The band signed with Rise Records and released the studio albums Empire Theory (2009) and Dreamhouse (2010), and independently went on to release their third album Young and Courageous in 2014 and their fourth album Everything Nothing in 2018.
Only human
Tides of Man Lyrics
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You don't have to fight it anymore,
Rest, you've seen too much.
My guard is down and my insides,
Are spilling from my stomach,
But you grab a straw,
To slurp it off the ground.
I need to eat your wisdom,
And become secure again,
I need to regain and ascertain,
I see I'm only human,
There's so much I can retain,
I need to prove I can still maintain,
And prove I am not insane.
Sleep, you've cried too much,
You don't have to fight it anymore,
Sleep, you've tried enough.
My guard is down and my insides,
Are spilling from my stomach,
But you grab a straw,
To slurp it off the ground.
I need to eat your wisdom,
And become secure again,
I need to regain and ascertain,
I see I'm only human,
There's so much I can retain,
I need to prove I can still maintain,
And prove I am not insane.
I won't let you hold me now,
All you'll do is slow me down.
Put me down, put me down,
Put me down, make me feel more human.
The lyrics to Tides of Man's song "Only Human" are a reflection on vulnerability, seeking guidance, and embracing one's humanity. The singer is addressing someone who has experienced too much and is exhausted from fighting. They encourage them to rest and sleep, acknowledging that they don't have to keep fighting alone. In the first verse, the singer describes feeling exposed and vulnerable with their guard down, even to the point where their insides are spilling out. However, the person they're addressing is there to support them and "slurp it off the ground" with a straw.
The choruses speak to the singer's desire for guidance and wisdom. They express a need to become secure again and regain control, while also acknowledging that they are "only human" and can only retain so much. They want to prove to themselves and others that they can still maintain and aren't insane. The final line of the song, "put me down, make me feel more human," is a plea to be brought back down to earth and reminded of their humanity, rather than striving for an unattainable level of perfection.
Line by Line Meaning
Rest, you've seen too much,
You've experienced too many things and it's okay to take a break.
You don't have to fight it anymore,
You don't need to resist any longer.
Rest, you've seen too much.
You've experienced too many things and it's okay to take a break.
My guard is down and my insides,
I am vulnerable and emotional.
Are spilling from my stomach,
I am overwhelmed and pouring my emotions out.
But you grab a straw,
You're helping me deal with my emotions.
To slurp it off the ground.
You're helping me deal with my emotions in a messy situation.
I need to eat your wisdom,
I need guidance and advice from you.
And become secure again,
I need to find my sense of safety and assurance again.
I need to regain and ascertain,
I need to regain my strength and confirm my belief in myself.
I see I'm only human,
I am acknowledging my humanity and limitations.
There's so much I can retain,
I am capable of learning and growing.
I need to prove I can still maintain,
I need to show that I can still handle things.
And prove I am not insane.
I need to show that I am not losing my mind and can handle things rationally.
Sleep, you've cried too much,
You've experienced so much pain and it's okay to rest.
You don't have to fight it anymore,
It's okay to let go and stop resisting.
Sleep, you've tried enough.
You've put in enough effort and it's okay to take a break.
I won't let you hold me now,
I won't let you hinder my progress or hold me back.
All you'll do is slow me down.
I am determined to keep going and don't want anyone to hinder my progress.
Put me down, put me down,
Let me be on my own.
Put me down, make me feel more human.
Allow me to be vulnerable and human.
Contributed by Max T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.