The song was also covered by Lenka in 2008 on her self-titled debut album.
The band licensed "Gravity Rides Everything" for a commercial for Nissan's Quest, a move that Isaac Brock has publicly acknowledged as blatantly commercial but necessary to achieve financial stability.
Gravity Rides Everything
Modest Mouse Lyrics
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What's that riding on your everything
It isn't anything at all
Oh, gotta see, gotta know right now
What's that writing on your shelf
In the bathrooms and the bad motels
Not the gravity plan
Early, early in the morning
It pulls all on down my sore feet
I want to go back to sleep
In the motions and the things that you say
It all will fall, fall right into place
As fruit drops, flesh it sags
Everything will fall right into place
When we die some sink and some lay
But at least I don't see you float away
And on split milk, sex and weight
It all will fall, fall right into place
Oh, gotta see, gotta know right now
What's that writing on your everything
It isn't anything at all
Early, early in the morning
It pulls all on down my sore feet
I want to go back to sleep
In the motions and the things that you say
It all will fall, fall right into place
As fruit drops, flesh it sags
Everything will fall right into place
When we die some sink and some lay
But at least I don't see you float away
In Modest Mouse's song "Gravity Rides Everything," the lyrics use everyday observations and experiences to convey a deeper philosophical message about life, death, and the universe. In the chorus, the singer repeats "gotta see, gotta know right now" and questions what is "riding on your everything," referring to the unknown forces at work in the world that affect everything around us. The next lines state "it isn't anything at all," hinting at the idea that there may not be a grand purpose or explanation for these forces, but they still have a profound impact on our lives.
The lyrics also touch on the theme of mortality, with lines like "when we die some sink and some lay, but at least I don't see you float away." The use of the word "float" implies a sense of weightlessness and freedom associated with death, but the singer seems comforted by the fact that they don't have to witness someone they care about being lost to the void. The final lines of the song suggest that everything in existence, from fruit to flesh, will eventually fall into place or decay, and that we should perhaps find peace in this universal truth.
Overall, "Gravity Rides Everything" is a contemplative song that encourages the listener to consider the mysteries of life and the universe, and find acceptance in the inevitability of impermanence.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh, gotta see, gotta know right now
I'm curious and anxious; I want to understand what's happening immediately
What's that riding on your everything
What's weighing you down, what's stopping you from feeling light and free
It isn't anything at all
In the grand scheme of things, it's insignificant and unimportant
What's that writing on your shelf
What's written on your books, your belongings, your personal items
In the bathrooms and the bad motels
Even in places where we feel exposed and vulnerable
No one really cared for it at all
Our possessions and the things that weigh us down don't really matter to anyone else
Not the gravity plan
Our situation is not predetermined or controlled by some higher power
Early, early in the morning
At the start of the day, when the weight on our shoulders is the heaviest
It pulls all on down my sore feet
The burdens we carry physically and emotionally cause us discomfort and pain
I want to go back to sleep
Sometimes it feels easier to escape from our problems than to face them head on
In the motions and the things that you say
In the everyday actions and words we use to communicate
It all will fall, fall right into place
Everything will eventually work out according to fate or chance
As fruit drops, flesh it sags
Everything has a natural lifespan, and aging and decay are inevitable
When we die some sink and some lay
Different people have different outcomes after death
But at least I don't see you float away
At least I won't have to watch you drift away and disappear
And on split milk, sex and weight
Even things that seem important in the moment will eventually lose their significance
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: ERIC JUDY, ISAAC BROCK, JEREMIAH GREEN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind