All We Have Is Now
The Flaming Lips Lyrics

All we'll ever have is now

I noticed that he had a watch and hat
That looked familiar
He was me, from a dimension torn free
Of the future
"We're not gonna make it" He explained how
The end will come, you and me were never meant
To be part of the future,
All we have is now,
All we've ever had was now
All we have is now
All we'll ever have is now

All we have is now

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: STEVEN DROZD, WAYNE COYNE

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them

The Flaming Lips is an American neo-psychedelic band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States in 1983. Throughout their career, band members have come and gone, but currently The Flaming Lips consist of original members Wayne Coyne (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards) and Michael Ivins (bass, keyboards, backing vocals), along with members Steven Drozd (drums, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), and Derek Brown (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals). Read Full BioThe Flaming Lips is an American neo-psychedelic band, formed in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States in 1983. Throughout their career, band members have come and gone, but currently The Flaming Lips consist of original members Wayne Coyne (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards) and Michael Ivins (bass, keyboards, backing vocals), along with members Steven Drozd (drums, guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), and Derek Brown (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals). Former members include Mark Coyne (lead vocals), Richard English (drums, keyboards, backing vocals), Nathan Roberts (drums), Jonathan Donahue (guitar, backing vocals), who went on to form Mercury Rev, Ronald Jones (guitar, backing vocals), and Kliph Scurlock (drums).

The Flaming Lips are known for their lush, multi-layered arrangements, spacey lyrics and bizarre song titles. They are also acclaimed for their elaborate live shows, which typically feature animal suits, puppets, streamers, video projections and complex stage light configurations.

In 2002, Q magazine named The Flaming Lips one of the "50 Bands to See Before You Die". In 2006, Oklahoma City named a street Flaming Lips Alley in their honor.

The group recorded several albums and EPs for Restless Records in the 1980s and early 1990s. After signing to Warner Brothers, they scored a #9 hit on the Billboard Alternative charts (and #55 on Billboard's Hot 100 chart) in 1994 with "She Don't Use Jelly". Although it would be their only hit single, the band has maintained critical respect and, to a lesser extent, commercial viability with sonically majestic albums such as 1995's Clouds Taste Metallic, 1999's The Soft Bulletin, 2002's Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots and 2006's At War with the Mystics. The Flaming Lips' 12th studio album, Embryonic, was released in October of 2009. A complete cover of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon was released in May 2010. The Flaming Lips and Heady Fwends, their collaborative album which features artists like Ke$ha, Bon Iver, Nick Cave and Erykah Badu, was released on Record Store Day, April 2012.

Their next studio album, tentatively titled The Terror, will be released in January 2013.

Their song "Do You Realize??" is the official State Rock Song of Oklahoma.

www.flaminglips.com

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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Steve Gunther

6y↑89

As logic stands you couldn't meet a man
Who's from the future
But logic broke as he appeared he spoke
About the Future
"We're not gonna make it" He explained how
The end will come, you and me were never meant
To be part of the future,
All we have is now,
All we've ever had was now
All we have is now
All we'll ever have is now
I noticed that he had a watch and hat
That looked familiar
He was me, from a dimension torn free
Of the future
"We're not gonna make it" He explained how
The end will come, you and me were never meant
To be part of the future,
All we have is now,
All we've ever had was now
All we have is now
All we'll ever have is now
All we have is now

All comments from YouTube:

Ridley Jones

10y↑82

This song is so sad and tender. It always makes me tear up a little bit. I think it's because I'm a lover of science fiction, but it really captures the melancholy that would occur if you somehow found out that this wondrous sci-fi future was going to happen (time travel, etc.), but that you yourself wouldn't be able to make it there. On the surface it's about living in the moment, but there's a well of sorrow at the bottom of it. Sort of like "Do You Realize" I guess.

Vagrant Leviathan

❤❤❤

stronkman

It still isnt afraid to show the real message, enjoying what you have now before it is too late

Deekshith

41w

♥️

Swampgeese

3y↑6

It definitely encapsulates the emotion and the eerieness of this concept with the instrumentation.

John Maldonado

1y↑12

"You and me were never meant to be part of the future"

That line will always resonate so hard with me

Ruth Terreri

1y↑5

I cry every time I listen to this song. Because, in my heart, I realise the truth of it.

Heidi Leeshire

3y↑17

This album gives me an existential crisis in the most intense, terrifying, magnificent, breathtakingly, exquisite way...thank you, & r u hypnotists? 😊👾💖

Steve Gunther

6y↑89

Jordan

5y↑72

Listen to this with headphones, the balancing is phenomenal.

steve patton

12w

i can tell on speakers. my monitor is pretty wide so the stereo field is good at like 2 feet.

Paul Jackino

29w

Produced by Dave Fridmann

James Jennings

1y↑1

Headphones with the right dose of mushrooms...entire album from the beginning, just laying there in the dark, take in all the genius.

Gilpin Matthews

I completely agree

Justin Clark

2y↑1

i also like what they do with "Feeling yourself disintegrate" ... the beginning bounces left to right so beautifully

1 More Replies...

Tiffany Pippin

12y↑3

I love this song. This whole album is incredible! Badly needed.

James Brant

2y↑7

20 years after our divorce, i met my ex wife. we discussed this song and wept like babies. this song crushes my soul.

hakon ericson

2y↑7

This is so beautiful on so many levels.

OMIM

4y↑4

How beautifully can a human being sing the words "all we have is now"? Wow. 💓

Joslyn Flaherty

10y↑9

I just saw the play adaptation for this Album, it was called Yoshimi battles the pink Robots, and it was FANTASTIC! I beg everyone to go see it, it isn't on Broadway (yet) but when it is, GO SEE IT! I cried and laughed and its just soo soo good!

MC Peko

Where?

scouserfourteen

13y↑14

Genius... this album is the Dark Side of the Moon of the modern era.

BilisNegra

41w↑1

Some ELO's Time in there, too.

MoeSlislack

4y↑3

this album and at war with the mystics are both masterpieces. there aren't very many albums where I like every song.

Josh Nudelman

2y↑12

This song takes on more of an emotional weight this year.

Faunnis

6y↑16

Love this song so much

Stu DLNGR

4y↑1

This album, whilst tripping, is perfect. Life synced beautifully.

Mike

37w

This album is so important to me! This song explains so much!

Kael MacQuarrie

5y↑34

Underrated gem

sunnytsofiya

12y

Thank you so much for posting this album. I love 'the flaming lips'.

I V

13y↑2

i'm tired, i'm going to bed and i want this song playing over and over to have a peaceful sleep and beautiful dreams

H Rahmani

Are you still asleep?

darkwatchesvideos

11y

I first heard this album when I was 13 and man did it change me, This is the first psychedelic/trippy/ambient rock I ever heard. This album will always have a special place in my heart. The Flaming Lips are one of the best bands out there and Wayne is a genius.

Saturated Neō Wax

I also think I first heard this when I was 13 (some time towards the end of middle school) and fell in love, dsotm was my first album like this tho

GroWgrooveNmovinG

10y↑14

the flaming lips definitely took that place in my heart that mgmt failed to fill

Knifymoloko

1y↑1

Little Dark Age exists now

Forwellian Rhapsody

1y↑2

Both hold a similar place for me I think

jessmobess1

6y↑11

Vinny always has great taste in music.

Rajdeep K

jessmobess1 binyor

odyshape odyshape

7y↑21

They're no questions asked, that "The Flaming Lips* was the sole only Band, that brought Pop-Music over the iron Millennium-Border forever as Indie-Outfit - within no commercial attitudes ever - being great and true forever as themselves!
A pure rare outfit in such wasted times!
(Pat; Switzerland)

Iamhereblossom

@MagusMirificus Wow i've never heard something from Radiohead described to accurately as "Kid A always felt very shut off to me, like it was something I wasn't invited to be a part of, and Thom Yorke is singing purely for himself rather than to me." I feel like that about a lot of their music, personally.

Joseph Chastain

@MagusMirificus Kid A is a very polarizing album to be sure. However I really think Radiohead's abandoning pop music began with OK Computer. There is nothing traditional about that album at all. There just are a few songs that have what seem like "hooks" (basically No Surprises, Electioneering, and Lucky the rest give the Illusion of sounding like Rock, but they really aren't) I don't see how someone can hear say "Fitter Happier" or "Climbing up the Walls" and argue that Radiohead wasn't already on their way to abandoning what you call "pop music's roots." Radiohead again is my favorite band so I'm a bit biased. Again though I still love the Lips, especially this Album.

MagusMirificus

6y↑1

@Joseph Chastain
I essentially agree. I dunno, I go back and forth on Radiohead, and Kid A especially, which is at the crux of the point I was making (It being their first album of the new millennium). Sometimes I have nothing but admiration for its sonic adventurousness and emotional ambiguity; sometimes I feel as though the length they took those things to is a betrayal of rock n' roll and everything it stands for. Rock n' roll, to me, even in its darkest extremes like Joy Division, is about having a relationship between the singer/songwriter and the listener, where some kind of idea or emotion is communicated with the desire for the listener to understand it, even if it's on a purely emotional level rather than an intellectual one. Kid A always felt very shut off to me, like it was something I wasn't invited to be a part of, and Thom Yorke is singing purely for himself rather than to me. Which isn't helped by the undeniable fact that Radiohead openly stated that Kid A came from a feeling that rock music was done, having become boring, stale, and passe. They were interested in making something entirely different, and I have to look at it as something different in order to enjoy it, while believing that the sentiment that lead to its creation is absolutely and completely wrong and cynical.

This all contrasts rather directly with what the Lips were doing around the same time. This album, as well as Soft Bulletin, are just as exited by the idea of new sounds as Radiohead was, are very nearly just as innovative, and can explore emotions that are just as dark or complex. But they retain that rock n' roll position of being essentially being one side of a conversation, recorded not only for its own sake but so that Wayne Coyne could properly address those on the other side of the speakers.

Again, none of this is meant as a slight against Kid A, or Radiohead in general. It's just an explanation of why I'm naturally disposed to be more comfortable with what The Flaming Lips are doing here than what Radiohead did on that album. Rock n' roll is my passion, and any music, even a masterpiece, that actively tries to distance itself from everything rock n' roll is on a fundamental level, is going to make me slightly suspicious, however great it is.

Joseph Chastain

Fair enough. I do love Radiohead. I think a lot of Radiohead fans can go way overboard with their devotion too though. I think Radiohead not doing the pop music roots thing is a good thing as their doing their own thing. Let Radiohead be Radiohead and Flaming Lips be Flaming Lips. They;'re both great bands and I wouldn't want them to be any other way.

MagusMirificus

I wasn't bashing Radiohead. I like Radiohead. Some days I love them. I was bashing all the rock critics and the occasional fans who claim that Radiohead were solely responsible for rock music surviving into the 21st century, which is hyperbolic and somewhat silly when there were bands like the Lips doing a lot of the same stuff. And I didn't say "Pop music", I said "Pop music's roots", which ARE necessarily good things. They established music as a form of direct interaction with the listener, which is something I think Radiohead abandoned around the time of Kid A.

2 More Replies...

nick d

12y

yeah its a great album all the way through, plus i love albums with songs that sort of segway into eachother

Mr. Nobody

3y↑18

ALL WE'VE EVER HAD IS NOW...fully comprehend the meaning of these words and the universe is yours....

Ana Sonegheti

Tudo o Que Temos É o Agora

bouncyfunkyrecords

i can't believe how this lyrics fits so perfect

Philip Charles

9y↑1

that's just one of many possible interpretations tho...i think it's a little deeper than just that. you can interpret this album in so many ways, it's brilliant.

bob gregory

12y

this is a beautiful song. the first time i heard it , it made my cry.

ORoshnaye

10y

I saw the Musical at the La Jolla Playhouse at its debut. Easily one of the most amazing shows I've ever seen.

Amanda Talamantes

12y

oh how i love the flaming lips. everyone should love them. <3

Tranquil Photon

9y↑55

I cried like a bitch to this once i learned this was actually a concept album around breast cancer ;_;

Adam Marquez

Oh god

JeuϟPater

2y↑5

@Kurt Mathes in fact Wayne's father died right before the soft bulletin and together with this album it marked a sea change in their musical style. I suspect many of these songs were heavily influenced by the death of Wayne's father

El Fresno

4y↑9

From cancer

El Fresno

4y↑17

It's a tribute to their Japanese friend who died

1 More Replies...

Feral Drollery

2y↑5

Crazy how relevant this is now!

EM KAY

5y↑69

The past will never comeback and tomorrow will never arrive.

Chun Kun

Kratezzz precious

peebeeaytch

8y↑51

Time is circular. Take nothing for granted. All we have is NOW

newforest pixie

Peter Bonde Mr David Icke explained this to me the other day. “ when you think of the past - it is now And when you think of the future , it is now “ . The way I organise my plumbing business proves I’ve always subconsciously realised this fact. Great band . Best wishes from wessexshire

John Smith

delusional much?

Iamhereblossom

7y↑2

@Paul Jackino that's Aristotle's viewpoint. Look it up. It may blow your mind

Paul Jackino

7y↑7

To me, it's not so much that time is circular, it's that there is no such thing as time..(if you have to think of it in terms of infinity, than that still means there is no such thing as time in a way.) so there is just Now and now is forever. buuut we still somehow have clocks and calendars and Date of births and date of deaths and all that

Azwel

10y↑2

amazing song. as good as anything on soft bulletin

Blake Gildaphish

10y↑1

their music is just beautiful. one of the few great things about the 21st century.

Saturated Neō Wax

@Adam Marquez isn't that how life is too?

Adam Marquez

Some of theyre songs yeah but the rest are silly as hell

Periphery830

9y↑16

im sick and i feel like this band is curing me

br4ve

11y

This sounds amazing, any other suggested bands? I'm trying to discover as much goodness as possible

Samo

23w

did ya find some

luis reséndiz

this song is getting me through 2020

Ikkepedia

10y

I'm going through a agnostic to atheist period of my life right now. I saw this link, man. What an awesome song and band!

Goku _Dunker_420

2y↑1

Forget I had this shit in my music playlist, love that I found it again.

Synixx

10y

@YoshiAddict I'm a massive floyd fan but I still rate the flaming lips very highly. They have different styles so for me I can't really compare them in the first place.

Pegasus300100

13y

Yes... Really great... I like this song. :)

blue crane

fantastic song.

Charles Reitz

10y↑2

Omg, them feels...

Julia W

10y

Love this song❤

Rafael Camargo Urango

Epic tune.

4am Memes

12y↑3

Who would ever dislike THIS song?

4am Memes

@Alex Perez i was 15. song's still a banger tho

Alex Perez

I was 6 when u commented this

Alex Perez

True

1 More Replies...

Alexandra Hildred

Me TOO. Like shit, they're soo good

Francesco Pozzi

12y

fking nice song and lyrics too

Alex Jones

12y↑1

This is my favorite song

jason dorf

How do you "thumbs down" this? THAT'S WHY we can't have nice things.... good luck to the NITWITS....

brendan shari

12w

All we have is now ❤️❤️

Nat

12y

to me its like a Beatles (acid era) / pink Floyd / blend and i like it (:

Mar K

11y↑1

I want to live by these words.

Arnold James

12y

man this is good stuff

bookninja1

12y

this is only the second Flaming lips track i've listened to. but hot damn, if i don't like them

marauderjocks

25w

this song is like a therapy for me

Dithyramb

10y

Good to hear the play version is good

fishonade

10y

same for me, this is great for the mind

Kenny Zeman

what does it say about me that i didnt even register the factt that the lyrics reference "you and me are never going to be part of the future" i always just envisioned the lyrics as a one way dialogue with another character in the context of the song. i am traveling into the future with every passing moment.

Heidi Leeshire

3y↑1

All we have is N.O.W. No other who. No other what. No other when. No other where. No other why. 💓

Vanessa A.

All I want right now is someone to go to balboa park with me and listen to the flaming lips albums while we smoke a j.

tigerboar10

9y↑5

This is a much better love story than Twilight

scouserfourteen

13y↑1

Always amazes me why people look up stuff they don't like. Life's too short mate. Embrace the positive.

