Promise
Lifeson Alex Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A million more days
One more smoke
Release me from my ways
Break the mold
Break your back
Break the promise you made
Don't look back
Make your promise today
Leave the safety
Leave this life
Leave before it's too late
It's your only chance
Don't pretend romance
Keep the new promise you made
What if I wasn't so scared?
Why can't I be brave?
I've forgotten all that we shared
You can't give me what I crave
One more glass
Take another pill
One more day
I feel like I could kill
What if you let me walk away?
You think it's me who needs to be saved
Your life a tragic, self-centered play
You never gave me what I craved
What I want
You can never have
What you want
My dead life to live
Break the mold
Break your back
Break the promise you made
Seek the world now
Don't look back
Make your promise today
Leave the safety
Leave this life
Leave before it's too late
It's your only chance
Don't pretend romance
Keep the new promise you made
Break the mold
Break your back
Break the promise you made
Leave the safety
Leave this life
Leave before it's too late
Seek the world now
Don't look back
Make your promise today
Keep the new promise you made
Keep the new promise you made
The song "Promise" by Lifeson Alex is a powerful and emotional expression of the struggle for personal freedom and the pursuit of one's dreams. The lyrics are about breaking free from the chains of a stagnant and unfulfilling life, and taking the brave step towards a new promise of growth and adventure.
The verses of the song describe the difficulty of leaving behind old habits and patterns, represented by the drinking, smoking, and pill-taking. The repetition of "one more" emphasizes the addictiveness of these vices and the cycle of self-destruction that they perpetuate. The chorus urges the listener to break free from these patterns and make a new promise to seek out the world and pursue their desires without holding back.
The bridge of the song is particularly poignant, with the singer questioning their own fear and lack of courage, and expressing their frustration with someone who has held them back from achieving their full potential. The final repetition of the chorus serves as a call to action, urging the listener to keep the new promise they have made to themselves and to live without regret.
The song is a powerful depiction of the struggle for personal growth and the courage needed to break free from the expectations of others and follow one's own path.
Line by Line Meaning
One more glass
I want to keep indulging in activities that numb my pain.
A million more days
I don't see a way out of this cycle of pain and addiction that I've created for myself.
One more smoke
I am looking for any escape from my reality and my problems.
Release me from my ways
I know my habits and actions are not healthy for me, but I feel trapped and unable to escape them.
Break the mold
I need to break out of the patterns and habits that are keeping me stuck in this cycle of pain and addiction.
Break your back
It will take hard work and effort to make a change in my life, but it's worth it for my well-being.
Break the promise you made
It's time to let go of the promises and commitments from the past that are no longer serving me.
Seek the world now
I need to explore new experiences and opportunities to find fulfillment and happiness.
Don't look back
I can't keep dwelling on the past or what might have been - I need to focus on moving forward and making positive changes in my life.
Make your promise today
I need to commit to making meaningful changes in my life, starting today.
Leave the safety
I can't stay in my comfort zone or rely on familiar habits and routines that aren't serving me well.
Leave this life
I need to let go of the parts of my life that are holding me back and preventing me from finding happiness and fulfillment.
Leave before it's too late
I don't want to wait until it's too late to make changes - I need to take action now while I still can.
It's your only chance
If I don't make changes now, I may never have another opportunity to improve my life.
Don't pretend romance
I can't keep holding onto false hopes or illusions of what my life could have been - I need to face reality and make real changes.
What if I wasn't so scared?
I am afraid to make changes in my life, but I wonder what life would be like if I had the courage to do so.
Why can't I be brave?
I wish I had the strength and courage to make the changes I know I need to make.
I've forgotten all that we shared
I have lost touch with what really matters in life as I've become consumed by my pain and addiction.
You can't give me what I crave
I've been looking for fulfillment in all the wrong places, and the things that used to bring me joy no longer satisfy me.
Take another pill
I am continuing to rely on substances or other unhealthy habits to cope with my pain and avoid reality.
I feel like I could kill
My pain and frustration are consuming me to the point where I feel like I could lash out or do something regrettable.
What if you let me walk away?
I feel like others are holding me back from making the changes I need to make in my life.
You think it's me who needs to be saved
Others may be concerned for me and want me to change, but ultimately I am the only one who can save myself.
Your life a tragic, self-centered play
I am caught up in my own pain and struggles to the point where I can't see the world around me or the impact my behavior is having on others.
What I want
I am looking for fulfillment, happiness, and a sense of purpose in my life.
You can never have
Others may try to offer me help or advice, but ultimately it's up to me to make the changes I need to make in my life.
My dead life to live
I feel like my life has lost all meaning or purpose, and I want to find a way to reclaim it before it's too late.
Keep the new promise you made
I need to stay committed to making positive changes in my life and not fall back into old habits or patterns.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: THOMAS RANDOLPH BELL, WILLIAM ALEXANDER HART
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
lifeson241
I Agree! I think Alex's guitar work is amazing
xxxx15us
This came out over 4 years before My Favorite Headache. After the Counterparts tour ended in 1994 the whole band wanted to take time off. Neil tutored under Freddie Gruber and did the Buddy Rich tribute project and wrote his first book, Geddy had a daughter and spent time with her, and Alex decided to use his time to make an album. He and his wife were going through a bit of a hard time and that inspired a lot of the dark stuff but it deals with all aspects; love, hate, humor, sadness, etc.
MadTheDJ
What happened was, Geddy and his wife knew they were expecting another child, so Geddy asked the band for a year off to be with his family (so as not to have to be working and touring and away from them). Neil then finished the Buddy Rich tribute recording, which led directly to him working with Freddie Gruber, as he knew he had a year away from Rush. Alex decided to use that year to assemble Victor (the band) as a solo project and to record an album. Toward the end of that year off, Neil asked for six more months to keep working with Freddie. This gives Alex ample time to finish Victor's album.
So yeah, if it hadn't been for Geddy's daughter being born, Neil might not have had time to study under Freddie (or at least not right then, though he was feeling discontent with his playing at the time, regardless, which is why he sought Freddie out), Alex wouldn't have done Victor and what became Test For Echo might have been a very different album, released a year or so earlier than it was.
Jonno2summit
Love this song. Alex and this group stand alone as awesome.
Dave's Kritter Kingdom & guitar covers coming soon
Freaking epic album! I just love this song.
mr427mla
We need a better copy of this awesome song!
lifeson241
Awesome song..It's just friggen awesome !
Em Jo
This album was a sleeper. Most songs are at least good, and some are great. As an aside, I have to point out the exchange between Youtubers xxxx15us, Nocturne2112, Kennyplay, and Ty Anderson is perhaps the longest straight string of intelligent dialogue I've yet seen on YT--devoid of insults, or flaming, and not riddled with spelling errors. Refreshing.
Chris Brett
it is the only musical collection that never leaves my 8gig iPod. it is an amazing array of music. the lounge act makes search for concept easy. and I Mother Earth is one of the best bands ever. one more astronaut.
DamienDrake
8 gigs!? Holy crap! Everybody watch out!
I kid, I kid. My first mp3 player only had 4 gigs of storage. Man did I learn fast just how inadequate that was!