Undertow
M.Pkl. Lyrics

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I know what I wanted
I know what I wanted
I know how I wanted this to be

You go down to the water
Drink down of the water
Walk up off the water, leave it be

This is not my time, sister
It is cold in heaven
And I'm not sprouting wings

I'm drowning
Me
I'm drowning
Me, yeah

Brother can you see those birds?
They don't look to heaven
They don't need religion, they can see

They go down to the water
Drink down on the water
Fly up off the water, leave it be

This is not my time, sister
It is cold in heaven
And no one's coming after me

I'm drowning
Breathing ourselves
Me, yeah
Breathing ourselves
I'm drowning
Breathing ourselves
Me, yeah

You know I am tired
Cold and bony tired
Nothing's gonna save me, I can see

I can't say I'm fearful
I can't say I'm not afraid
But I am not resisting, I can see

I don't need a heaven
I don't need religion
I am in the place where I should be

I am breathing water
I am breathing water
You know a body's got to breathe

I'm drowning
Breathing ourselves
Me, yeah
Breathing ourselves
I'm drowning
Breathing ourselves
Me, yeah

I'm drowning
Breathing ourselves
Me, yeah
Breathing ourselves
I'm drowning

Breathing ourselves
Me, yeah

Overall Meaning

The song "Undertow" by M.Pkl. is a melancholic piece that speaks of an inevitable surrender to the flow of life. It begins with the artist expressing a clear understanding of what they had desired and how they wished things would have turned out. However, they soon reveal a sense of resignation at the way things have gone, as they liken their fate to that of drowning in water. The overarching theme is one of acceptance and surrender, as the singer comes to terms with the fact that they are powerless to resist the current and must let go.

The song has a spiritual hue to it, with the singer addressing a sister and a brother in the middle of the song. Here, the artists speak of the coldness of heaven, implying a disillusionment with traditional ideas of an afterlife. The lyrics also suggest that one does not necessarily need religion to have a spiritual experience or an understanding of one's place in the world. The verses speak of birds that do not look to heaven or subscribe to any belief system but are still able to find balance and meaning in life.

Overall, "Undertow" is a deeply introspective and contemplative song, exploring themes such as inevitability, acceptance, spirituality, and the human condition. The imagery of water symbolizes the flow of life, and the singer's surrender to it is a testament to the natural cycle of birth and death.

Line by Line Meaning

I know what I wanted
I had a clear idea of what I wanted to achieve

You go down to the water Drink down of the water Walk up off the water, leave it be
You approach the water body and drink the water from it before moving on

This is not my time, sister It is cold in heaven And I'm not sprouting wings
I'm not ready to die yet, and even if I die now, I'm not going to heaven

I'm drowning Me I'm drowning Me, yeah
I feel like I'm sinking and struggling to keep my head above water

Brother can you see those birds? They don't look to heaven They don't need religion, they can see
Unlike humans who often look for the help of a higher power, birds can find their way on their own

This is not my time, sister It is cold in heaven And no one's coming after me
I'm not prepared to die and even if I were, I wouldn't want to go to heaven right now because I would be alone

I'm drowning Breathing ourselves Me, yeah Breathing ourselves I'm drowning Breathing ourselves Me, yeah
I feel like I'm slowly losing control and becoming completely consumed by my environment

You know I am tired Cold and bony tired Nothing's gonna save me, I can see
I'm physically, emotionally, and mentally drained, and I can sense that I'm not going to make it out alive

I can't say I'm fearful I can't say I'm not afraid But I am not resisting, I can see
I'm scared of what's happening to me, but I'm not fighting against it

I don't need a heaven I don't need religion I am in the place where I should be
I don't require the promise of an afterlife or any religion to feel fulfilled and at peace with myself

I am breathing water I am breathing water You know a body's got to breathe
I feel like I'm drowning, but I'm still trying to breathe and survive by any means necessary

Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: William Berry, Peter Buck, Mike Mills, Michael Stipe

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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