SLIPPING AWAY
Switchfoot Lyrics


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Remember coming home at four in the morning
Before the sun was up
Back when the east was a fire of gold
Just waiting for the rest of the sky to fall in love, hey

Our hope is just a metaphor, of something better
For all of our dreams tonight
And fear is just a shadow of the things that matter the most
And I fear that I'm losing hope tonight

Oh oh
I feel like I'm dreaming
Oh oh
Staring up at the ceiling
Oh oh
It's four in the morning
I can't sleep and it feels like a warning
Oh oh
You wouldn't believe me
If I could say it just the way that I'm feeling
Oh oh
The words that I wanted to say
I feel them slipping away

Remember that kid with the quivering lip
Whose heart was on his sleeve like a first aid kit
Where are you now, where are you now?

Remember that kid, didn't know when to quit
I still lose my breath when I think about it
Oh, where'd you go?
(Oh where'd you go?)

Oh oh
I feel like I'm dreaming
Oh oh
Staring up at the ceiling
Oh oh
It's four in the morning
I can't sleep and it feels like a warning
Oh oh
You wouldn't believe me
If I could say it just the way that I'm feeling
Oh oh
The words that I wanted to say
I feel them slipping away

I know this isn't what you had wanted
Past words in the present are haunting us now
And on and on and on and on
My heartbeat could tell you it's urgent
I try to shout but the words don't come out
I feel I'm slipping away

Oh oh
I feel like I'm dreaming
Oh oh
Staring up at the ceiling
Oh oh
It's four in the morning
I can't sleep and it feels like a warning
Oh oh
You wouldn't believe me
If I could say it just the way that I'm feeling
Oh oh




The words that I wanted to say
I feel them slipping away, oh (I feel them slipping away)

Overall Meaning

The song "Slipping Away" by Switchfoot is a melancholic reflection on the passage of time and the fragility of hope. The opening verses describe a memory of coming home at four in the morning and witnessing the beauty of the sunrise. The golden hues of the east represent hope and promise for something better. The lyrics suggest that hope is just a metaphor for a better tomorrow and that fear is a mere shadow of the things that truly matter. At the same time, the singer expresses his own doubts and insecurities, confessing that he feels like he is losing hope.


The chorus of the song repeats the line "oh oh, I feel like I'm dreaming" multiple times, implying a sense of disorientation and confusion. The singer is unable to sleep and describes the feeling as a warning. He wishes to express his thoughts and feelings but the words seem to be slipping away from him, leaving him frustrated and disheartened.


The second verse of the song refers to a person from the past who was once full of energy and optimism, but now seems to be lost. This could be a metaphor for the singer himself or anyone who is struggling to hold onto their dreams and hopes. The singer then repeats the chorus, emphasizing how he feels like he is slipping away from his own goals and aspirations.


Overall, "Slipping Away" is a poignant reflection on the fleeting nature of time and how our hopes and dreams can slip away from us if we don't hold onto them tightly. It also touches on the struggle to express oneself clearly and the frustration that can come when we feel like our words are failing us.


Line by Line Meaning

Remember coming home at four in the morning
Recollection of a time when the singer came back home at the early hours of dawn.


Before the sun was up
The singer arrived home when it was still dark outside.


Back when the east was a fire of gold
The eastern sky was aglow with the promise of a new day, filled with endless opportunities and possibilities.


Just waiting for the rest of the sky to fall in love, hey
The vast expanse of the sky was eagerly anticipating the arrival of the sun and the start of a new day.


Our hope is just a metaphor, of something better
Hope is merely a symbol of something greater that we all strive for.


For all of our dreams tonight
In the present moment, we all have dreams and aspirations, but we don't know how they will unfold.


And fear is just a shadow of the things that matter the most
Fear is a mere reflection of the things that are most important to us and hold the most significance in our lives.


And I fear that I'm losing hope tonight
The artist is afraid that they are losing their sense of hope and optimism for the future.


I feel like I'm dreaming
The artist feels as though they are in a surreal state of mind, disconnected from reality.


Staring up at the ceiling
The artist is lying down, looking up at the ceiling, lost in thought.


It's four in the morning
The time of day is four in the morning, indicating that the singer is restless and unable to sleep.


I can't sleep and it feels like a warning
The artist is unable to sleep and senses that something is not right, signalling a warning of impending danger or unease.


You wouldn't believe me
The singer believes that the person they are speaking to would not be able to comprehend the depth of their emotions.


If I could say it just the way that I'm feeling
The singer is struggling to convey their feelings in a way that is accurate and true to how they are experiencing them.


The words that I wanted to say
The singer has certain thoughts and emotions that they are unable to articulate through words.


I feel them slipping away
The artist is losing their grasp on the words they want to say and the feelings they want to express.


Remember that kid with the quivering lip
The artist is remembering a specific person from their past who was emotionally sensitive and vulnerable.


Whose heart was on his sleeve like a first aid kit
This person wore their heart on their sleeve, openly expressing and showing their emotions to others like a first aid kit is used to heal physical wounds.


Where are you now, where are you now?
The singer is wondering where this person is in their life today.


Remember that kid, didn't know when to quit
This person never gave up and kept pushing through no matter how difficult the situation became.


I still lose my breath when I think about it
The artist is still moved and impacted by the memory of this individual.


Oh, where'd you go?
The artist is questioning where this person is in their life right now and why they are no longer present.


I know this isn't what you had wanted
The singer is acknowledging that their current situation is not what they had hoped or anticipated for themselves.


Past words in the present are haunting us now
The spoken words of the past are having a negative impact on the artist and are affecting their present situation.


My heartbeat could tell you it's urgent
The singer's heart rate is elevated, indicating that their current situation is critical and requires immediate attention.


I try to shout but the words don't come out
The singer is attempting to vocalize their emotions, but they are unable to articulate them clearly and effectively.


I feel I'm slipping away
The singer is losing their grasp on their emotions and is struggling to stay grounded in the present moment.




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JON FOREMAN, TIM FOREMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Danilo Violin

Remember coming home at four in the morning
Before the sun was up
Back when the east was a fire of gold
Just waiting for the rest of the sky to fall in love, hey

Our hope is just a metaphor, of something better
For all of our dreams tonight
And fear is just a shadow of the things that matter the most
And I fear that I'm losing hope tonight

Oh oh
I feel like I'm dreaming
Oh oh
Staring up at the ceiling
Oh oh
It's four in the morning
I can't sleep and it feels like a warning
Oh oh
You wouldn't believe me
If I could say it just the way that I'm feeling
Oh oh
The words that I wanted to say
I feel them slipping away

Remember that kid with the quivering lip
Whose heart was on his sleeve like a first aid kit
Where are you now, where are you now?

Remember that kid, didn't know when to quit
I still lose my breath when I think about it
Oh, where'd you go?
(Oh where'd you go?)

Oh oh
I feel like I'm dreaming
Oh oh
Staring up at the ceiling
Oh oh
It's four in the morning
I can't sleep and it feels like a warning
Oh oh
You wouldn't believe me
If I could say it just the way that I'm feeling
Oh oh
The words that I wanted to say
I feel them slipping away

I know this isn't what you had wanted
Past words in the present are haunting us now
And on and on and on and on
My heartbeat could tell you it's urgent
I try to shout but the words don't come out
I feel I'm slipping away

Oh oh
I feel like I'm dreaming
Oh oh
Staring up at the ceiling
Oh oh
It's four in the morning
I can't sleep and it feels like a warning
Oh oh
You wouldn't believe me
If I could say it just the way that I'm feeling
Oh oh
The words that I wanted to say
I feel them slipping away, oh (I feel them slipping away)



All comments from YouTube:

Danilo Violin

Remember coming home at four in the morning
Before the sun was up
Back when the east was a fire of gold
Just waiting for the rest of the sky to fall in love, hey

Our hope is just a metaphor, of something better
For all of our dreams tonight
And fear is just a shadow of the things that matter the most
And I fear that I'm losing hope tonight

Oh oh
I feel like I'm dreaming
Oh oh
Staring up at the ceiling
Oh oh
It's four in the morning
I can't sleep and it feels like a warning
Oh oh
You wouldn't believe me
If I could say it just the way that I'm feeling
Oh oh
The words that I wanted to say
I feel them slipping away

Remember that kid with the quivering lip
Whose heart was on his sleeve like a first aid kit
Where are you now, where are you now?

Remember that kid, didn't know when to quit
I still lose my breath when I think about it
Oh, where'd you go?
(Oh where'd you go?)

Oh oh
I feel like I'm dreaming
Oh oh
Staring up at the ceiling
Oh oh
It's four in the morning
I can't sleep and it feels like a warning
Oh oh
You wouldn't believe me
If I could say it just the way that I'm feeling
Oh oh
The words that I wanted to say
I feel them slipping away

I know this isn't what you had wanted
Past words in the present are haunting us now
And on and on and on and on
My heartbeat could tell you it's urgent
I try to shout but the words don't come out
I feel I'm slipping away

Oh oh
I feel like I'm dreaming
Oh oh
Staring up at the ceiling
Oh oh
It's four in the morning
I can't sleep and it feels like a warning
Oh oh
You wouldn't believe me
If I could say it just the way that I'm feeling
Oh oh
The words that I wanted to say
I feel them slipping away, oh (I feel them slipping away)

Lars Gould

Dear SwitchFoot, fading west is the best thing that has happened to me this past week- ever since I first found it. I have jumped around songs all day everyday, making sure it was love is worth the fight, let it out etc.. Your music makes me feel like I'm dreaming when it's 4 in the morning.. I feel like I'm sleeping away

Dane Anderson

I can't say enough about this song. Reminds me of my brother when he was hospitalized a few months ago. We stayed up all night to see if he would survive a tragic injury. Thankfully he did and Jesus was with us the whole time. For a moment I felt like my brother was slipping away.

Lanman

You're making me cry man! Praise God that he recovered. Switchfoot's music always feels relevant and meaningful in my life. So I understand the feeling.

yesiamthatsarah

Words just cannot express in a simple YouTube comment how much this song means to me. I love it so much:)

Ken Pettit

let me just share something freely: I wouldn't have expected it, but as I sung and danced to this song in the freshness of the bright and waking morning, I broke forth in tears and fell to the floor. a passionate song, and the bridge is perfect. thankful for this.

Leah Robb the Arm-wrestling Artist 💪🖌

Amazing harmonies in this song; so close and intense! Love it! I've just rediscovered Switchfoot. I think they have become one of the most exciting bands I've heard! They were great 10 years ago, but I really feel that they are mature musical and lyrical artists now! Exciting! :) Ps. I LOVE "LIVE IT WELL" and have enjoyed listening to it with a friend currently going through withdrawals from heroin. So many of Switchfoot's songs are relevant for someone going through this. Keep going masters!

Hayley Campbell

Your music has changed my life. For every bad thing I've went through it has given me hope, your lyrics walked me through the rough times and centered me to focus on our almighty God when I started to lose sight. Thank you for that!

Tiago Crespo

Esse som é bom demais! 😁🙏🏾👏🏾👍🏾

Temidayo Agbetunsin

Switchfoot is one of God's blessings in disguise, they are a band you do not know, but somehow one of their songs you accidentally discovered or listened to touched your heart and soul even without mentioning the word God. Then you dig deep, listen more and you find some type of harmony, warmness and simple understanding that pulls a string in your heart and soul - you realize this has something to do with life and God. You become curious begin to love them while you love God more. Switchfoot is just beautiful.

When i am sad, depressed, confused, and not driven - i listen to their music to ease me out of my worries, connect me with my core and understand that my maker has a plan ..his will be done.

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