The impossibility of death in the mind of the living
Ric Veda Lyrics


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when i knew what was

when i knew what was

when i knew what was

was the day that i knew nothing


oh i could tell everyone

oh i could tell everyone

that the sake of all we had

was for being a god.



though i could see we had wanted

believe that we are one

i could tell all we are none

we're experiencing self

we're experiencing self

we're experience itself



then i tried to grasp a star

i thought it was much closer

than i realized

that i'd never get that far

and i'll never reach that star

as long as i believe

i'm a human is all

i'm a human it's all

yeah, a human its all

and nothing else but flesh and bone

no

i

must be

nothing else

than flesh and bone

than flesh and bone

that is all that i must be

cuz i'll never reach beyond the sea

beyond a dream

skies above are all

beyond me



for i

knew that it would come

to a point where i would want

so much more than i had got

in a human form is all

in this human form is all

in the human form is all

cuz you can't do much

with all these things you have

and who am i to ask for more

when i'm thankful for all i got



who am i to ask for more

when i'm thankful for all i got



i'm so thankful for all i got

i'm so thankful



death

is impossible to know

when you're living even so

we all must go there someday

but what are we to say

when we lie inside our grave

and death is for the living

and isn't that the truth?



who has any proof?



well

i guess we must all go

to that place that we came from

what the hell is that supposed to mean

to us you and me

we're just living by and by

while the merchants rob the sky

and we're left all on our own

we're finding money to build a home

then we give it all to them

they'll build nice coffins in the end

they'll build nice coffins in the end



oh what is there to do?





what is there to do?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Ric Veda's song, "The impossibility of death in the mind of the living," convey a sense of existential questioning and introspection. The repeated lines " when I knew what was, was the day that I knew nothing" suggest a moment of realization that leads to a feeling of ignorance, humility and curiosity. The following verses grapple with the question of human potential and limitations, the nature of the self, the inevitability of death and the role of society in shaping our lives.


The line "the sake of all we had was for being a god" juxtaposes our desires and hubris with our limitations as humans. Despite our aspirations for greatness and godliness, we are ultimately confined to our human form. This theme is explored further in the lines "and nothing else but flesh and bone / that is all that I must be / cuz I'll never reach beyond the sea / beyond a dream." These lines suggest a resignation to our physical limitations and the acceptance that we can only experience the world as we are.


The song's closing lines "we're finding money to build a home / then we give it all to them / they'll build nice coffins in the end" allude to the societal pressures to conform and the futility of materialism in the face of death. The song ultimately poses more questions than it answers, and encourages the listener to reflect on their own existence and place in the world.


Line by Line Meaning

when i knew what was
Reflecting on a time when I thought I knew everything


was the day that i knew nothing
Realizing that I actually knew very little about the world and my place in it


oh i could tell everyone
I used to believe that the purpose of life was to be like a god


that the sake of all we had
The reason for everything we did


was for being a god.
Was to achieve god-like power and control over our lives and surroundings


though i could see we had wanted
Although it seemed like we were striving for something


believe that we are one
To feel a sense of connection and unity with everything around us


i could tell all we are none
In reality, we are insignificant and unimportant in the grand scheme of things


we're experiencing self
The only thing that we can truly experience is our own existence


then i tried to grasp a star
I once thought I could achieve something that was unattainable and far beyond my reach


i thought it was much closer
I believed it was within my grasp, but in reality it was too far away


than i realized
Eventually I came to the realization that it was impossible to achieve


that i'd never get that far
I had to accept that some things are simply unattainable


and i'll never reach that star
Realizing that I will never be able to achieve this thing that I once thought was possible


as long as i believe i'm a human is all
As long as I believe that I am just a human, limited by my own physical and mental capabilities


and nothing else but flesh and bone
I am just a biological creature, with no special or supernatural powers


no
No, I am not capable of achieving the impossible


i
I, a mere mortal


must be
Am required to accept and acknowledge my own limitations


nothing else
I am nothing more than a human being


than flesh and bone
Just a living, breathing organism, subject to the same physical laws and biological processes as any other creature


that is all that i must be
I must accept that I am limited by my own physical and mental capacities


cuz i'll never reach beyond the sea
I will never be able to achieve something that is truly beyond my abilities


beyond a dream
An unattainable goal, something that can never be realized


skies above are all
The universe and everything beyond it is beyond our grasp and comprehension


beyond me
I cannot hope to understand or achieve something that is beyond my capabilities


for i
Because I


knew that it would come
Had a sense that I would eventually reach a point where I wanted more than I had


to a point where i would want
A time when I would crave something more than what I currently had


so much more than i had got
A desire for something greater or more fulfilling than what I currently had


in a human form is all
However, I am limited by my own physical and mental limitations as a human being


cuz you can't do much
Because there are real limits to what we can accomplish as human beings


with all these things you have
Despite all of our possessions and achievements, we are still limited by our own humanity


and who am i to ask for more
I cannot hope to achieve something that is truly beyond my capabilities


when i'm thankful for all i got
I must be grateful for everything that I have and all that I have accomplished


death
The inevitability of our own mortality


is impossible to know
It is impossible for us to fully understand or experience death while we are still alive


when you're living even so
As long as we are alive, we will never be able to comprehend or experience death in its entirety


we all must go there someday
However, it is a reality that we must eventually face


but what are we to say
But there are no words or explanations that can truly describe what death is or what it means


when we lie inside our grave
Once we are dead and buried, we will no longer have the ability to understand or experience anything


and death is for the living
Death is something that only has meaning for those who are still alive


and isn't that the truth?
This is an undeniable fact of life


who has any proof?
There is no way to definitively prove or understand what happens after we die


well
However,


i guess we must all go
All of us are destined to eventually die


to that place that we came from
To return to the same state we were in before we were born


what the hell is that supposed to mean
This concept is difficult to grasp and seems meaningless to us while we are still alive


to us you and me
To all of us who are still alive


we're just living by and by
We are all just living our lives day by day, without truly understanding what it all means


while the merchants rob the sky
Meaningless pursuits distract us from the true meaning of life


and we're left all on our own
Ultimately, we are alone in our journey through life and towards death


we're finding money to build a home
We spend our lives in pursuit of material wealth and possessions, thinking that they will bring us happiness and fulfillment


then we give it all to them
In the end, the only thing that we truly possess is our own death


they'll build nice coffins in the end
Our possessions and achievements mean nothing in the face of our own mortality


oh what is there to do?
What is the true purpose of our lives and our existence?


what is there to do?
What can we hope to achieve in the face of our own inevitable deaths?




Contributed by Anthony B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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