The Clumsy Lovers are a well-regarded and eclectic Celtic jam band based in… Read Full Bio ↴The Clumsy Lovers are a well-regarded and eclectic Celtic jam band based in Vancouver, British Columbia, with more than 1500 live performances in a decade to its credit. Its current line-up consists of Jason Homey on banjo and mandolin, Chris Jonat on bass guitar and vocals, Andrea Lewis on fiddle and vocals, Gord Robert on drums, and Trevor Rogers on vocals, guitar, harmonica and percussion. Their seventh and most recent album, Smart Kid, is their second on Nettwerk Records.

Stand Up
The Clumsy Lovers Lyrics

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I remember when you first arrived
Medicated, till barely alive
And I watched with wonder as color returned to your cheeks
Thinking of the words I'd say, should we ever get the chance to speak (I'd say)

Stand up, don't be foolish
You got one life to live, may as well start it now
Get your hands up, come on let's do this

It's just you and me baby and all the time we're allowed

I remember when you first awoke
Eyes like steel, voice like velvet rope
You said you'd been dreaming of a man who looked like me
Who gave the most sincere advice without the slightest hint of irony
(saying)

Stand up, don't be foolish
You got one life to live, may as well start it now
Get your hands up, come on let's do this
It's just you and me baby and all the time we're allowed

We all thought you would grow strong
Who knew we could be so wrong

I remember when you first broke loose
Some chased after, I said what's the use
Everybody comes around here looking for a change
Happy are the ones who learn it's not so odd to be strange

Stand up, don't be foolish
You got one life to live, may as well start it now

Get your hands up, come on let's do this
It's just you and me baby and all the time we're allow

Overall Meaning

The Clumsy Lovers' "Stand Up" is a tune about encouraging someone who is downtrodden to persevere and make the most of their one life. The song speaks to someone who has gone through some sort of addiction or illness and is now recovering, so much so that even the color has returned to their cheeks, which is a clear sign of their improvement. The singer in the song thinks about the things he would say to the person once they have regained the ability to communicate. The lyrics encourage the person to stand up and live fully in the present since they only have one life to live. The song encourages the person to be bold and seize the moment, with the singer wanting to share in the person's journey.

The song takes a turn when the person suddenly breaks loose, and some choose to chase after them, but the singer decides that there's no point in running after someone who wants to be free. Instead, the singer encourages them to embrace their new-found freedom and understand that it's okay to be different. The lyrics counsel the person to find happiness within themselves and embrace their individuality without worrying about what others think of them.

Line by Line Meaning

I remember when you first arrived
When you first came into my life

Medicated, till barely alive
You were heavily medicated and barely conscious

And I watched with wonder as color returned to your cheeks
I was amazed to see you coming back to life and your face turning red

Thinking of the words I'd say, should we ever get the chance to speak (I'd say)
I was anticipating what I would say to you when you would finally wake up and we would talk

Stand up, don't be foolish
You need to get up and start living your life

You got one life to live, may as well start it now
You only have one chance at life, so start living it to the fullest

Get your hands up, come on let's do this
Let's start living and having fun, raise your hands and join me

It's just you and me baby and all the time we're allowed
It's just you and me against the world, let's make the most of the time we have together

I remember when you first awoke
I remember the moment you finally woke up

Eyes like steel, voice like velvet rope
You had a determined look in your eyes and your voice was calm and soothing

You said you'd been dreaming of a man who looked like me
You told me that you had been dreaming of a man who resembled me

Who gave the most sincere advice without the slightest hint of irony (saying)
In your dream, this man gave you honest and sincere advice without any sarcastic undertones

We all thought you would grow strong
We all believed that you would recover and become stronger

Who knew we could be so wrong
We were all mistaken and things did not turn out as we expected

I remember when you first broke loose
I remember when you finally left the hospital or the place where you were staying

Some chased after, I said what's the use
Some people tried to stop you or follow you, but I thought it was pointless

Everybody comes around here looking for a change
Everyone comes here searching for something different or life-changing

Happy are the ones who learn it's not so odd to be strange
People who realize that it's okay to be different are the ones who find true happiness

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Royalty Network
Written by: GEORGE WALLACE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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