The official music video was released on October 18, 2016. It featured footage by filmmakers and artists around the world answering the question, “What does it mean to be human?” The duo said: “We believe that everyone is equal. We are all human. We all deserve the world. And we can build that equality by sharing what love, knowledge and magic we have, with others.”
In an interview with Stereo Fox, they talked about how important it was for them to write a song about ignoring the monotony of life and challenging yourself as a human:
It’s easy to sit and do the same thing, play it safe, not take risks. If you don’t critically look at yourself from time to time, it’s easy to slide onto the conveyor belt of life and do the same thing day in and day out, which to us, isn’t living. Life is about challenges and risks and the excitement of the new and the unknown.
All We Do
Oh Wonder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
All we do is, all we do is hide away
All we do is chase the day
All we do is, all we do is chase the day
All we do is lie and wait
All we do is, all we do is lie and wait
All we do is feel the fade
I've been upside down
I don't wanna be the right way round
Can't find paradise on the ground
I've been upside down
I don't wanna be the right way round
Can't find paradise on the ground
All we do is hide away
All we do is, all we do is hide away
All we do is chase the day
All we do is, all we do is chase the day
All we do is play it safe
All we do is live inside a cage
All we do is play it safe
All we do, all we do
I've been upside down
I don't wanna be the right way round
Can't find paradise on the ground
I've been upside down
I don't wanna be the right way round
Can't find paradise on the ground
All we do is hide away
All we do is, all we do is hide away
All we do is chase the day
All we do is, all we do is chase the day
All I did was fail today
All I wanna be is whites in waves
All I did was fail today
All we do, all we do
"All We Do" is a melancholic song that is centered around the theme of escaping reality. The lyrics suggest that the two individuals in the song spend a lot of their time hiding away from the world, chasing fleeting moments of happiness, and living inside a cage of their own making. They feel like they are stuck in a cycle of lies, waiting for something to change, but life continues to fade away.
The opening lines, "All we do is hide away, all we do is, all we do is hide away" give the impression that they are running away from something, possibly from themselves or the difficulties of daily life. The verses "All we do is play it safe, all we do is live inside a cage" suggest that they may be afraid of taking risks or making any changes, which could lead to disappointment. They choose instead to hide their feelings, waiting for something to happen while chasing after happiness, constantly feeling like they are just missing it.
The lines, "I've been upside down, I don't wanna be the right way round, can't find paradise on the ground" signify that the person singing is tired of the norms and daily life structure. They desire a change of perspective that avoids the traditional way of doing things. These lines showcase the desire to achieve something extraordinary beyond the traditional ways, just as paradise isn't found on the ground.
Overall, All We Do is a beautiful and despairing song that perfectly captures the feeling of being stuck and life fading away.
Line by Line Meaning
All we do is hide away
We constantly avoid confronting our problems and hide from reality.
All we do is, all we do is hide away
Our sole activity is to escape from our responsibilities.
All we do is chase the day
We are always striving to achieve more and seeking instant gratification, instead of being content with what we have.
All we do is, all we do is chase the day
Our existence is defined by the constant pursuit of fleeting pleasures and accomplishments.
All we do is lie and wait
We are passive and resigned to waiting for something good to happen to us without taking any action.
All we do is, all we do is lie and wait
We do not make the effort to improve our situation and simply wait for life to pass us by.
All we do is feel the fade
We are aware that life is fleeting and constantly changing, and we feel lost and uncertain about our future.
All we do is, all we do is feel the fade
Every action we take seems insignificant and pointless in the grand scheme of things.
I've been upside down
I've been feeling disoriented and unsure of myself.
I don't wanna be the right way round
I don't want to conform to society's expectations and norms.
Can't find paradise on the ground
I cannot find true happiness and fulfillment in the material world.
All we do is play it safe
We avoid taking risks and prefer to stay in our comfort zone.
All we do is live inside a cage
Our fears and insecurities prevent us from fully experiencing life and taking advantage of all its opportunities.
All we do, all we do
These patterns of behavior define the entirety of our existence.
All I did was fail today
I did not succeed in achieving my goals today.
All I wanna be is whites in waves
I want to experience the freedom and happiness that comes with being in the ocean's white waves.
All we do, all we do
Our lives are defined by these patterns of behavior, and it seems there is no escape from them.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: ANTHONY MICHAEL WEST, JOSEPHINE HILARY VANDER GUCHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@derpderpy2245
This song just makes me sing sad songs.
i just sing what comes to my mind
i'm a depressed 12 year old girl in real life.
i havent done anything "stupid" yet
i know no one listens to this anyway
but i just wanna speak.
i think i might become a singer when i grow up.
my voice still sucks but i wanna try to fullfill my dreams.
being seen by a person, it would make me happy,
no one cares anyway.
they lie.
its all they do.
lies are ways, to live.
what is a HAPPY LIFE?
@Relflow
Acceptance, that is a happy life.
No one can accept you if you haven't shown you.
Believe in you that believes in you.
For me?
There is nothing left upon my hands.
We looked at the same things,
Looked at the same things.
Gazed at the night sky.
Those, I cannot reach.
Even if I won't reach it.
Then, there should be something.
That remains in our hearts.
@pseudonymhacklife4111
This is my favourite. Favourite song, favourite album. I learned about Oh Wonder in 2015, when they were releasing 1 song per month (starting September 2014 according to Wikipedia).
Those first 15 songs have the most exquisite sounds, layered on the tracks (Im not a musician, perhaps layered isn’t the right word, & perhaps it’s rudimentary editing …but, for instance there’s an ‘on again, off again’ background noise at 6 seconds, 15 seconds, and scattered throughout. I absolutely LOVE the various sounds my mind says I’m hearing -changing throughout the years depending on where I’m at with life. I’ve heard the transit train, airports, the ocean, the wind, and just plain recording static -all from the same sound (yet different life phase).
Apparently All We Do has become commercialized (congratulations!) and is on television shows, nowadays. When I think about the people who find the music for tv shows (which btw, is exactly how I heard this song and found OH, in 2015) I’m just astonished and unbelievably grateful they exist and obviously have great taste.
Most important thing I wanna say to anyone reading my comment …please watch the extended version that result from OH inviting filmmakers around the world to contribute their video. You can’t help but be moved.
ago
"literally at this second (…) being a human is pretty much the hardest thing to be."
Nothing but love, Oh Wonder, nothing but love.
@kabc359
Who is here because tv series Unforgotten :)
@ashmedai7429
I'm here because of Elementary, which I started over because I wasn't in the mood for anything else, but there's so many people talking about this Unforgotten show I may have to give that a go.
@crsingh1565
Include me
@cherylsantos5332
Watching for the first time in 2021. Awesome show with music to fit. 💙💙💙💙💙
@clickbait0351
Yes
@thereallcee503
I am! Unforgotten is the best TV series around atm
@dengriffiths1837
This is such a haunting song. I remember the first time the series was broadcast. Most of the music i like is from the '60's. I am now 76 and very touched by this song excellent 👍👍
@Countplato
I rarely find new music I like anymore being close to turning 60 years old. I'm always so impressed by our youth when I find something as moving as this.
@elysehfm8797
Long shot here, but have you heard Jake Bugg singing Broken from The Graham Norton Show? It's gorgeous.
@Countplato
@@elysehfm8797 I haven't. But I do bookmark the Graham Norton show, then binge watch it. Do you remember the episode (season & number)?