The song became associated with the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, and proceeds from the sale of the single were donated to charities to benefit the victims of the attack.
The song was not released as a commercially purchasable single in the United States. It failed to chart on Billboard's Hot 100 Airplay chart, but peaked at #30 on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.
The song was featured in the final moments of the second season finale of the FX television series The Shield.
Overcome
Live Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But feelin' just fine all numb
In our castle where we're always free
To choose never free enough
To find I wish somethin' would break
Cause we're runnin' out of time
And I am overcome
Holy water in my lungs
I am overcome
These women in the street
Pullin' out their hair
My master's in the yard givin' light
To the unaware this plastic little place
Is just a step amongst the stairs
And I am overcome
I am overcome
Baby holy water in my lungs
I am overcome
So drive me out out to that open field
Turn the ignition off
And spin around
Your help is here but
I'm parked in this open space
Blockin' the gates of love
I am overcome
I am overcome
Holy water in my lungs
I am overcome
Beautiful drowning
This beautiful drowning
This holy water
This holy water is in my lungs
The song "Overcome" by Live is a powerful commentary on the state of the world in the face of its struggles. The opening lines, "Even now the world is bleedin'," set the tone for a song that paints a bleak picture of the world we live in. The song goes on to describe the numbness that people feel in the face of so much pain and suffering. The line, "In our castle where we're always free, to choose never free enough," speaks to the idea that while we may have the freedom to choose, it is never enough to make us truly free.
The chorus of the song declares, "I am overcome, Holy water in my lungs." This line has a few different interpretations. It can be seen as a plea for redemption, with the holy water symbolizing a cleansing of the soul. However, it can also be seen as a cry for help in the face of overwhelming circumstances. The use of the word "overcome" implies a struggle, and it conveys a sense of both desperation and determination.
The song also brings attention to the plight of women, with the line, "These women in the street, pullin' out their hair." The image of women in distress is a powerful one, and it highlights the idea of how women are often marginalized and oppressed in society. However, the song also offers hope in the form of a call to action. The final lines, "Beautiful drowning, this beautiful drowning, this holy water, this holy water is in my lungs," suggest that while we may be overcome by the struggles we face, we can also find beauty and redemption in the midst of it all.
Line by Line Meaning
Even now the world is bleedin'
Despite the chaos and suffering happening in the world currently
But feelin' just fine all numb
Many people are desensitized to the pain of others and feel unaffected
In our castle where we're always free
Living in a place where we have certain freedoms and privileges
To choose never free enough
Even though we have some freedoms, we never feel truly free due to various constraints and limitations
To find I wish somethin' would break
Breaking of something that is holding us back would enable us to find true freedom
Cause we're runnin' out of time
Time is running out and there is a sense of urgency to make a change
And I am overcome
Feeling overwhelmed and helpless
Holy water in my lungs
Feeling suffocated and overwhelmed like being drowned by holy water
These women in the street
People in general, particularly women who are suffering and struggling
Pullin' out their hair
Expressing emotions of despair and anguish
My master's in the yard givin' light
Those in a position of power and privilege who are not aware of the struggle of others
To the unaware this plastic little place
The world we live in that is superficial, materialistic, and has little regard for the bigger picture
Is just a step amongst the stairs
This world is just a small part of a larger, more important journey
So drive me out out to that open field
Take me away from this artificial world to a more natural, open space
Turn the ignition off and spin around
Disconnect from the busy, noisy world and take a moment to breathe and relax
Your help is here but I'm parked in this open space
Help is available, but sometimes we are too stuck, scared or unsure to accept it
Blockin' the gates of love
Allowing our fears and doubts to stop and block love into our lives
Beautiful drowning
Feeling inspired by the beauty around us, even though it feels overwhelming
This holy water
The pain or suffering we experience that feels like being drowned by holy water
This holy water is in my lungs
Feeling overwhelmed and suffocated by our struggles
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Reservoir Media Management, Inc., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Chad Alan Gracey, Chad David Taylor, Edward Joel Kowalczyk, Patrick Dahlheimer
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@rozelynnejackson5257
rwatt5931 R Watt, that May have lasted for about a month where you live. But I can assure you it lasted a lot longer than that in Texas.
On September 11th, we were all, (black, white, rich, poor, Democrats or Republicans) just one thing, pissed off and shell shocked Americans. And where I lived (Midland Texas) that unity lasted a lot longer than a month. In Midland Texas we all gathered in or places of worship and prayed. We prayed for the people on the planes, and the people in the buildings. We honored the sacrifice of the passengers and flight attendants who revolted and stymied the high jackers of Flight 93 who crashed their plane in a Pennsylvania field rather than allow the high jackers to his whatever was their target in Washington, D.C. we prayed for the children whose parents had perished. We passed the collection plate to do what we, as a congregation of Christians, could do to take care of those kids, and those widows who lost their loved ones that day.
People openly prayed for each other as we passed on the streets. I don’t think I passed a human being who failed to say, “God bless you!” For at least a year.
I remembering wondering how long it would be before a day passed without me crying, and on the six month anniversary of the attacker’s, I was still crying. Daily. I remember at the six month mark the fires at Ground Zero in New York we’re still burning. I remembered wondering on that day, how long it would be before I hears an airplane flying above me without being afraid. The answer to that question is almost 18 years and counting. I remember seeing people crying, overcome with grief in such normal, everyday settings as the grocery store or the post office. And as a Christian, I felt is to be my moral obligation to comfort them (blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted .)
