It tells the story about a family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant taking a cross-country trip in their VW bus.
How It Ends
Mychael Danna and DeVotchKa Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Gonna put it to the test
You wanted it to be blessed
And in your heart
You know it to be true
You know what you gotta do
They all depend on you
Yet you already know
How this will end
There is no escape
From the slave catcher's songs
For all of the loved ones gone
Forever's not so long
And in your soul
They poked a million holes
But you never let them show
Come on its time to go
And you already know
Yet you already know
How this will end
Now you've seen his face
And you know that there's a place in the sun
For all that you've done
For you and your children
No longer shall you need
You always wanted to believe
Just ask and you'll receive
Beyond your wildest dreams
And you already know
Yet you already know
How this will end
You already know (you already know)
You already know (you already know)
You already know
How this will end
The lyrics to "How it ends" by Mychael Danna and DeVotchKa paint a somber, existential picture of a person facing their own mortality and the inevitable end of all things. The first verse starts with the image of holding a grandmother's Bible to one's chest, signifying a desire for protection and guidance from a higher power. The person knows they will be tested, but they want the Bible to be blessed, to hold some sort of ineffable power. In their heart, they believe it to be true, but at the same time they know what they need to do. They are the ones on whom others depend - perhaps family, friends, or even society as a whole.
The second verse is more bleak. The person realizes that there is no escape from the "slave catcher's songs", a reference to the insidious nature of systemic oppression that affects so many lives. Those who have been lost are gone forever, but in the person's soul, there are a million little wounds that have been inflicted upon them by society. The person has kept these wounds hidden, but it's now time to move on.
The final verse offers a glimmer of hope, though it's a bittersweet one. The person has seen another's face, perhaps a representation of a divine being or a person who has undergone a similar journey. They know that there is a place in the sun for all they have done, and not just for them, but for their children as well. They no longer need to believe - they can simply ask and receive beyond their wildest dreams. Despite all of this, though, they already know how it will end.
Overall, the lyrics of "How it ends" grapple with some of the most fundamental questions of existence - what it means to live, why we die, and how we can come to terms with the unknowable. Through powerful images and stark language, the song captures a feeling of both despair and hope, reminding us that even in the face of the inevitable, there is still reason to keep moving forward.
Line by Line Meaning
Hold your grandmother's bible to your breast
Hold on tight to the words of wisdom passed down from your ancestors.
Gonna put it to the test
You're going to put the teachings to use in your own life and see if they hold true.
You wanted it to be blessed
You sought divine approval for your actions.
And in your heart
You know deep down inside.
You know it to be true
You're certain of what must be done.
You know what you gotta do
You're aware of the required steps.
They all depend on you
Others are relying on your leadership and decision-making abilities.
And you already know
You're fully aware.
How this will end
You know how the situation will ultimately conclude.
There is no escape
You're stuck in a difficult situation with no way out.
From the slave catcher's songs
The oppressive forces are trying to lure you into submission.
For all of the loved ones gone
You've lost many of the people closest to you.
Forever's not so long
Eternity doesn't seem as far away as it once did.
And in your soul
Deep down, at your core.
They poked a million holes
Others have inflicted a great deal of pain and damage.
But you never let them show
You've remained resilient and haven't let others see your vulnerabilities.
Come on, it's time to go
It's time to move on to the next phase of your life.
Now you've seen his face
You've encountered the being who will bring about the end.
And you know that there's a place in the sun
There's a reward waiting for you for all you've done.
For all that you've done
Your deeds will not go unrecognized.
For you and your children
For the sake of your offspring and their future.
No longer shall you need
You'll finally have everything you've ever wanted and won't need to struggle anymore.
You always wanted to believe
You held onto hope and faith through the difficult times.
Just ask and you'll receive
All you need to do is ask and your desires will be granted.
Beyond your wildest dreams
You'll receive more than you could ever have imagined.
You already know (you already know)
You don't need anyone to tell you.
You already know (you already know)
Your intuition has already guided you.
You already know
You're fully aware of what's to come.
How this will end
You know how it will all conclude.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@micheledanesi3380
Hold your grandmother's Bible to your breast
Gonna put it to the test
You want it to be blessed
And in your heart
You know it to be true
You know what you gotta do
They all depend on you
And you already know
Yeah, you already know
How this will end
There is no escape
From the slave-catcher's songs
For all of the loved ones gone
Forever's not so long
And in your soul
They poked a million holes
But you never let 'em show
Come on, it's time to go
And you already know
Yeah, you already know
How this will end
Now you've seen his face
And you know that there's a place
In the sun
For all that you've done
For you and your children
No longer shall you need
You always wanted to believe
Just ask and you'll receive
Beyond your wildest dreams
And you already know
Yeah, you already know
How this will end
You already know (You already know)
You already know (you already know)
You already love will end
@nitrocaygill4861
Whos listening in 2024
@DanielNYR
Little Miss Sunshine
@kevinshillenn7552
Big Sexy Baltimore
@Elitesolider1023
And I do especially since it began on E-day.
@sdfg-gj9to
You are, I only clicked on this video to tell you that. My speakers are on mute and so is everybody else's
@josss261
here
@babyalienss
this is one of those songs that could play at both your wedding or your funeral.
@LULUAVEIGA
Lol, right! :)
@Nox.INkRecords
Nailed it!
@kevinmcnee3770
And at both events you’d want an encore or two