to move forward and have faith that things will get better.


Set out on your own, running from unhappiness, reactions become meaningless, from nowhere to nothing.
Trying to escape your problems by running away only leads to a meaningless existence.


Crashing from the wall, could you set things right again, breathe into the dust again, from nowhere to nothing.
Even after hitting rock bottom, there's always a chance to pick yourself back up and start again, no matter how difficult it may seem.




Contributed by Parker V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Ricky Adams

beautiful track. Great to listen too when you want to reflect.

Unreal Gaming

the singer is my English teacher. talk about a career change.

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