Patrick James grew up in coastal NSW town of Port Macquarie and has always … Read Full Bio ↴Patrick James grew up in coastal NSW town of Port Macquarie and has always been inspired by lyrically-driven guitar-based music like Bob Dylan and Colin Hay. That said, you can hear touches of Bright Eyes, Damien Rice, Boy And Bear and Fleet Foxes in Patrick’s songwriting, which essentially combines pretty chord progressions, acoustic guitar, a clever ear for harmonies and a charmingly unpretentious singing style with some very poetic and lovely lyrics.

Carry On
Patrick James Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Every grain in the depth below
Cause I can no longer stay for long
Wildness, it comes to me and then it goes
Be well and fruitful my love
Withered with the wind, it clawed my hairs
But now it's time to start it again and again
That mother's little son, it smiled at us
We used to be the baby to hold

Carry on, carry on, carry on, carry on
Cause it's the way you are livin'
Which counts to me
And the way you are livin'
That's nice to see
Carry on, carry on, carry on, carry on
Cause it's the way you are livin'
Which counts to me
And the way you are livin'
Is happy to see
And after all
The tree have grown so tall
And you will not be able to write to us all
But I will remember your face so dear
Be well and fruitful my love
Carry on, carry on, carry on, carry on
Cause it's the way you are livin'
Which counts to me
And the way you are livin'
That's nice to, nice to, nice to see
Carry on, carry on, carry on, carry on
Cause it's the way you are livin'
Which counts to me

And the way you are livin'
Is happy to, happy to, happy to see

Overall Meaning

The song "Carry On" by Patrick James speaks about the journey of life and the importance of living a happy and fruitful life. The opening lines, "Every grain in the depth below, cause I can no longer stay for long," evoke a sense of passing time, and a realization that time is limited. James then talks about how wildness comes and goes, but it's necessary to move on and start again. The lines "Withered with the wind, it clawed my hairs, but now it's time to start it again and again" hint at the struggles and hardships of life but also convey the message of perseverance and resilience.

The song is addressed to a loved one, with James emphasizing the importance of the way they live their life. He encourages them to continue to carry on and live happily. The lines "And after all, the tree has grown so tall, and you will not be able to write to us all, but I will remember your face so dear, be well and fruitful my love" suggest that life goes on, and even though it may not always be possible to stay connected with everyone, memories of loved ones will always remain.

Overall, "Carry On" is an emotional and introspective song that encourages one to live life to the fullest and persevere through the ups and downs.

Line by Line Meaning

Every grain in the depth below
Every small detail and aspect of life, no matter how insignificant, is important

Cause I can no longer stay for long
Time is fleeting, and one must make the most of the time they have

Wildness, it comes to me and then it goes
Life is full of unpredictable moments of chaos and excitement, but they are fleeting and must be cherished while they last

Be well and fruitful my love
Wish you happiness and success in life

Withered with the wind, it clawed my hairs
Experienced hardships that have left him feeling battered and bruised, but he has persevered

But now it's time to start it again and again
Even after facing difficulty, one should not give up, but continue to move forward and try again

That mother's little son, it smiled at us
A happy and innocent memory of a child who brought joy to the singer's life

We used to be the baby to hold
The artist remembers a time when they were young and vulnerable, and that they received the same love and care that they seek to emulate in their own life

Cause it's the way you are livin' which counts to me
The artist values how a person lives their life over external achievements or possessions

And the way you are livin' that's nice to see
The artist is happy to see someone living their life in a way that is fulfilling and positive

And after all the tree have grown so tall
Time has passed, and things have changed and grown in unexpected ways

And you will not be able to write to us all
It can be difficult to keep in touch with everyone as time goes on

But I will remember your face so dear
Memories of loved ones are precious and will always be cherished

Cause it's the way you are livin' is happy to, happy to, happy to see
The singer continues to express that they value seeing someone live their life in a positive and fulfilling way

Contributed by Adrian K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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