The song is a love song sung in the character of a mad scientist who created a girlfriend à la Dr. Victor Frankenstein and is subsequently attacked and seemingly killed by neighboring villagers for doing so.
Live
Paul and Storm Lyrics
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It was the shade of forest green
He rode as fast as lightning
He's the happiest boy you've ever seen
Spivey hit a speed bump
Fell and cracked his head
Spivey hit a moving car
He fell and scraped his knee
In "Live," Paul and Storm sing about the unstoppable flow of time and how it affects us all. The song is full of poetic language that describes the inexorable progress of life, with rivers that never seem still and a world that is constantly changing. The lyrics suggest that we are left with nothing but our own thirst for experience and understanding, as the great events of our lives slip away into memory. The chorus of the song emphasizes this idea, with the repeated line, "This cruel fate is our curse / In the flow of time."
The verses of the song take a more specific look at how the past can affect us. The lyrics speak of cherished memories and decisive events that now seem distant and blurred. The language here is particularly evocative, with references to "monuments to a past / Twisted out of form" that paint pictures of once-meaningful experiences that have become distorted over time. Again, the theme of the inevitable passage of time is present in the lyrics, as the song suggests that we are powerless to stop the constant storm of life.
Line by Line Meaning
Rivers of life never seem still
The journey of life is constantly moving, never stopping or staying stagnant.
Flowing through eternity
Life continues on forever, never-ending or beginning.
On through valleys and hills
Life has its highs and lows, its ups and downs.
Underneath and high above
Life exists in both the visible and hidden realms, the physical and spiritual.
Yet we're left with only thirst
Despite being surrounded by so much life, we are left feeling unfulfilled and wanting more.
Loose traces of how it all came to be
The origins and meaning of life are difficult to understand and grasp, leaving us with only fragments of knowledge.
This cruel fate is our curse
We are doomed to suffer through the trials and tribulations of life, unable to escape its grasp.
In the flow of time
Life is an ever-changing, constantly moving force that is affected by the passage of time.
For each moment
Every second and experience in life is valuable and important.
Each cherished episode
Every significant moment in our lives is worth remembering and holding onto.
Each decisive event
The moments in life that change our course, for better or for worse, are crucial and impactful.
All belong to yesterday
Every moment in life is fleeting and eventually becomes a part of our past.
Monuments to a past
Our memories and experiences are like monuments, reminding us of what we have been through and how far we have come.
Blurred and fading away
As time passes, our memories become less clear and we begin to forget the details of our past experiences.
Twisted out of form
As our memories fade, the way we remember events can become distorted or changed.
Life is a constant storm
Life is filled with chaos and unpredictability, much like a storm that is constantly raging.
This cruel fate is our curse
Once again, we are reminded that life is difficult and painful, full of both beauty and suffering.
In the flow of time
The cycle of life continues, always moving and changing with the passage of time.
Lyrics © DistroKid
Written by: Kevin Anderson, Paul Summers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Dilettante15
This song is so unbearably sad, despite the obvious element of humor. Brilliantly executed.
@jenr5426
I got to see them live at PAX a few years ago.
They are really funny.
@notasfarwest
This song makes me think of the eventual Dr Horrible sequel.
@ebiljebus
Just as Big Dick Farts a Polka is JoCo's perfect imitation of P&S's style, so is this a perfect imitation of JoCo's style.
@Jameskoek
This song is literally them making fun of Jonathan Coulton and it's so beautiful.
@HunhowsShadowStalker
They're not making fun of him, they're merely emulating his style out of respect.
There's a difference between making fun of something (mockery) and an affectionate parody (respectful).
@FlatlandsSurvivor
when this showed up on my JoCo pandora I legit thought it was him.
@Melkarion
@@HunhowsShadowStalker Jonathan's reply was "Big Dick Farts A Polka" so I think it's safe to infer that there was a bit of (friendly) mockery on both sides...
@allyourmaze
Beautiful.
@charliebobluanski2
My life described into a song.