I won’t deny that we’ve lost that unity and returned to partisan bickering. I won’t even deny that that bickering has become so horrific that I fear we may be on the verge of a civil war.
But I want to be clear about one thing: in Texas - perhaps because we are such an overwhelmingly Christian state, that unity she spoke of lasted a heck of a lot longer than a month.
And I’ll even go so far to say it lasted well into W.’s 2nd term, but dissolved as we all watched him throw our government into chaos, and brought us closer to a great depression than Herbert Hoover ever did. We were saved from that depression by one brilliant visionary named Barak Obama. Simply credit where credit is do.
And, I’ll add one more pro-Obama thing before I get off my soap box here. The Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) saves my life. Not just once, but twice. And I’m grateful as all get out to still be turning oxygen into carbon dioxide these days. I’ve got stuff to do before I die, and I haven’t done it yet.
Be blessed. And consider being a little less syndical. All that doubt in simple human decency is bad for your soul. A very wise man named Jesus taught me that.
@Jordan81577
I remember after 9/11 they were no republicans or democrats, liberals or conservatives, blacks or whites, just Americans. Strangers cried and prayed with one another. Wish we can have that unity again.
@love2learn4life
I remember that, it was beautiful how we all pulled together the way we did. Strangers didn't exist, we became brothers and sisters.
@sTaaRzHD1
I feel is something like happened again Republicans would like this : told u suckers 😂😂
@rozelynnejackson5257
rwatt5931 R Watt, that May have lasted for about a month where you live. But I can assure you it lasted a lot longer than that in Texas.
On September 11th, we were all, (black, white, rich, poor, Democrats or Republicans) just one thing, pissed off and shell shocked Americans. And where I lived (Midland Texas) that unity lasted a lot longer than a month. In Midland Texas we all gathered in or places of worship and prayed. We prayed for the people on the planes, and the people in the buildings. We honored the sacrifice of the passengers and flight attendants who revolted and stymied the high jackers of Flight 93 who crashed their plane in a Pennsylvania field rather than allow the high jackers to his whatever was their target in Washington, D.C. we prayed for the children whose parents had perished. We passed the collection plate to do what we, as a congregation of Christians, could do to take care of those kids, and those widows who lost their loved ones that day.
People openly prayed for each other as we passed on the streets. I don’t think I passed a human being who failed to say, “God bless you!” For at least a year.
I remembering wondering how long it would be before a day passed without me crying, and on the six month anniversary of the attacker’s, I was still crying. Daily. I remember at the six month mark the fires at Ground Zero in New York we’re still burning. I remembered wondering on that day, how long it would be before I hears an airplane flying above me without being afraid. The answer to that question is almost 18 years and counting. I remember seeing people crying, overcome with grief in such normal, everyday settings as the grocery store or the post office. And as a Christian, I felt is to be my moral obligation to comfort them (blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted .)
I won’t deny that we’ve lost that unity and returned to partisan bickering. I won’t even deny that that bickering has become so horrific that I fear we may be on the verge of a civil war.
But I want to be clear about one thing: in Texas - perhaps because we are such an overwhelmingly Christian state, that unity she spoke of lasted a heck of a lot longer than a month.
And I’ll even go so far to say it lasted well into W.’s 2nd term, but dissolved as we all watched him throw our government into chaos, and brought us closer to a great depression than Herbert Hoover ever did. We were saved from that depression by one brilliant visionary named Barak Obama. Simply credit where credit is do.
And, I’ll add one more pro-Obama thing before I get off my soap box here. The Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) saves my life. Not just once, but twice. And I’m grateful as all get out to still be turning oxygen into carbon dioxide these days. I’ve got stuff to do before I die, and I haven’t done it yet.
Be blessed. And consider being a little less syndical. All that doubt in simple human decency is bad for your soul. A very wise man named Jesus taught me that.
@mattcecil6692
While the enemy serves in your government, it will never happen. The likes of Omar needs to go. She wants America to play the sympathy card for known terrorists.
@ogam5
@@rozelynnejackson5257: I was a registered Democrat for 30 years - and the ONLY reason Obama got my vote in 2008 was that he OPPOSED what amounted to an EGREGIOUS theft of SACRED rights to choose HOW we treat our health, disadvantaging them economically, setting into motion what is RAPIDLY threatening to become a PATENTLY fascist, INSTITUTIONALLY ignorant model (which I say as a TRUE 'Progressive' .....NONE of these 2020 candidates - to say NOTHING of the PRESENT Oval Office occupant, have the SLIGHTEST grasp on what is ACTUALLY happening to us as a society - and HAVEN'T, for TOO long now, at LEAST since then). As it stands. will NEVER vote for one of them AGAIN - other than locally, and a RARE occasion, that.
@brettdog99
My father at 4:00 , I love you so much dad, and I'm sorry you went through this tragedy, I'm so grateful I can see you everyday and I'm truly sorry to any that lost a loved one on this day or any days following, "All lose some, some lose all" RIP FDNY 343 always in our hearts
@rampageclover9788
Your father is a hero...send him my love.
@robke9999
A true hero. Bless him and bless your family.
@luismiranda841
a true hero..blesses from Portugal