Shortly after composing the song while living in Los Angeles, Cole took a walk in the woods with her dad, seeking his approval.
"And I said, 'Dad, I wrote a song about you, about us. And before anybody else hears it, I need you to know the words and I want you to hear it. Because I need to know it's OK.' And so I told him. And he loves me. He releases me in that way.
"He said, 'I release you. You do what you want.' "
Her sentiments are beautifully conveyed in the last verse:
I'm looking back on the younger me trying so hard,
A fragile bird in the golden girl seeking love,
Her father's child; walking in his stride.
And I'm looking now at the older man you've turned out to be,
The hardness has softened to empathy,
We've made amends, we're better friends.
More than a rough-and-tumble decade later, those warm feelings are finally on public display as Raven's opening song. Equally hard to top.
Life Goes On
Paula Cole Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
She nearly died on the table giving birth to her first back in '63,
That was my sister Irene.
Moved into the trailer park in Ithaca, New York,
Took another job while he was going to school,
Another mouth to feed,
Well, that was me.
The seasons melt away like snow,
Oh round and round and round we go,
The years they pass away and life goes on.
Couldn't stop trying too damned hard,
Being everything to everybody but he couldn't hold up his heart,
And it broke him down.
So he left that town.
Moved again to the cold blue North, little town on the sea,
Innocent dreams of hope that they'd grow to be,
A little better than what he had.
Father, eagle-scout, mentor, boy.
Silence the table with that bear in your voice.
My frozen fear, my swallowed tears,
Always coming down the hardest on the ones that you love best.
All my life I've looked to your eyes.
I'm looking back on the younger me trying so hard,
A fragile bird in the golden girl seeking love,
Her father's child, walking in his stride.
And I'm looking now at the older man you've turned out to be,
The hardness has softened to empathy,
We've made amends, we're better friends.
In Paula Cole's song "Life Goes On", she reflects on her upbringing and family dynamics. The opening verse describes her sister Irene's birth, which happened when Cole's parents were very young. Her mother almost died during the delivery, and this traumatic experience likely affected the family for many years to come. Cole then sings about her own birth, as another "mouth to feed" in the family. Throughout the song, the theme of "round and round and round we go" evokes the cyclical nature of life and the passing of time.
The second verse speaks to the difficulties of Cole's father's life. He tried too hard to be everything to everyone, and eventually could no longer hold up his heart. He left the family to start anew, with innocent hopes that his children would have a better life than he did. The lyrics then describe Cole's father as a provider and mentor, but also as someone who was tough on his loved ones. She talks about the fear and tears he caused her, but also acknowledges that she has always looked up to him.
Finally, in the last verse of the song, Cole reflects on both her own growth as a person and her father's changing character. She was once a "fragile bird in the golden girl seeking love", but has since grown into an adult with more empathy and understanding of the world around her. Similarly, her father has softened in his older age, and they have come to better understand and appreciate each other.
Overall, "Life Goes On" is a reflection on family, the passage of time, and the cyclical nature of life. It addresses trauma, resilience, growth, and forgiveness, all through the lens of Cole's personal experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
Love child accident born to children themselves,
I was born as an accident to young parents who were themselves still children.
She nearly died on the table giving birth to her first back in '63.
My older sister almost died while giving birth to her first child in 1963.
That was my sister Irene.
Irene is my sister who almost died during childbirth.
Moved into the trailer park in Ithaca, New York,
We moved into a trailer park located in Ithaca, New York.
Took another job while he was going to school,
My father had to take on another job while he was attending school.
Another mouth to feed,
I was born, and my parents had another mouth to feed.
Well, that was me.
That other mouth to feed was me.
Oh round and round and round we go,
Life keeps spinning in circles.
The seasons melt away like snow,
Time passes by quickly like melting snow.
The years they pass away and life goes on.
Time flies by, and life keeps moving forward.
Couldn't stop trying too damned hard,
My father tried too hard to be everything to everyone, but it took a toll on him.
Being everything to everybody but he couldn't hold up his heart,
He tried to please everyone, but he couldn't keep his own heart intact.
And it broke him down.
The pressure he put on himself led to his breakdown.
So he left that town.
He left the town and started over somewhere else.
Moved again to the cold blue North, little town on the sea,
He moved to a small town near the sea in the cold northern region.
Innocent dreams of hope that they'd grow to be,
He had hopeful dreams that his children would have a better life.
A little better than what he had.
He wanted his children to have a better life than what he had.
Father, eagle-scout, mentor, boy.
My father was an eagle scout, mentor, and role model.
Silence the table with that bear in your voice.
My father had a commanding presence that could silence a room.
My frozen fear, my swallowed tears,
I was afraid to speak up to my father and often held back my tears.
Always coming down the hardest on the ones that you love best.
My father was toughest on the ones he loved the most.
All my life I've looked to your eyes.
I've always looked up to my father.
I'm looking back on the younger me trying so hard,
I'm reminiscing on my younger self and how hard I tried to please my father.
A fragile bird in the golden girl seeking love,
I was fragile and vulnerable, trying to find love and acceptance.
Her father's child, walking in his stride.
As my father's child, I tried to follow in his footsteps.
And I'm looking now at the older man you've turned out to be,
Reflecting on my father and how he has aged.
The hardness has softened to empathy,
My father has softened over time and has become more empathetic.
We've made amends, we're better friends.
My father and I have reconciled, and our relationship has improved.
Writer(s): paula cole
Contributed by Aaron A. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@ateliecatiaeleo6734
amo tanto essa música!!! paula cole é maravilhosa!!! quero muito esse disco!