Who I Am
New Found Glory Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴

Don't say it'll stay this way forever

I'm afloat in the ocean trying not to sink
I'm a crack in the asphalt you walk by on the street
I'm a falling star you'll never see
The lash in your eye the I in team

So Who am I?

Don't say it'll stay this way forever
Don't say it'll stay this way forever

I'm the lesson you'll never learn
The sickness that was never your concern
I'm the big suprise at the end of the night
The bridge in the gap
The corner of your mind

So Who am I?

Don't say it'll stay this way forever
Don't say it'll stay this way forever

Don't say it'll stay this way forever
(you'll never know you'll dont dont you'll never know)
Don't say it'll stay this way forever
(you'll never know you'll dont dont you'll never know)

I'm holding on
Yes I am
Careful what I wish for
I am the knot in your stomach
The phlegm in your throat
The message saying you're not home

Don't say it'll stay this way forever
(you'll never know you'll dont dont you'll never know)
Don't say it'll stay this way forever
(you'll never know you'll dont dont you'll never know)





I'm afloat in the ocean trying not to sink

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to New Found Glory's "Who I Am" speak to the feeling of uncertainty and the struggle to define one's identity. The first line, "Don't say it'll stay this way forever", sets the tone for the rest of the song - a plea to avoid assuming that things or people will remain constant. The subsequent lines describe different aspects of the singer's personality, all of which seem contradictory or unaligned. They are "afloat in the ocean trying not to sink" - in other words, they are struggling to keep their head above water. They are "a crack in the asphalt you walk by on the street" - something easily overlooked or dismissed. They are "a falling star you'll never see" - something fleeting and unreachable. They are "the lash in your eye the I in team" - a paradoxical combination of visibility and obscurity.


The chorus repeats the question "Who am I?" - a deep and existential query that is often difficult to answer. The following lines continue to describe their personality, but with different images. They are "the lesson you'll never learn" - either because they are too complicated, or because they are overlooked. They are "the sickness that was never your concern" - the problem that nobody wants to address. They are "the big surprise at the end of the night" - something unexpected and possibly disruptive. They are "the bridge in the gap the corner of your mind" - a connection between things that seemed separate.


Overall, the song seems to suggest that the singer is struggling with their identity and unsure of where they fit in. They are searching for validation and recognition, but feel invisible and misunderstood. The repeated refrain "Don't say it'll stay this way forever" is a plea for understanding and empathy - a recognition that we are all constantly evolving and changing, and that there is always room for growth and transformation.


Line by Line Meaning

Don't say it'll stay this way forever
The singer is asking someone not to make a claim about the future because nothing lasts forever, including current circumstances.


I'm afloat in the ocean trying not to sink
This line metaphorically represents a feeling of being lost and struggling to stay afloat amidst challenges that are difficult to navigate.


I'm a crack in the asphalt you walk by on the street
This line is an analogy to describe feeling overlooked and unnoticed, insignificant and small in comparison to society's bustle of activity.


I'm a falling star you'll never see
This line represents faded dreams or ambitions that never fulfilled, as they are not visible or present in the future of the artist or the audience.


The lash in your eye the I in team
This line plays on the phrase, 'There is no I in team' and explores the artist's feeling of being unappreciated, perhaps a distraction or even a nuisance within a larger project or community.


So Who am I?
The singer asks this question to explore how they are perceived and to challenge the listener to see them in a more complete and nuanced way, beyond just surface-level observations.


I'm the lesson you'll never learn
This line talks of the singer's potential to help others learn through experience, to have a positive impact, but the listener fails to recognize or utilize it in any way.


The sickness that was never your concern
This line may represent something the artist has kept hidden or dealt with alone, a burden that was not shared or understood by others, and ultimately not cared for by them.


I'm the big suprise at the end of the night
This line may allude to the artist's potential to exceed expectations or surpass what people expect or perceive of them


The bridge in the gap
This line symbolizes the artist's ability to connect and unite different people or viewpoints, to facilitate connection or reconciliation.


The corner of your mind
This line speaks to the singer's relative atypicality, occupying a space that most might not focus on or spend time considering.


I'm holding on Yes I am Careful what I wish for
The artist is expressing determination to persevere despite struggles, while acknowledging that sometimes the outcomes may not be exactly what they hoped for or expected.


I am the knot in your stomach
This is another example of a physical sensation being used to describe an emotional or psychological feeling, in this case, the singer causing anxiety or unease in someone else.


The phlegm in your throat
Here the singer uses the idea of something unpleasant or inconvenient being inside oneself to represent a metaphorical element, such as regret or doubt.


The message saying you're not home
This line is a metaphor for not feeling welcomed or included, whether within a specific space, social network, or idea.


(you'll never know you'll dont dont you'll never know)
This part of the song features repeated phrases, suggesting that there is an element of mystery or complexity to the artist's identity or experiences that the listener may not ever fully perceive or understand.




Contributed by Ryan S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
To comment on or correct specific content, highlight it

Genre not found
Artist not found
Album not found
Song not found

More Versions