After gaining a following as a popular live act on college campuses, the band has gained popular success since signing to Lava Records in 2005, with their singles "Love and Memories" and "Shattered (Turn the Car Around)" gaining mainstream radio airplay. Speaking with Songfacts in an interview, Roberge explained "Love and Memories" was inspired by the Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet movie, The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
The members of O.A.R. first came together in Rockville, Maryland in the basement of drummer Chris Culos' childhood home in 1996. As a young group of musicians, they were the prototype of the modern, self-starting band--taking charge of their fate by working the internet and building an identifiable sound. The band’s music, a rock/reggae fusion, consisted of songs that were fully accessible, yet teasingly elusive. Attracting fans all across the country, the band members toured relentlessly, pushing their album sales through boundless dedication and word-of-mouth appeal, never waiting for the industry to catch up. O.A.R. owes much of their success to piracy and Napster, the mp3 sharing engine. Around 2000, O.A.R.'s popularity greatly increased among college students because their song "Crazy Game of Poker" was a huge hit on Napster.
By the time the band had reached their 10 year anniversary together, they had sold over 1.2 million albums and performed in front of over 1 million people. Their studio record, Stories of a Stranger, produced radio favorites “Love and Memories” and “Heard the World” as well as mtvU’s Most Downloaded Video of 2006, “Lay Down.” The band followed up the successful release with a live double disc CD and DVD set, Live From Madison Square Garden, recorded during the band’s second sold-out performance at the prestigious arena.
Early in 2008, the band members holed themselves up in a studio in Los Angeles to work on their next project, All Sides. The album was released on July 15th.
The Heaven Songfacts reports that the first single from O.A.R.'s seventh studio album, King was released on June 7, 2011 on Wind-Up Records.
. For more information about O.A.R., go to www.ofarevolution.com.
Not for Me
O.A.R. Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When your staring down your son
And your days will not be forgotten
If you live them as they come
When nobody wants to be just your best friend
Without competition
With nothing to hide
Watching your back doubles up your vision
This world is not for me, my love
It's all for you
This world was never free for me
But it will be for you
Listen true
When you fall
Get up again
I know this life might be hard to live
But It's not for me my love
It's all for you
I tired to vanish
Into the shadows
I tired to get away from it all
I couldn't manage
Imagine this life
With nothing to leave you at all
Then somebody picked me up
With the quickness
Wrapped me in blankets
Of patience and love
Brought me back from a broken existence
I feel no resistance to rising above
This world is not for me, my love
It's all for you
I'll tell you true
This world was never free for me
But it will be for you
That's what I'll do
If you fall get up again
I know that life might be hard to live
But it's not for me anymore
It's all for you
You know it's not for me
Oh no no
Not for me
Oh no no
I know it's not for me, my love
It's all for you
Not for me
Oh no no
This is not for me
Oh no no
This is not for me
Oh no no
This is not for me
Oh no no
And when you fall get up one more time
This life is yours for the taking
Not mine
Don't be afraid where you came from
Oh, man
You'll take it somewhere new
This world is not for me, my love
It's all for you
You know it's all for you
If you fall get up again
I know this life can be hard to live
If you got love
You should give love
Get back love
Take it home with you
It's not for me, my love
It's just for you
The lyrics of O.A.R.'s "Not For Me" express the love and responsibility that come with parenthood alongside the introspective understanding of one's place in the world. The opening verse emphasizes the inevitability of time and the importance of living each day as it comes. The songwriter notes that protection is necessary in a world where competition is prevalent, but true friendship comes from transparency. The second verse describes the challenges of life and the pressures of existence that can render one incapable of facing the world. However, through the love of others, broken souls can find strength to overcome such challenges.
Throughout the song, the songwriter makes it clear that the world is not for them but rather for their child. They emphasize the sacrifices they have made and will continue to make to provide their child with opportunities they didn't have. They recognize that life can be difficult, but they reassure their child that they will always be there to lift them up if they fall. The lyrics encourage the child to not fear their roots but instead use their past to create a better future.
Overall, "Not For Me" is a touching ode to parenthood, love, and the challenges of life. The songwriter acknowledges that the world is not perfect, but the next generation has the power to change that. They give their child the strength to overcome whatever obstacles they may face and the tools to make a better world.
Line by Line Meaning
Time is the only thing certain
The only thing we can't change is time and what we do with it in our lives.
When your staring down your son
When you have a child or someone that you care about, it's important to remember how you live your life affects them too.
And your days will not be forgotten
Your actions and experiences will stay with you, it's important to live them as they come.
If you live them as they come
Living in the moment is better than waiting for the future or dwelling on the past.
When nobody wants to be just your best friend
People often have their own motivations for being in a relationship or friendship, and it's important to be aware of that.
Without competition
Competition often creates stress and can be unhealthy for relationships.
With nothing to hide
When you have transparency in your relationships, it creates a better foundation for trust.
Watching your back doubles up your vision
Having the support of others allows you to see things more clearly and with a better perspective.
I make no decisions with unsteady eyes
Making important decisions while feeling uncertain or unstable is not the best way to achieve a desired outcome.
This world is not for me, my love
I am not the focus of this world, and my purpose is to help someone else, in this case, my love.
It's all for you
The world is my love's to take, and I want to help them succeed.
This world was never free for me
Life hasn't always been easy for me, but I want to help make it easier for my love.
But it will be for you
I believe that my love will have the freedom to create a better life for themselves than I ever could.
Listen true
I want my love to listen carefully and closely to what I'm saying, it's important to me.
When you fall
There will be times when things don't go as planned and you'll fail, but it's important to keep going.
Get up again
After falling, it's important to have the strength to stand up and try again.
I know this life might be hard to live
Life is difficult sometimes, but there are ways to make it better.
But It's not for me my love
I've realized that life isn't about me, it's about helping my love be successful.
I tried to vanish
There are times when I've wanted to disappear or escape from reality.
Into the shadows
I wanted to be away from the world and not have anyone see me or know my struggles.
I tried to get away from it all
I wanted to be in a place where I could forget about my problems and just relax.
I couldn't manage
I wasn't able to cope with all of my problems on my own.
Imagine this life
Think about the possibilities of what life could be like if you had nothing holding you back.
With nothing to leave you at all
Without any support, it can be difficult to succeed in life.
Then somebody picked me up
Fortunately, someone was there for me when I needed them the most.
With the quickness
They acted quickly to help me when I was struggling.
Wrapped me in blankets
The person who helped me showed me love and comfort during a difficult time.
Of patience and love
The person who helped me had both patience and love for me as I was struggling.
Brought me back from a broken existence
The person who helped me lifted me up from a place of sadness and despair.
I feel no resistance to rising above
With the help of others, it's easier to overcome obstacles in life and achieve your goals.
Oh no no
I have not forgotten that this world is not for me and that I am helping someone else succeed.
If you got love
Love is an important part of life and can help you to overcome obstacles.
You should give love
It's important to show love to others and give back to those who helped you.
Get back love
By giving back, you can receive more love and support from others.
Take it home with you
Bring the love you give to others back home with you, and share it with those closest to you.
It's just for you
I want my love to know that everything I'm doing is just for them, and that's what makes it all worth it.
Lyrics © REACH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: MARC ANDREW ROBERGE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind