Although the band started out playing at Christian music festivals, they shun the label of "Christian rock," with singer and guitarist Jon Foreman saying, "For us, it's a faith, not a genre. We've always been very open and honest about where the songs are coming from. For us, these songs are for everyone. Calling us `Christian rock' tends to be a box that closes some people out and excludes them. And that's not what we're trying to do. Music has always opened my mind -- and that's what we want." They started out on Charlie Peacock's label "re:think" and spent several years appearing at Christian festivals and enjoying Christian radio hits. Most of their early tours were with Christian bands and both of the band's new members were borrowed from Christian bands.
Switchfoot did not see success outside of the Christian rock scene until they were featured alongside singer Mandy Moore on the A Walk To Remember soundtrack. The band's first true commercial success came in 2003 with the release of their fourth major label (and first mainstream label) offering, The Beautiful Letdown. The album went on to sell more than 2 million albums and Switchfoot became the most popular rock band to be associated with Christian music.
They were featured on the British Edition of the Spiderman II soundtrack along with the likes of Taking Back Sunday and Dashboard Confessional to name a few, in 2004 with the song 'Meant To Live'.
In 2005 Switchfoot released "Nothing Is Sound". The album went gold within 3 months and received much critical acclaim.
Switchfoot's highly anticipated album, titled "Oh! Gravity." was released on December 26th, 2006.
On November 10th, 2009, Switchfoot released their first album produced under their own label, lowercase people. "Mess of Me", a single from the album released months before the CD, has enjoy chart-topping radio plays since its release.
In 2010 Switchfoot released their album, "Hello Hurricane".
On September 27th, 2011, to much anticipation and excitement, Switchfoot released their newest album, "Vice Verses".
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Souvenirs
Switchfoot Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Here's to the memories
These are my souvenirs
My mental pictures of everything
Here's to the late nights
Here's to the firelight
These are my souvenirs
My souvenirs
I close my eyes and go back in time
I can see you're smiling, you're so alive
We were so young, we had no fear
We were so young, we had no idea
That life was just happening
Life was just happening
Here's to your bright eyes
Shining like fireflies
These are my souvenirs
The memory of a lifetime
We were wide-eyed with everything
Everything around us
We were enlightened by everything
Everything
So I close my eyes and go back in time
I can see you smiling, you're so alive
I close my eyes and go back in time
You were just a child then, and so was I
We were so young, we had no fear
We were so young, we had no idea
That nothing lasts forever
Nothing lasts forever
Nothing lasts
Nothing lasts
You and me together
Were always now or never
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
I close my eyes and go back in time
I can see you smiling, you're so alive
I close my eyes and go back in time
You were wide-eyed, you were wide-eyed
We were so young, we had no fear
We were so young, we had just begun
A song we knew, but we never sang
It burned like fire inside our lungs
And life was just happening (and nothing lasts, nothing lasts forever)
And life was just happening (and nothing lasts, nothing lasts forever)
I wouldn't trade it for anything
My souvenirs.
The song "Souvenirs" by Switchfoot is a reflective and nostalgic piece about the memories and experiences that one holds onto throughout life. The lyrics paint a picture of the singer revisiting moments from their past, looking back on their youth and innocence with a mix of fondness and melancholy. The opening lines set the stage for the tone of the song, as the singer raises a toast to the "twilight" and the "memories" that they carry with them. The repetition of the phrase "Here's to" reinforces the idea of tribute and commemoration, suggesting that these memories are important and worth celebrating.
As the song continues, the singer delves deeper into their recollections, conjuring up images of "late nights" and "firelight" that evoke a sense of warmth and comfort. The second verse is particularly poignant, describing the singer's ability to "see" someone who is no longer alive, and reminiscing about their shared experiences from a time when they were both "so young" and "had no fear." The line "That life was just happening" adds a bittersweet note, implying that the singer wasn't fully aware of the significance of those moments at the time, but has come to appreciate them in retrospect.
The chorus repeats the phrase "I close my eyes and go back in time," emphasizing the act of deliberate memory recall. The image of "bright eyes shining like fireflies" is both metaphorical and literal, suggesting the vividness and luminescence of the memories being revisited. The lines "We were wide-eyed with everything / Everything around us" express a sense of wonder and openness that the singer longs to recapture. The final lines of the chorus, "Nothing lasts forever / You and me together were always now or never," encapsulate the theme of impermanence and the fleeting nature of life.
In the final verse, the singer introduces the idea of a "song we knew, but we never sang," which "burned like fire inside our lungs." This could be interpreted as a metaphor for the passions or dreams that the singer and their companion shared, but never fully pursued. The repetition of the lines "And life was just happening" reinforces the sense of missed opportunities or unfulfilled potential. Despite this wistful tone, the song concludes on a positive note, with the repeated assertion that the memories and souvenirs that the singer carries with them are invaluable and irreplaceable.
Line by Line Meaning
Here's to the twilight
Let's celebrate the time between day and night
Here's to the memories
Toasting to all the experiences that shaped us
These are my souvenirs
Memories that I carry with me
My mental pictures of everything
The vivid images engraved in my mind
Here's to the late nights
Let's raise a glass to the times we stayed up long hours
Here's to the firelight
Commemorating the moments we spent by the fire
These are my souvenirs
Memories I cherish deeply
I close my eyes and go back in time
Reflecting on the past and trying to relive the moments
I can see you're smiling, you're so alive
Recalling a time when you were truly happy
We were so young, we had no fear
We were free from worry and anxiety
We were so young, we had no idea
We didn't know what was to come
That life was just happening
We were experiencing life as it unfolded
Here's to your bright eyes
Toasting to your joyful and vibrant eyes
Shining like fireflies
Bringing light and wonder into my life
The memory of a lifetime
A recollection that will never fade
We were wide-eyed with everything
We approached the unknown with curiosity
Everything around us
The world was full of possibility and excitement
We were enlightened by everything
Our experiences were enlightening and inspiring
So I close my eyes and go back in time
Revisiting the past to relive the experiences
You were just a child then, and so was I
We were young and inexperienced
That nothing lasts forever
Realizing that everything is temporary
You and me together
We shared something special
Were always now or never
We knew that the moment was fleeting
Can you hear me?
Asking if you remember
I wouldn't trade it for anything
The memories are priceless
My souvenirs.
My treasured keepsakes
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: JON FOREMAN, TIM FOREMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Lilian Tyra
Here's to the twilight
Here's to the memories
These are my souvenirs
My mental pictures of everything
Here's to the late nights
Here's to the firelight
These are my souvenirs
My souvenirs
I close my eyes and go back in time
I can see you're smiling, you're so alive
We were so young, we had no fear
We were so young, we had no idea
That life was just happening
Life was just happening
Here's to your bright eyes
Shining like fireflies
These are my souvenirs
The memory of a lifetime
We were wide-eyed with everything
Everything around us
We were enlightened by everything
Everything
So I close my eyes and go back in time
I can see you smiling, you're so alive
I close my eyes and go back in time
You were just a child then, and so was I
We were so young, we had no fear
We were so young, we had no idea
That nothing lasts forever
Nothing lasts forever
Nothing lasts
Nothing lasts
You and me together
Were always now or never
Can you hear me?
Can you hear me?
I close my eyes and go back in time
I can see you smiling, you're so alive
I close my eyes and go back in time
You were wide-eyed, you were wide-eyed
We were so young, we had no fear
We were so young, we had just begun
A song we knew, but we never sang
It burned like fire inside our lungs
And life was just happening (and nothing lasts, nothing lasts forever)
And life was just happening (and nothing lasts, nothing lasts forever)
I wouldn't trade it for anything
My souvenirs.
Daniel Gerber
The nostalgia this song brings me is so thick it is almost too painful to listen to, but at the same time, it brings back feelings I'd almost forgot. I'm awake after thunderstorms at 11pm ruminating, then I chilled out listening to Interrobang and doing some coding. After a few Vice-Verses songs bring me back, this one comes on. I've been married for over 10 years since August this year. My wife and I have been through a lot of pain together, brought 3 children into this world. I remember listening to this song with her when were younger, married and had a lot of problems financially and personally. It made my cry then to think back on the year, but now after 10 years it emotionally shook me in a way not much else has in a long time as I remember the both good times and miserable ones, the times I was deeply in love and when our relationship nearly ended. I got a lump in my throat and tears rolling down my cheeks. I feel like a sappy fool, but I can't help myself. To my wife and kids right now, this will just be an overly sentimental song like so many others, but some songs hit me at just the right time, and this one means a lot to me.
Khalid Bin Walid
All the best, mate.
Isis Santa Clara Leite
God bless you and your family! Jesus got every pain from people who believe in him. He is our savior and lord!
Benjamin Schmidt
I loved the story, thanks for sharing. "the nostalgia....is so thick it is almost too painful to listen to" -- I totally feel this on this song. Sometimes I skip because it's too intense. It's so "thick" with the feeling nostalgia, truly
Caprice Skjerseth
I am so emotionally lifted by this bands music the lyrics the music and there voices are so pure . I've listen 5o this band for at least 16-17 years and it just gets better and better they always have a message in every song. they sing I am so in love with Switchfoot just an incredible band.
Riordan
Words cannot describe how much I love this song.
Katie Tress
same
Fostering cat
I can not stress how much I love this song. I listen to it constantly, it helps me with my anxiety and when I’m sad. People always say that music can reach people more than words, I never really understood that until I decided to listen to the vice verses album and heard this song. This song doesn’t get what it deserves, I always used to skip this song because it’s slow, but I wish I listened to it sooner it’s so powerful and beautiful.
Merc at Arms
If Switchfoot ever does a goodbye tour, this needs to be the last song they play on stage.
Banquet
Martian Fusion YES