Yorn started as a drummer who also played guitar. In 1990, he was drumming for his band in a high school talent contest when someone suggested he sing the Replacements song "Talent Show." That went over so well, a competing band asked him to sing Neil Young’s "Rockin' In the Free World" with them.
He was first recognized when the Farrelly brothers picked "Strange Condition" for their film Me, Myself & Irene.
He has gained increasing popularity following the use of his song "Just Another" on popular WB television show Dawson's Creek.
Another of his songs, Murray was used in the credits of the film Igby Goes Down
The song "Undercover" was used in the first Spiderman movie and appears on the soundtrack.
The song "Lose You" was used in the closing of an episode of House on Fox.
Sans Fear
Pete Yorn Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The life I want to lead
But I'm not started all brand new
Get cool in losing you
Oh, we know
At least we hope so
Oh we know there's something better than before
And I can never change you
I can only change my view
We tried, we seen what is true
I hate to bring this up
Normalcy, just don't agree with me
I hate this big disguise
Oh now, I go to sleep my dear
In your arms for the final time no fear
'Cause I will never change you
I will never change you
I will only change my view
And my eyes are open
I wish yours could be open too
But something, something, something
Won't let me wake you
While awake, still shaking from the dream
The life I have to lead
Every night I toss and turn I try
To open up your eyes
Open up your eyes
Your eyes
The song Sans Fear by Pete Yorn is an introspective piece about the difficulty of letting go of a past love and the desire to move on to a better future. The opening lyrics set the tone for the song with the singer waking up still shaking from a dream of the life he wishes to lead, but realizing that he has not yet begun to start anew. The line "get cool in losing you" suggests an acceptance of the reality that the relationship is over and it's time to let go. The chorus emphasizes the idea that even though there's no going back, there's a conviction that there's something out there that's better than what came before. The lines "I can never change you, I can only change my view" represent the realization that he cannot control anyone else's actions or feelings, but he can control his own perspective and attitude.
The middle section of the song is where the singer makes peace with the situation and tries to move on. He acknowledges that it's difficult to accept normalcy after the emotional upheaval of the failed relationship. However, he's come to terms with it and is ready to move forward. The bridge "I will never change you, I will only change my view" is repeated again for emphasis, as if to say that acceptance is the key to moving on from the past.
The final verse acknowledges the difficulty of letting go completely. The singer wishes that the other person could open their eyes too and see what he's come to realize, but understands that it's not up to him to control their actions. The final line of the song "Every night I toss and turn I try, to open up your eyes" is left unresolved, suggesting that even though he's trying to let go, his feelings are still unresolved.
Overall, Sans Fear is a moving and powerful song about the struggle of letting go of an old love and the courage it takes to move on to a brighter future.
Line by Line Meaning
I wake still shaking from a dream
I am still disturbed by a dream I had
The life I want to lead
The kind of life I aspire to have
But I'm not started all brand new
I don't have a completely fresh start
Get cool in losing you
I am trying to stay calm despite losing you
Oh, we know
We are aware
At least we hope so
We have some hope about the situation
Oh we know there's something better than before
We believe that there is something better out there
And I can never change you
I cannot change who you are
I can only change my view
I can only change my perspective
We tried, we seen what is true
We have made an effort and know what is real
I hate to bring this up
I am reluctant to mention this
Normalcy, just don't agree with me
I don't like things to be normal
I hate this big disguise
I dislike pretending to be something I'm not
Oh now, I go to sleep my dear
I am going to sleep now
In your arms for the final time no fear
I feel safe with you even though this is our last time together
'Cause I will never change you
I will not try to change you
I will only change my view
I will only change how I perceive things
And my eyes are open
I am fully aware
I wish yours could be open too
I wish you could see things the way I do
But something, something, something
There is something, something, something
Won't let me wake you
That prevents me from waking you up
While awake, still shaking from the dream
I am still trembling even though I am awake
The life I have to lead
The life I must live
Every night I toss and turn I try
I struggle every night to find a solution
To open up your eyes
To help you realize something
Open up your eyes
To become enlightened
Your eyes
Your vision
Lyrics © OBO APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind