Get On
Tellison Lyrics
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I picked up some moves in my youth and I'm scared that I've lost them 'Cause I'm three years past twenty
and suddenly everyone's starting to wonder
If I keep digging do I keep dying
Do I quit trying to write this book
'Cause I'm sick of being second best
I'm tired of third and fourth and the rest
I may have some writers block but I'm still useful to you
And I'd sing to you at night
I'm a loner who gets a little bit lonely
I picked up some nerves in my youth and I'm scared that they own me
'Cause I'm three years past twenty
and suddenly everyone's starting to wonder
If I keep living do I keep lying
Do I quit trying to make this work
'Cause I'm sick of being second best
I'm tired of third and fourth and the rest
I may have some writers block but I'm still useful to you
I'd stick up for you in fights
And I'd sing to you at night
But only my old songs
But only my old songs
I'm sick of being second best
I'm tired of third and fourth and the rest
I may have some writers block but I'm still useful to you
I may have some writers block but I'm still useful to you
I'd stick up for you in fights
And I'd sing to you at night
It's been a bad year
We lost everything
It's been a bad year
We lost everything
It's been a bad year
We lost everything
It's been a bad year
We lost everything
The song "Get On" by Tellison is about a struggling writer who is grappling with self-doubt as he attempts to complete his book. The first lines of the song reveal that the singer is a writer who is facing a crisis of confidence. He fears that he has lost the creative spark that he had during his younger years, and he is unsure if he should continue writing if he is only going to keep getting worse. He is tired of being "second best" and feels as though he is not making any progress in his craft.
The second verse adds another layer to the singer's struggles, revealing that he is also dealing with loneliness and anxiety. He feels as though his nerves are controlling him and worries that he is not living a fulfilling life. Despite his misgivings, the singer insists that he is still "useful" to someone, likely his significant other, whom he pledges to support in fights and sing to at night.
The chorus of the song is a repetition of the singer's frustration with being "second best" and "tired of third and fourth and the rest." This phrase is a reflection of the singer's feelings of inadequacy and his fear that he will never produce something truly great. The final lines of the song hint at some sort of personal tragedy that has occurred in the singer's life, as he repeats the phrase "it's been a bad year, we lost everything."
Overall, "Get On" is a poignant examination of the struggles that many artists face when trying to create something meaningful. It captures the fear of failure, the self-doubt, and the feelings of helplessness that can accompany the creative process.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm a writer, I've got a bit of a problem
As a writer, I have a problem that's holding me back.
I picked up some moves in my youth and I'm scared that I've lost them
I learned some writing techniques in my youth that I'm afraid to have forgotten.
Cause I'm three years past twenty and suddenly everyone's starting to wonder
Now that I'm in my mid-twenties, people are starting to question my abilities.
If I keep digging do I keep dying
I'm unsure if continuing to write will only make things worse.
Do I quit trying to write this book
I'm contemplating whether or not to give up on my writing project.
'Cause I'm sick of being second best
I'm tired of always coming in second place.
I'm tired of third and fourth and the rest
I'm tired of always being in the lower rankings.
I may have some writers block but I'm still useful to you
Even though I'm experiencing writer's block, I still have value to others.
I'd stick up for you in fights
I'd defend you if you found yourself in a physical altercation.
And I'd sing to you at night
I'd sing to you before bedtime.
I'm a loner who gets a little bit lonely
Even though I'm a loner, I still get lonely at times.
I picked up some nerves in my youth and I'm scared that they own me
I developed some anxieties in my youth and I'm afraid they control me now.
If I keep living do I keep lying
I'm questioning whether or not to continue living a life that isn't authentic to me.
Do I quit trying to make this work
I'm considering giving up on something that I've been working on.
But only my old songs
I'm only able to perform my older music.
It's been a bad year, we lost everything
This has been a difficult year where we've lost everything.
Contributed by Ryan V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.