http://www.nathanielrateliff.com/
Members:
Nathaniel Rateliff
Patrick Meese
Julie Davis
Joseph Pope III
James Han
Something Beautiful
Nathaniel Rateliff Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Skippin' stones
In the end it's what you know
Found my feet
They were firm
What you leave is what you burn
In the second verse
Never found me in the first
Away
Does it bend and break
And you look so vain
Ohhh oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Broke my heart
Broke my will
It was all so much to fill
Every turn
Every road
It would all lead back to you
Feel my words
Running out
How we end we're livin' down
Away
And I have a say
And it's not too late
Show me
Something beautiful
Show me
Something beautiful
Show me
Something beautiful
Ohhhhh ohhhhhhhhh oh oh oh oh oh
I was out
In the dust
Kickin' weeds out from the trucks
I was old
You were young
Who believe it ever come
Away
My hands can take
The trucks and breaks
(but there's nothing left of me)
Show me
Something beautiful
Show me
Something beautiful
Show me
Something beautiful
The lyrics of Nathaniel Rateliff's song Something Beautiful is a deeply introspective reflection of the past failures and heartbreaks of the artist. The opening lines depict the artist out, skipping stones, and contemplating life. He realizes that in the end, all that matters is what we know, what we learn from our experiences. As the song progresses, it becomes evident that the artist is haunted by his past relationships as every turn and road leads him back to his lover.
The repeated lines of "away," and "something beautiful" signify a need for change and the search for peace and beauty amidst the pain. The lines "Broke my heart, broke my will, it was all so much to fill" showcase the gravity of the heartbreak and how it completely consumed the artist. Finally, in the last few lines, the artist pleads with the universe to show him something beautiful; something that will make the pain worth it.
Overall, the lyrics of Something Beautiful take the listener on a journey of pain, regret, and the search for peace.
Line by Line Meaning
I was out
I was outside, away from people and everyday distractions
Skippin' stones
I was enjoying a simple and carefree activity
In the end it's what you know
Your knowledge and experience help you make important life decisions
Found my feet
I became steady and confident
They were firm
I felt secure and grounded in my beliefs
What you leave is what you burn
The things you abandon or neglect will come back to haunt you
Won't find me
You won't see me or find me in a song or verse
In the second verse
I won't appear in a second part of a song
Never found me in the first
I wasn't present in the beginning or introduction of a song
Away
I am far from everyone and everything
Does it bend and break
Is something fragile and easy to break under pressure?
And you look so vain
And yet, you appear arrogant and self-centered
Broke my heart
You caused me emotional pain and sadness
Broke my will
You destroyed my determination and resolve
It was all so much to fill
It was too much to handle or too big of a task to complete
Every turn
At every opportunity or decision point
Every road
No matter the path or direction
It would all lead back to you
Everything seemed to revolve around you or involve you
Feel my words
The emotions behind my words are apparent
Running out
They're dwindling and slowly disappearing
How we end we're livin' down
Our final actions and decisions will define us and be remembered
And I have a say
I have some control or influence over the situation
And it's not too late
There's still time to make things right and improve the situation
Show me
Demonstrate to me
Something beautiful
Something that inspires and elevates the spirit
Ohhhhh ohhhhhhhhh oh oh oh oh oh
Musical interlude
In the dust
In a dirty or abandoned place
Kickin' weeds out from the trucks
Removing unwanted or unsightly obstacles from the surroundings
I was old
I had lived a long time and experienced many things
You were young
You were naive and inexperienced
Who believe it ever come
Who would have thought it would ever happen or come true?
My hands can take
I have the ability and strength to handle difficult tasks
The trucks and breaks
The heavy machinery and equipment that need maintenance and repair
(but there's nothing left of me)
I am exhausted and depleted, with little energy or motivation left
Contributed by Kayla I. Suggest a correction in the comments below.