Same Old Thing
Matthew Kahler & Shawn Mullins Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

You've got your mind made up
Your heart's in a song
No pot to piss in
But a voice of your own
You can take it anywhere
This road leads you down
Any old ghost town
I hope it's all that you want it to be
Sometimes it is for me
Sometimes it ain't
Life's a lot like a Ferris wheel
It's a hell of a thrill
But it just does the same old thing
You paint yourself a picture
That only you can see
Where the blue of the sky
Melts into the green of the sea
Let the wind fill your sail
And carry you along
Sail on
Sail on
Just remember that you've chosen this way
That's the price you pay
You're living your own life
No destination has been set for you
So take your green and blues
And sail on our of sight
They'll try to get you caught up
In your own little web
Spinning out your demons
With a price on your head
They'll try to take your faith away




You got to stand tall
Keep on singing your song

Overall Meaning

In the song Same Old Thing, Matthew Kahler and Shawn Mullins are encouraging someone to follow their dreams, even though it may be a difficult and uncertain path. They acknowledge that life can be unpredictable and sometimes not as exciting as we hope it will be, comparing it to a Ferris wheel that just goes round and round. However, they also emphasize the importance of pursuing individual happiness and empowering oneself through creativity and self-expression. The metaphorical painting of one's own world reflects the idea that everyone possess unique perspectives and talents that should be explored and celebrated.


Line by Line Meaning

You've got your mind made up
You are determined about something


Your heart's in a song
You are passionate about something


No pot to piss in
You are broke


But a voice of your own
You have your own unique style


You can take it anywhere
You have the power to change your life


This road leads you down
The path you chose will determine your future


Any old ghost town
You may end up alone and isolated


I hope it's all that you want it to be
I hope you achieve your dreams


Sometimes it is for me
Sometimes my dreams come true


Sometimes it ain't
Sometimes things don't work out


Life's a lot like a Ferris wheel
Life has many ups and downs


It's a hell of a thrill
Life can be exciting


But it just does the same old thing
Life can become repetitive


You paint yourself a picture
You have a vision for your life


That only you can see
Your vision is unique to you


Where the blue of the sky
Your vision includes beautiful imagery


Melts into the green of the sea
Your vision includes the natural world


Let the wind fill your sail
You need to let go and embrace change


And carry you along
Change will take you to new places


Sail on
Keep moving forward


Just remember that you've chosen this way
You made a conscious decision to follow your path


That's the price you pay
There may be sacrifices along the way


You're living your own life
You are in control of your life


No destination has been set for you
You have the freedom to choose your own destination


So take your green and blues
Take your emotions with you


And sail on our of sight
Keep moving forward, even when others can't see your vision


They'll try to get you caught up
Others may try to discourage you


In your own little web
They may try to trap you in their own expectations


Spinning out your demons
They may try to make you confront your struggles


With a price on your head
There may be consequences for following your own path


They'll try to take your faith away
They may try to make you doubt yourself


You got to stand tall
You need to be confident and resilient


Keep on singing your song
Keep being true to yourself




Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SHAWN ERIC MULLINS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found
Comments from YouTube:

@lyora2113

23 years that I've known about Shawn, these songs still pop into my head. Maybe the blinding lights have faded, but he still shines! Great interview btw.

@rshoutdoors3793

This planet became a better place the moment Shawn picked up an acoustic guitar.

@EpiphanyLayne

Agreed. I feel his vibrational frequency, as if we would be awesome with me as a co- or backup singer. Hahaha. What say thee, Mullins?

@nashmartin8768

One of the most underrunderrated singer songwriters of my generation.

@richardpearson9795

I found shawn though a divorce and 2 suicide attempts. The lyrics just guided me through the very hard times

@derrickandalese

Amen to that. 100% agree.

@kedec

Shawn Mullins eases all my anxiety and makes me think of happy times when I listened to him with my mom as a kid. ❤️❤️❤️

@catherinebeatific535

My oldest 3 listened to him growing up and now my littles. My oldest son called me the other day describing "twin rocks Oregon" so I could Identify it for him. He wanted to learn how to play it on guitar. ❤

@angelamccoll9786

Shaun Mullins is amazing and such a joy to the soul...up there with Bob Dylan , Leonard Cohen and Johnny Cash...he is a legend right now...😊😊

@MarkinSeattle7

Shawn's such a fantastic artist.... criminally underappreciated. If he would have come out in the 70's singer-songwriter era he would be huge. Anyway, I've loved your music and storytelling for a long time, Shawn, thanks for what you've brought to the world.

More Comments