The name Ric Veda comes from an English translation of The Rig Veda ऋग्वेद, which in Sanskrit Rig means 'praise' and veda means 'knowledge'. It's the earliest of the four Hindu religious scriptures known as the Vedas.
Though influenced by traditional music (whether Woody Guthrie for american folk, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan for Qawwali, Bhagavan Das for Indian Chants, George Naope for Hawaiian, Fela Kuti etc..) we also love modern rock bands like U2, Sigur Ros and Arcade Fire, along theatrical thought-provoking acts like Tom Waits, and Bob Dylan, and modern folk like Elliot Smith and Devendra Banhart. This combined with experimental elements of Dub, Soul, Hip Hop, and Breakbeats all come together to form the music we make.
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The impossibility of death in the mind of the living
Ric Veda Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
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?
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.