Gundersen's music banks on strong lead vocals, boasting a poetic and lyrical charm, backed by ambient backgrounds of strings and percussion. Gundersen's music has been called a blend of melancholy folk and electric euphoria, occasionally drawing comparisons to the likes of Elijah Wyman, David Wilcox, and Damien Rice. Drawing the attention of crowds across the South Puget Sound region, Noah Gundersen regularly performs in a variety of settings, ranging from small college basements to more prestigious venues such as the Triple Door, the Crocodile Cafe, and the Columbia City Theater.
Gundersen and his younger sister usually create studio work on their own - together they have produced two EPs, a live album, and most recently two full length albums:
• Brand New World EP (Noah Gundersen) - 2008
• Live at The Triple Door (Noah Gundersen & The Courage) - 2008
• Saints & Liars EP (Noah Gundersen & The Courage) - Oct. 9, 2009
• Fearful Bones (The Courage) - Sept. 11, 2010
• Family (Noah Gundersen) - Aug. 6, 2011
Official site: noahgundersenmusic.com/
So What
Noah Gundersen Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No one said it would be this hard
I thought I'd get it right after the first few tries
But I just keep coming back to the start
There is a lesson in motion
Gripping the wheel as you steer
You gotta look through the turn as you're starting to swerve
So slow down
And look up
Stop acting so tough
Say I love you
Way too much
And if it kills you
So what
Thousands of tiny explosions
Are keeping this thing on its wheels
But it's a limited metaphor
You gotta give it a minute or you will never properly heal
Someone's deciding my future
Someone decided my past
Somebody said man it's all in your head
You're the only one that's making this last
So slow down
And look up
Stop acting so tough
Say I love you
Way too much
And if it kills you
So what
So slow down
And look up
Stop acting so tough
Say I love you
Way too much
And if it kills you
The song ‘So What’ by Noah Gundersen is a reflection on the difficulties of life and the need to slow down and live in the moment. The opening lines of the song set the tone for the rest of the piece: ‘No one said it would be easy / No one said it would be this hard.’ This is a sentiment that most people can relate to, as everyone has faced challenges at some point on their journey through life.
The chorus of the song is a call to action for listeners. Gundersen urges us to ‘slow down / and look up / stop acting so tough / say I love you / way too much / and if it kills you / so what.’ This is a reminder that life is short and should not be taken for granted. We need to live in the moment and appreciate the people and things that are important to us.
The song also acknowledges that life is messy and complicated, and that we don’t always have control over what happens to us. However, we do have control over how we choose to respond to those challenges. The final lines of the song sum up this sentiment: ‘someone decided my past / somebody said man it’s all in your head / you’re the only one that’s making this last.’ It’s a reminder that we have the power to shape our own lives and make the most of the time we have.
Line by Line Meaning
No one said it would be easy
Life is not easy and we should not take it for granted
No one said it would be this hard
Life can be harder than we ever imagined
I thought I'd get it right after the first few tries
We often assume that we'll excel at something without much effort but real learning takes time and effort
But I just keep coming back to the start
We don't always get it right the first time and may have to start from scratch repeatedly to get it right
There is a lesson in motion
Every experience we go through has a lesson that can be learned from it
Gripping the wheel as you steer
Taking control of your own life is important
You gotta look through the turn as you're starting to swerve
We have to remain vigilant and observe the changes happening around us
Cause nothing burns faster than fear
Fear can be paralyzing and can lead to bad decisions
So slow down
Take a step back and assess the situation
And look up
Become mindful and look for the positives around us
Stop acting so tough
It's okay to acknowledge our vulnerability and ask for help when needed
Say I love you
Expressing love towards others is something to be celebrated and cherished
Way too much
We can never say 'I love you' enough times
And if it kills you
If expressing love leads to vulnerability or being hurt, it's still worth doing
Thousands of tiny explosions
Life often presents us with a multitude of challenges which can seem overwhelming
Are keeping this thing on its wheels
Despite those challenges, we need to keep moving forward and maintaining a steady course
But it's a limited metaphor
The challenges we face cannot always be compared to something tangible like a vehicle
You gotta give it a minute or you will never properly heal
The process of healing takes time and it's important to have patience with ourselves
Someone's deciding my future
Sometimes, life can feel like it's out of our control
Someone decided my past
Our past experiences may have shaped us but we have the power to control our present
Somebody said man it's all in your head
Our thoughts can influence our reality and sometimes we need to change our mindset to see things in a different light
You're the only one that's making this last
We have the ability to change our present and future circumstances, regardless of what's happened in the past
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Andrew Park, Noah Gundersen
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Soumaya M'sallem
No one said it would be easy
No one said it would be this hard
I thought I'd get it right after the first few tries
But I just keep coming back to the start
There is a lesson in motion
Gripping the wheel as you steer
You gotta look through the turn as you're starting to swerve
Cause nothing burns faster than fear
So slow down
And look up
Stop acting so tough
Say I love you
Way too much
And if it kills you
So what
Thousands of tiny explosions
Are keeping this thing on its wheels
But it's a limited metaphor
You gotta give it a minute or you will never properly heal
Someone's deciding my future
Someone decided my past
Somebody said man it's all in your head
You're the only one that's making this last
So slow down
And look up
Stop acting so tough
Say I love you
Way too much
And if it kills you
So what
So slow down
And look up
Stop acting so tough
Say I love you
Way too much
And if it kills you
Soumaya M'sallem
No one said it would be easy
No one said it would be this hard
I thought I'd get it right after the first few tries
But I just keep coming back to the start
There is a lesson in motion
Gripping the wheel as you steer
You gotta look through the turn as you're starting to swerve
Cause nothing burns faster than fear
So slow down
And look up
Stop acting so tough
Say I love you
Way too much
And if it kills you
So what
Thousands of tiny explosions
Are keeping this thing on its wheels
But it's a limited metaphor
You gotta give it a minute or you will never properly heal
Someone's deciding my future
Someone decided my past
Somebody said man it's all in your head
You're the only one that's making this last
So slow down
And look up
Stop acting so tough
Say I love you
Way too much
And if it kills you
So what
So slow down
And look up
Stop acting so tough
Say I love you
Way too much
And if it kills you
Forcebound
This music means so much to my life. Truly a blessing to listen and sing along to. I can really relate to the words and I just get a great feeling. It cuts deep sometimes.
Vergil
Not sometimes all the time.
sawyer behel
Dude this guy needs more publicity he’s so amazing these lyrics ❤️🥺
Laudan Kirk
Every single song on this album is amazing- so buy it! Love this one and can listen to it on repeat! I can't wait to see this one as a music video. NG's songs are steeped in the art of storytelling.
TheGingerMike
Still my favourite song on the album and looks like it’s just got better.. well done keep it up making good music
Anthony Meyer
Noah speaks to my SOUL <3
Jan Martins
you've been my favorite artist and most listen to on spotify for the last 4 years... and keep counting. love everything you do
Aj Bodner
Way more people should here this song or his music in general
Ana P
Love this 😍