Here Again

11y↑3

If you like Flaming Lips you'll also like MGMT. -Your Personal Pandora.

Paul Jackino

29w

They share the same producer!

OMIM

5y↑1

Fuuuck this is CRAZY! <3

Jessica Frisbie

11y

I'm always creeped out by the scary rapist voice in the back of this song! BUT I LOVE THIS SONG TO DEATH!

AIR

11y

It pains me that 90% of the people I know listen to generic talentless artists like Lil' Wayne or Ke$ha, insisting they're the best. But they've never even heard REAL music, that connects with you on an emotional leve, and doesn't just repeat lyrics about "hittin' the club with your bitches".

Snake Plissken

11y↑7

just me, but I prefer this to dark side of the moon

SaucyySam _

49w

flaming lips is way better than Pink Floyd

bubbachubba

@Trillium Allison agreed. they both server their own purposes. they both have so so much to offer and honestly I don't know if I could pick one or the other if I had to.

Trillium Allison

3y↑1

both great, in much different ways

Cai

12y

a good easy song for the piano. sounds nice like rice ice splice dice zeitgeist

CrownRiver

Feels like Doctor Who.

Dave Shichman

2y↑3

All we have is now...

David Santella

11y

@patriotsurfer16 see them live and they will become your favorite band

Heidi Leeshire

I wish the 🌎 lived in the "now." It's possible. A paradigm shift would be both necessary & full of potential! Ok, on the count of 3 let's start! 1..2..3.. Dammit...

IndelibleHD

7y↑25

This song is the shit....

Alex Jones

10y

I was agnostic, but I relate with Naturalistic Pantheism.

Roland Jimenez

13y

my ex.. after hearing this song, said it reminded her of John Titor. - makes sense

a70921

12y

@Skyechanter Maybe because the first track on there compolation album has Wayne, the singer from this band on it, plus that album came out idk 7 years after this, and really didn't get realesed till this year on account Mark killed himself. Thanks for dropping musical knowledge on us though everyone should look into Dark Night of The Soul imo best album of 2010

Feyza'nın Anıları

2y↑3

good

Matthew Herman

Fuck yea

4am Memes

12y

2 poeples brains where so twisted and bent from the psycadelicness from this song they thought the "dislike" button was the "like" button :(

1qwasz12

Time is a dimension

none of your business

2y↑1

I miss you dad

Deekshith

41w

♥️♥️

Alex Jones

12y

this reminds me of donnie darko

Scott O

12y

Hey dont diss Pink Floyd they might comeback someday,,after all it will be David and a bunch of other band members that are not pink floyd, it would be "David and the new Pink Floyd of the future."

Metalgazer

11y↑1

@br4ve Might I suggest Black Moth Super Rainbow, Of Montreal, Solex, Fever Ray, The Faint, Tortoise, Pinback, CocoRosie, M83, Ghostland Observatory, Boards of Canada, Washed Out, Tricky, Slowdive, Burial... nothing quite like this, though.

stingme88x

11y

i gotta stop pushing replay button

squg

11y

what about the Z one where you play 4 things at the same time?

Dylan Zavarelli

11y

if you like the flaming lips you should check out MGMT

Laura Louise

11y

@1TomatoJuice1 Very cool way of putting it ..... Very nearly as cool as the Lips themselves ;o)

sickwater

11y

Top Drawer, Sir. Top Drawer.

MINDCRAFTdotJAR

It was a joke for their 30th anniversary.

Renata Karma

12y

HA that was exactly what i was thinking of.

nicholaswheeler

11y

IF U LIKE FLAMING LIPS U SHOULD LISTEN TO SPARKLE HORSE .... LOVE NEVER DIES PEOPLE...

Goku _Dunker_420

6y↑13

Thanks, Vinesauce Vinny.

Goku _Dunker_420

1y↑1

Still happy that I watched that one Vinny stream where he mentioned this song. Don't even remember which stream it was, or that it was over 4 years ago. Crazy how fast time flies. Wish I could use it all better.