Forty Days
Streetlight Manifesto Lyrics
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I've tried forty ways
You will never quite leave your sins behind
They'll haunt you, taunt you until the day you die
You will never really go.
You think about it much but you need to know how the story ends, so you sit around, even though you should just go
Tell your friends what you have heard, show them all the lies unlearned
And when you really go, you will really know you were never meant for mirth
What's it worth?
If we're going to break it down with any logic, it's absurd
And no matter where we go, we are not alone
When the silence turns to cries of "Why?"
What a way to begin: we inherit sin
And nobody's going to quench your thirst when the well runs dry, the well runs dry
And nobody's going to hold your hand on the day you die
I've tasted seven sins, so they won't let me in
I knock knock knock until my knuckles are bruised and raw
Stuck in the middle with my blood in a puddle on the floor
We made our beds, we'll judge ourselves
And only then and there will we disappear to our final resting place
What a waste!
So many decent people at the gates
And no matter where we go, we are not alone
When the silence turns to cries of "Why?"
What a way to begin: we inherit sin
And nobody's going to quench your thirst when the well runs dry, the well runs dry
And nobody's going to hold your hand on the day you die
And no matter who you know, you will be alone
When the silence turns to cries of "Why?"
What a way to begin: we inherit sin
And nobody's going to quench your thirst when the well runs dry, the well runs dry
And nobody's going to hold your hand on the day you die
The song "Forty Days" by Streetlight Manifesto is a poignant reflection on the human condition and the inevitability of sin, its lingering effects on the psyche, and how we all face our inevitable end alone. The lyrics express a sense of resignation towards the fact that we cannot escape our past, and though we may try different means to overcome our sins, they will always remain a part of us. It is a song about the struggle between accepting one's flaws and trying to rise above them. The repetition of the line "And nobody's going to quench your thirst when the well runs dry" serves as a powerful reminder that in the end, we are all alone and must confront our own mortality without the comfort of others.
The opening lines "And it's been forty days, I've tried forty ways" suggests a struggle against one's sins, yet despite the efforts, they continue to linger. The line "You will never really go" captures the idea that our sins will always remain a part of us, and we cannot escape them. The song explores the idea that we are all born with sin and that we carry it with us through our lives. The lyrics also touch on the idea that we may try to find comfort in the company of others, but in the end, we face our demise alone. It is a sobering reminder that we must learn to face our demons and come to terms with our own mortality.
Line by Line Meaning
And it's been forty days
I have spent a long time trying to undo what happened
I've tried forty ways
I have tried everything to fix what has happened but still feel trapped
You will never quite leave your sins behind
Your past mistakes will always stick with you
They'll haunt you, taunt you until the day you die
You will always be reminded of your past mistakes and it will affect the way you approach life until you pass away
You will never really go.
You are always going to be affected by your mistakes and will never truly escape them
You think about it much but you need to know how the story ends, so you sit around, even though you should just go
You constantly think about the outcome of your actions but still find yourself hesitating and not taking action
Tell your friends what you have heard, show them all the lies unlearned
Share your experiences with others and help them avoid the same mistakes you made
And when you really go, you will really know you were never meant for mirth
Once you pass away, you will realize that life is not all about happiness and joy
If we're going to break it down with any logic, it's absurd
If we try to make sense of life through logic, it will seem nonsensical and pointless
And no matter where we go, we are not alone
We are all connected and never truly alone in our experiences
When the silence turns to cries of "Why?"
In moments of confusion or despair, we question the meaning of our experiences
What a way to begin: we inherit sin
We start life with the burden of past mistakes that were not our own
And nobody's going to quench your thirst when the well runs dry, the well runs dry
When we are in need, we cannot always rely on others to help us
And nobody's going to hold your hand on the day you die
We must face death alone
I've tasted seven sins, so they won't let me in
One's past sins can sometimes lead to exclusion from certain groups or experiences
I knock knock knock until my knuckles are bruised and raw
Even when faced with rejection or obstacles, one will keep trying to make amends or seek acceptance
Stuck in the middle with my blood in a puddle on the floor
One can feel trapped in their mistakes and struggle to move forward
We made our beds, we'll judge ourselves
We are responsible for the outcome of our choices and will ultimately judge ourselves based on our actions
And only then and there will we disappear to our final resting place
Once we have reflected on our actions and judged ourselves, we can finally pass away in peace
What a waste!
It is sad to see so many people struggle and suffer in life
So many decent people at the gates
Many people try to do their best and be good individuals, yet they still suffer in the end
And no matter who you know, you will be alone
Despite our connections and relationships with others, we will always face certain experiences alone
Contributed by Abigail J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Several of Streetlight's members were already well known among the New Jersey ska community for their roles in past ska bands from that area, most notably Catch 22's Tomas Kalnoky, James Egan, Mike Soprano, and Josh Ansley, as well as One Cool Guy's Stuart Karmatz, Pete Sibilia, Dan Ross, and Chris Paszik. Read Full BioStreetlight Manifesto is a post-third wave ska punk band from New Brunswick, New Jersey, under the creative leadership of singer/guitarist Tomas Kalnoky. Since forming in 2002, the band has released four full-length albums.
Several of Streetlight's members were already well known among the New Jersey ska community for their roles in past ska bands from that area, most notably Catch 22's Tomas Kalnoky, James Egan, Mike Soprano, and Josh Ansley, as well as One Cool Guy's Stuart Karmatz, Pete Sibilia, Dan Ross, and Chris Paszik.
The band's first album, Everything Goes Numb, was released on August 26, 2003, and was distributed by Victory Records. They headlined their first ever show at Rutgers University on December 9, 2003 in front of a sold out audience.
The line-up has gone through several changes since the band's conception and currently consists of Matt Stewart on trumpet, Mike Brown on alto and baritone saxophone, Jim Conti on alto and tenor saxophone, Tomas Kalnoky on guitar and lead vocals, Pete McCullaugh on bass guitar, Karl Lyden on trombone, and Chris Thatcher on drums.
Though the band has enjoyed little mainstream commercial success, they have received acclaim in alternative music circles, and their debut album is currently in Interpunk.com's top 100 items, over 2 years after its release. In addition, they regularly sell out their live shows, and their first few shows at Rutgers and The Stone Pony not only sold out, but had people coming from as far as Minnesota and Canada. Their second album, a reworking of Catch 22's Keasbey Nights was released on March 7, 2006.
Streetlight Manifesto's third album, entitled Somewhere in the Between came out on November 13, 2007. Rumors also have it that the band is currently working on a series of 8 albums entitled "The 99 Songs of Revolution" in co-operation with Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution, a side-project of singer Tomas Kalnoky slated for release in early 2009.
On November 17, 2009, the band's website announced that "99 Songs of Revolution: Volume One" has been ready for release for quite some time but "some record labels are just plain horrendous." They are also in the process of arranging a tour for 2010 but will spend some time in the studio until they have "a few records to release."
The first album of 99 Songs of Revolution was released on March 16, 2010. On this CD, the band covered songs by artists such as The Postal Service, Radiohead, and NOFX.
Band Members:
Mike Brown - Baritone Sax
Karl Lyden - Trombone
Jim Conti - Tenor Sax
Matt Stewart - Trumpet
Chris Thatcher - Drums
Tomas Kalnoky - Guitar, Vocals
Pete McCullaugh - Bass
www.streetlightmanifesto.com