We May Be The Ones
Paul Westerberg Lyrics


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They bought me a suit
Gave me fifty dollars
Gone today, I'll be here tomorrow
Need a leap of faith, or a jump of stupid
Either way, don't know what I'm doing

Time, in time
You hear my footsteps
Time, time
Baby, hear my footsteps

Well, it's heads, I win
Tails, we flip again
I bluffed and lost
Hated, so they win
Asking you, smile for the people
Just passing through the eye of a needle

Time, in time
You'll hear my footsteps
Time, time
In time, you'll hear my footsteps

Walk a thousand feet
I'm so afraid to be free

Won't wait for a girl
Honey you're mistaken
Weight of the world,
Leave my shoulders aching
Every night it's gone
Ain't sure what I had
I'm gonna clap for myself
Think with my hands
A leap of faith or a jump of stupid
Either way, don't know what I'm doing
If you follow me around
With a tape recorder
I'm sure you'll get a load of footsteps

Feel my footsteps




Footsteps
Footsteps

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of "Footsteps", by Paul Westerberg, are introspective and filled with a sense of uncertainty. This feeling is conveyed through the lines "Need a leap of faith, or a jump of stupid, Either way, don't know what I'm doing". The singer is clearly at a crossroads, unsure of which direction to take. He talks about the weight of the world and the ache in his shoulders, conveying a sense of exhaustion and weariness.


Throughout the song, there is a suggestion that the singer is a transient or a wanderer, passing through different places and situations, without ever quite finding a home. The lines "Gone today, I'll be here tomorrow" and "Asking you, smile for the people, Just passing through the eye of a needle" suggest a transitory and temporary existence. This sense is further emphasized in the repetition of the phrase "time, in time, you'll hear my footsteps", creating a feeling of constant movement and progression.


However, despite the uncertainty and transience of the singer, there is also a sense of resilience and determination conveyed by the lyrics. This is particularly evident in the phrase "won't wait for a girl, honey you're mistaken", suggesting a refusal to be held back or stalled by external factors. The singer is determined to move forward, even if they don't know what lies ahead.


Overall, "Footsteps" is a song that conveys a sense of ambiguity and wandering. It speaks to the human condition of uncertainty, even in the face of life's challenges. While the singer may not know what they're doing, they are nevertheless determined to keep moving forward.


Line by Line Meaning

They bought me a suit
Someone gave me a formal attire


Gave me fifty dollars
Also, I was handed a sum of money


Gone today, I'll be here tomorrow
Going anywhere has no effect on my presence here


Need a leap of faith, or a jump of stupid
I require an optimistic mindset to do what I intend to do


Either way, don't know what I'm doing
I am uncertain about my actions, regardless of my decision at the time


Time, in time
Time keeps ticking away, always, forever in endless routine


You hear my footsteps
My footsteps eventually becoming louder, as I continue walking on this path


Baby, hear my footsteps
My movement is heard as I take each step


Well, it's heads, I win
I take what I want, whenever I can


Tails, we flip again
If I fail to get what I want, I gamble once more for a better outcome


I bluffed and lost
I falsely pretended to have a winning hand, but it backfired on me


Hated, so they win
I became disliked, leaving them the victors


Asking you, smile for the people
Can you make a fake expression for the sake of social etiquette?


Just passing through the eye of a needle
Living like trying to fit a large object through a tiny opening


Walk a thousand feet
I'm walking towards the future, one step at a time


I'm so afraid to be free
I'm scared to be unencumbered by my past


Won't wait for a girl
Not planning on being patient to get things done


Honey, you're mistaken
You're incorrect concerning my intentions


Weight of the world,
Bearing a heavy burden on my shoulders


Leave my shoulders aching
This leaves me with physical pain


Every night it's gone
Each day passes by so quickly


Ain't sure what I had
I'm uncertain about the value of what I previously had


I'm gonna clap for myself
I'll applaud my own achievements


Think with my hands
I put my hands to work in order to create


If you follow me around
If you monitored my travels closely, you'd realize


With a tape recorder
Using a device that records sound information


I'm sure you'll get a load of footsteps
You will undoubtedly keep track of my footprints


Feel my footsteps
Sensing my movements through the area


Footsteps
The sound of me walking along




Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: PAUL WESTERBERG

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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