Failing Is Not Just for Failures
Listener Lyrics


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I lost my best friend to sadness
Speaking these words at arms length
He said: to shake things up as hard as you can
And if you figure it out by god tell everyone
He said: failing is not just for failures
It's for everyone, failures just have more experience
But you can't quit now, you have to climb all night
Climb everyone of their towers, and show them your life
But if I'm a quitter now, I promise I'll quit her in the end
I don't need these weapons, I'll set my heart to win
With the weight of the world trying to stop me
Breathe out, then inhale my little heartbeat
And I'll do this for you, because the world just might need it
If I don't I'll lose hope, and we'll end up losing it, oh well

I lost my best friend to sadness
Even though we tried and tried, I guess we really didn't
I haven't seen my chin since last may
I'm gonna hold my breath. Let's all hold our breath together
And turn this graveyard into a garden and grow from here
We give words to colors and swear we're not blind
We are the living ones, clamoring around on top of everyone
But it has to hurt of if it's to heal, well my god it must be healing
It's like a knife in the heart, and I'm starting to lose feeling
It's gonna hurt before it heals, but the pain is getting bigger
This dams about to go, and I'm running out of fingers
It'll hurt but it will heal, I'm starting to believe it
Eyes wide open in the darkness, but I really can't see it
It's burning right now and I want you to feel it somehow,
But without the pain of knowing it
Breathe in and exhale the the fire of living it
And I'll do this for you because the world just might need it
If I don't I'll lose hope, and we'll end up losing it, oh well

When all is lost I won't think of you
There's nothing in this world that ghosts can do
No matter what's ahead I'll push on through
For your life or through your death, I'll keep on
I'll keep on, and on and on
And I'll keep on, and on and on

Until I've reached the sea, where I can go no further
When all these possibilities keep forcing me towards the goal
Confronted with their true self most men run away screaming
With nothing as their enemy it's hollow and it's whole.
Stuffing sorrow in their souls
Until all hope is lost in the infinite
I won't ever say goodbye because there's no good in it
I'll stay the course, you've sailed away
While my path leads to God only knows
I'll finish this race, you've quit so early
I'd invite you to swim but drifting is not swimming
And this is it, you've given me no choice
But to use mere words to stay alive. while you've paid them no mind.
And I'll tell stories about your life, you are no hero but I'll lie

Because, when all is lost I won't think of you
There's nothing in this world that ghost can do
No matter what's ahead I'll push on through
For your life or through your death, I'll keep on




I'll keep on, and on and on
And I'll keep on, and on and on

Overall Meaning

In the song "Failing Is Not Just for Failures" by Listener, the singer speaks of losing their best friend to sadness and the struggle to keep going despite the pain. The friend's words to "shake things up as hard as you can" and never quit even if failing, are inspirational to the singer. They must continue and climb the towers of life, show the world their life, and not be a quitter. The pain that they feel is necessary to heal, and the singer vows to never forget their friend's life and continue pushing forward even in death.


The song contains powerful lyrics that deal with themes of grief, loss, mental health, perseverance, and friendship. The singer's resilience to keep pushing and never giving up is inspiring, even when faced with the pain of loss. The repetition of "I'll keep on, and on, and on" reinforces the power of resilience and perseverance even when it seems impossible.


Line by Line Meaning

I lost my best friend to sadness
I lost someone close to me because of their sadness and despair.


Speaking these words at arms length
I am expressing my thoughts and feelings while keeping my distance from them.


He said: to shake things up as hard as you can
My friend advised me to make major changes in my life and do everything in my power to make them happen.


And if you figure it out by god tell everyone
If I can overcome my problems and obstacles, I should share my experience with others and help them do the same.


He said: failing is not just for failures
My friend told me that failure is not exclusive to those who fail but is a common experience for everyone.


It's for everyone, failures just have more experience
Failing is a part of life for everyone, but those who fail have the opportunity to gain valuable experience from their mistakes.


But you can't quit now, you have to climb all night
I must persist and keep going, even if it means enduring a difficult and grueling journey.


Climb everyone of their towers, and show them your life
I must rise above others and demonstrate my worth and purpose in life.


But if I'm a quitter now, I promise I'll quit her in the end
If I give up now, I will only regret it later and will eventually give up altogether.


I don't need these weapons, I'll set my heart to win
I do not require external factors to succeed, I will rely on my inner strength and determination to achieve my goals.


With the weight of the world trying to stop me
The obstacles and challenges I face are immense and overwhelming.


Breathe out, then inhale my little heartbeat
In the face of adversity, I must remain calm and focus on the things that matter to me.


And I'll do this for you, because the world just might need it
I will persevere and overcome my obstacles, not just for myself but for the betterment of society as a whole.


If I don't I'll lose hope, and we'll end up losing it, oh well
If I give up, I will lose all hope, and the rest of the world will suffer because of it.


Even though we tried and tried, I guess we really didn't
Despite our best efforts, we were not able to save our friend from their sadness.


I haven't seen my chin since last may
I have allowed my problems and struggles to weigh me down to the point where I cannot even hold my head up high.


I'm gonna hold my breath. Let's all hold our breath together
I will temporarily suspend my thoughts and emotions, and focus on the present moment with a positive mindset.


And turn this graveyard into a garden and grow from here
I will take my difficulties and transform them into something beautiful and productive.


We give words to colors and swear we're not blind
We use language to interpret and perceive the world, but we often overlook the truth and reality of our experiences.


We are the living ones, clamoring around on top of everyone
We are the living and breathing humans, scrambling and competing for success and recognition.


But it has to hurt of if it's to heal, well my god it must be healing
The healing process involves pain and discomfort, but ultimately leads to growth and self-improvement.


It's like a knife in the heart, and I'm starting to lose feeling
The emotional pain I feel is deep and penetrating, to the point where I am becoming numb and desensitized to it.


It's gonna hurt before it heals, but the pain is getting bigger
The healing process is long and arduous, and the pain I feel is becoming more intense and unbearable.


This dams about to go, and I'm running out of fingers
The emotional pressure and strain is reaching a breaking point, and I am running out of ways to cope with it.


It'll hurt but it will heal, I'm starting to believe it
Although the healing process is painful, I am beginning to have faith that it will ultimately lead to positive outcomes.


Eyes wide open in the darkness, but I really can't see it
I am aware of my problems, but I am struggling to identify and comprehend their root causes and solutions.


It's burning right now and I want you to feel it somehow,
I am experiencing intense emotional pain and despair, and I want others to understand and empathize with my struggle.


But without the pain of knowing it
I want others to understand my pain, but I also wish they did not have to experience it themselves.


Breathe in and exhale the the fire of living it
I must accept and embrace the difficulties and challenges of life, and use them as fuel for personal growth and development.


When all is lost I won't think of you
If everything falls apart, I will not focus on the negative or dwell on the past.


There's nothing in this world that ghosts can do
Even if someone has passed away, their spirit can continue to inspire and motivate us.


No matter what's ahead I'll push on through
Regardless of what obstacles and challenges may arise, I will persist and move forward.


Until I've reached the sea, where I can go no further
I will continue to pursue my goals and dreams until I have reached the absolute limits of what is possible.


When all these possibilities keep forcing me towards the goal
Despite the obstacles and setbacks, I am still drawn towards my ultimate objective.


Confronted with their true self most men run away screaming
When people are confronted with the reality of their situation, many of them will avoid it and deny its implications.


With nothing as their enemy it's hollow and it's whole.
Without a clear adversary or challenge, life can feel empty and meaningless.


Stuffing sorrow in their souls
Many people bottle up their pain and sadness, which can cause long-term damage to their emotional well-being.


Until all hope is lost in the infinite
Without any sense of hope or optimism, people can easily become lost in their own despair and hopelessness.


I won't ever say goodbye because there's no good in it
I do not want to say farewell or give up hope, as there is no benefit or positive outcome from doing so.


I'll stay the course, you've sailed away
Even if others have left or given up, I will persist in my pursuits and goals.


While my path leads to God only knows
Although I am unsure of where my path may lead, I will continue forward with faith and determination.


I'll finish this race, you've quit so early
Despite others giving up or losing hope, I will stick it out until the very end.


I'd invite you to swim but drifting is not swimming
I would encourage others to pursue their goals and dreams, but simply drifting through life is not the same as actively pursuing them.


And this is it, you've given me no choice
Despite my desires and intentions, the circumstances have forced me into a specific course of action.


But to use mere words to stay alive. while you've paid them no mind.
Although I rely on language and communication to stay motivated and focused, others may not take those same ideas and concepts seriously.


And I'll tell stories about your life, you are no hero but I'll lie
Even if someone was not a perfect or ideal individual, I will still remember them in a positive and admirable light.


And I'll keep on, and on and on
Despite the challenges and setbacks I face, I will persist and move forward until I reach my goals.




Contributed by Lila S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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Comments from YouTube:

Katherine Land

this was better without the music actually. very powerful. his lyrics are always wonderful

Dustin Hemmele

I love both versions, but I like the album version just a bit more. It's such a powerful message either way.

Carli Eyed

"I lost my best friend to sadness" "Confronted with their true self most men run away screaming" I love the Never Ending Story references 

OldPinHeadLarry

I've watched this since it was released and haven't stopped still. The emotion is something unmatched

Rayetta Adams

I lost my best friend to suicide ten years ago and I just wanted to say that this song has always helped me so much in a weird way with grieving. I will always miss her but I can live with what happened now most of the time. On the days I can't, this song will always be here. Thanks heaps for the gift of your music ❤

GrimReaper33333

Did you know that "It has to hurt if it's to heal" and "Confronted with one's true self, most men run away screaming" are both exact quotes from the movie The Never Ending Story? About 49 minutes and 57.5 minutes into the movie respectively :)

Lilly Katoke

I found y’all through Levi the Poet, and I’m so glad I did. Your art is beautiful and speaks to me and shows me more of the beauty in being alive. God bless y’all. I hope you make a trillion more songs

Amy Passingham

we give words to colours and swear we're not blind! Stunning!

nolabee

I needed to hear that. : ) Thanks.

caushawilkey

So freaking beautiful

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